Going Abroad

I've lived all my life moving from one place to another every 3 years on average. Ever since I was 6. So I don't have back-up plans, and I don't have a back-up place to store my shit. With that said I haven't been out of a job since I left my parents' home so I never really had to.

As much as this industry is reputed for being unstable, the reality of it is it really isn't any more or less than any other industry but since it's such a global one the impact is felt across the board much faster. If you worked in more common industries you'd lose a job and still would find opportunities within the same city. In the games industry, those cities are very limited and you will have to move quite far for the next venture. If that's more what you're looking for, as far as stability, look no where else but in Montreal, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and to some degree London and Paris.

Taking the visa situation in consideration, you're basically left with Montreal and other Canadian cities to a lesser degree. At least outside of Europe. Welcome to the club of European developers.

Yeah, that industry really isn't keen on families...

San Francisco sounds like a great place to go, getting into the US is the only issue.

Quote from Pericolos0

Be minimalist in your lifestyle, just don't own to much shit. When I moved to the US i pretty much condensed all my belongings to one suitcase. It felt awesome getting rid of all the stuff I don't really need . So basically be prepared to move without too much trouble.

Yeah that made my DVD-collection way more awesome aswell

Quote from Evert

Be minimalist in your lifestyle, just don't own to much shit. When I moved to the US i pretty much condensed all my belongings to one suitcase. It felt awesome getting rid of all the stuff I don't really need . So basically be prepared to move without too much trouble.

Yeah that made my DVD-collection way more awesome aswell

Typical capitalist exploiting the misery of the working class.

I think me and warby are the only ones that love making games, but really don't want to relocate?

Quote from dux

I think me and warby are the only ones that love making games, but really don't want to relocate?

Slackers?

How's Finland btw? To work and live?

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":30r2ukrv]

Slackers?

Home lovers.

Quote from dux

Slackers?

Home lovers.

Slackers.

UK wise (England at least) there are a fair few studios that are doing OK depsite all the doom and gloom posted around, Crytek also has a studio here.

You know you could just go independent and make you own fate and work from anywhere in the world you want, moving as often (or not) as you'd like!

Quote from Pericolos0

that's too bad imo, the opportunity to go live somewhere else and meet new people is one of the best parts of the game industry imo. There's not that many jobs out there that give you that!

I couldn't agree more! It was the best decision I've ever made in my life.

As soon as I graduate I'm looking for work anywhere EXCEPT Canada.

Would love to work in Europe or Japan.

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":3rwbvaw4]

that's too bad imo, the opportunity to go live somewhere else and meet new people is one of the best parts of the game industry imo. There's not that many jobs out there that give you that!

I couldn't agree more! It was the best decision I've ever made in my life.

Sure, but after a few years you will get sick of it. And go try to start a family with that lifestyle! It is great if you are 20 years old, but you won't stay 20 forever... That lifestyle demands that you never have a girlfriend, many friends, a lot of possesions, pets, cars, a nice house, or anything at all that can't be just picked up and moved to somewhere else. I can understand that being able to see the world is awesome, but the price you pay for it is hefty.

Quote from zaphod

You know you could just go independent and make you own fate and work from anywhere in the world you want, moving as often (or not) as you'd like!

w0rd ! thats what my plan is right now but of course there is no certainty that this will work out !

@hourances is of course spot on as well traveling the world is something you can do in your twentys when you dont desire anykind of commitment ! bt not for ever !

dux i have relocated for work many times:

from hamburg to baunschweig

from baunschweig to hamburg

from hamburg to boston

from boston to hamburg

from hamburg to copenhagen

from copenhagen to hamburg

notice a trend ?! i loves me some hamburg !

but i am totally willing to move anywhere in the world for a gig but if i could choose id stay in hamburg.

i just became "27" so who knows maybe i have one more relocation in me before my twentys adventure time ends and its time to settle down !

i am seriously considering applying at naughty dog even though i despise LA with a passion !

That's alright you can always claim that Naughty Dog is Santa Monica and not LA, everyone will agree with you that it's so much better At least it's not too much away from the ocean and ten times hotter like the San Fernando valley.

Hourences I agree with your post a lot, and that prompted my return to Europe but at the same time the passion to make games must still exist, which is why my life will surely make me go away again. Like I said, I haven't really lived in one place more than any other lately if ever so that need is something I'm not entirely sure I know or have.

Here is the list of all the moves I made...you can get the idea

Creteil, France -> Alencon, France

Alencon, France - Fort de France, Martinique, France

Fort de France, Martinique, France -> Epinal, France

Epinal, France -> West Cornwall, CT, USA

West Cornwall, CT, USA -> Epinal, France

Epinal, France -> Dijon, France

Dijon, France -> Berlin, Germany

Berlin, Germany -> Dijon, France

Dijon, France -> London, UK

London, UK -> Dijon, France

Dijon, France -> Orsay, France

Orsay, France -> Dijon, France

Dijon, France -> Montpellier, France

Montpellier, France -> Annecy, France

Annecy, France -> Epinal, France

Epinal, France -> Montreal, QC, Canada

(short stint in Brazil)

Montreal, QC, Canada -> Frankfurt, Germany

That's 14 moves in the past 12 years. And 5 moves to 5 different studios (4 countries and 3 continents) to make 5 games in the past 5 years (since I joined this industry)

That list will surely continue at one point, I already know that.

Woah, why did you move around so much?

Quite the list!

I made the cross Atlantic move once, from Canada to Sweden. I'd definitely recommend it if you're young and have no ties, it's certainly been a positive experience for me. Papperwork wise things were quite easy, the company handled pretty much everything. But if you're on a work related visa and the company goes bankrupt, it can be quite scary. I went for some interviews around Europe, but ended up staying in Sweden, luckily there's a few studios in the same city (Stockholm), where I'm from in Canada there wasn't anything at all for about 1000km in either direction...

Quote from PogoP

Woah, why did you move around so much?

As a kid, because my father was getting promoted. My stay in the US was the first time I moved by myself, at 17. After that, all moves are a combination of studies, internships and job opportunities. That lifestyle is basically all I know and I find myself getting very excited to discover some new place after a while. This industry works quite well for me for now because it gives me all these opportunities and with my previous experiences I never think twice about drastic moves since I'm so used to them. I can literally embrace all these chances and not look back.

Besides, if I was to stay in my home country and work there, I would basically have to stick to less interesting projects and half the pay I can now get at major international studios. And I'm 29. Come back 10 years from now and I will be singing a different tune (it started already, as I said prompting my move back to Europe) but I still want to discover places out there. It's exciting.

And you can also build a family that benefits from this lifestyle. My parents did it and I wouldn't be living this way without them raising me in a similar environment. My brother and sister are doing the same thing too, it's not just me.

That's right, Furyo's living the life!

I love ma portugal, the sun and good food, but the opportunity of moving around, getting to know new cultures and people, I wouldn't change for anything in this world. Eventually you will need to settle down, obviously, but until then enjoy it!