Game Developer magazine rolls out its salary survey:
... The average salary across the entire U.S. 'mainstream' games industry was $81,192, only a marginal increase to last year's $80,817 reported average. Nevertheless, 66 percent of survey respondents made more money in 2011 than they did in 2010, compared to 56 percent from 2010 to 2009. ...
It's wonderful that salaries are rising in these troubled times. But what I'd like to know is: What the hell kind of hourly rate are people making? Did salaries go up because employers are paying more? Or did the climb happen because because employees are working more?
As I found out seventeen years ago, to make $2000 per week working a hundred hours in a seven-day span isn't really as good as making $1400 by laboring, say, forty hours.
(On the other hand, if the work load is such that you sleep under your monitor and consume coke and hot dogs off the roach coach for daily sustenance, maybe you'll have more money when the gig is over, because you won't have had time to go out and spend any of the generous wages. ...)
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I believe wages are normalized based on a 40 hour week so that higher numbers actually mean higher wages - regardless of how much overtime people work relative to other years. That said, I'm sure there's unpaid/unreported overtime in there mucking things up.
Unlike feature animation studios, game studios offer full time jobs. Which means, when somebody is reporting say, 80 K a year, they're actually making 80 k a year, as opposed to someone in a film studio, where their rate maybe 80 k a year, but they only work 8 months. I know some people in the film industry have year long employment,but that's not the majority in my experience...
Some studios also have alternative compensation such as a yearly bonus, and such. But that is probably at a few specific studios.
I know Blizzard will sometimes lowball people with film experience on wages explaining that they offer a generous bonus every year. Yet they do not have a specific system which can vary from person to person.
(The figure I hear tossed around is 25% of your yearly wages, although no one I know that works there is exactly clear on how the system works and no one apparently in management seems to want to talk about it)
I'm not super familiar with current wage structures in the game industry.
However, several years ago, a raft of Electronic Arts employees pounded on our doors because of the long hours and working weekends they had to spend at the L.A. facility.
The game studios I have dealt with pay employees salary but with no overtime. So the 81k is what they make regardless of how many hours they work. Luckily, the good studios encourage employees to only work 40-45 hours and have a good work/life balance (although crunch times still end up being 60+ hour weeks). No studio wants to be the next "EASpouse" or "Rockstar wives" fiasco so whether they encourage this out of respect for the employees or out of fear of bad publicity is anyone's guess.
I know some people in the film industry have year long employment,but that's not the majority in my experience...
Be careful using the word "majority." The majority of people I know (Disney Dreamworks, Sony, Blue Sky, Pixar) have worked year round years and sometimes decades.
Its the minority who get laid off. (even during major layoff times, more than 50% is NOT laid off).
"Its the minority who get laid off. (even during major layoff times, more than 50% is NOT laid off)."
A highly debatable point. Yes, some people enjoy multiple year contracts as I mentioned before. That still is NOT full time status. I myself know of a handful of people who have worked at the places mentioned for years, but that is not the norm, and I find the <%50 figure to be bogus. Decades long employment is a increasingly rare case as well.
Remember, %78 of statistical data is made up!
I work at a EA studio. I barely do two weeks a year with some OT. At most it comes up to three weeks, and not even close to doing 20 hrs extra.
Last bonus I got came in at five figures.
Cheers!
Well, good for EA, then. It's like the old adage goes: "Overtime pay keeps the union away".
It's up to the employees to be aware of their rights under the labor laws in the particular country/state/province they are located.
And of course we have the internets, which makes it easy to find out. Sometimes the language used in those articles are hard to cut through though....
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A highly debatable point.
I dont think its debatable at all. Facts are facts. Check imdb's credits or ask Steve Hullett and you'll find that more than 50% of crews are retained year over year. Disney, for example, doesnt even have contracts, just run-of-show or full-time status.
I think your evidence is anecdotal.
imdb's credits? that's retarded! how about employee feedback instead?
http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Walt-Disney-Animation-Studios-Reviews-E17212.htm
No, your mind is made up. It is you who wont let the "facts" change your preconceptions.
I dont know why you're being so hostile. Im debating a singular point, that you can have a consistent career at many animation studios, not what your opinion is of working at any particular studio. The majority of people stay at one place for a long time. Thats a fact.
By the way, Glass Door is voluntary and represents (in WDAS situation) 9 opinions. With arguments like that, no wonder you come across as ignorant. Ive been in the industry for 15+ years and have worked at 2 different studios. Most people I've worked with are full time and have been there longer than 5-10 years. Yes, layoffs happen, but not for the majority.
But dont take my word for it. Like I said, feel free to ask Steve Hullett for the facts.
"Ive been in the industry for 15+ years and have worked at 2 different studios"
congratulations, you just contradicted yourself by providing anecdotal evidence.
In tour own words,"I think your evidence is anecdotal." So by your own standards I should not accept your experience as 'fact'.
"r you come across as ignorant."
hmmmm...now if we could just figure why am I hostile....
I never claimed they lay off 'everybody' when production is completed. I know studios keep a skeleton crew, I never claimed they didn't. I am skeptical about the 50% figure you claimed. Very skeptical.
Now, show us you're capable of rendering your opinion without ad hominem attacks!
I already did. I didnt want my argument to come off as anecdotal. Therefore I wrote the words "Dont take my word for it, ask Steve Hullet" and encouraged you to casually compare film over film at Dreamworks or Pixar of Disney's credits on imdb. Thats about as much proof as you need.
And I didnt attack you, unless you consider the use of the word "ignorant" as an attack. It isnt. I literally mean "you dont know." I'm sorry if you're sensitive about that. Because if you werent ignorant, you would know, for a fact, that more than 50% of the people you work with at studios stick around year after year, for decades.
You already admitted you were skeptical about the 50% figure. Correct me if Im wrong, but in order for someone to be skeptical, they'd be admitting they dont have the facts, and therefore ignorant?
Im not sure you're wanting to argue this point so badly. Maybe you've heard stories. The irony is, theres many more people quietly, happily working than telling horror stories on GlassDoor.com
When I say skeptical, I mean, I don't believe you. I know plenty of people who work go from studio to studio, with a few months of inactivity. Most my friends are in that situation.
The imdb idea is dumb, since it doesn't tell us whether employment id full time or not.
And calling me ignorant IS attacking the person instead of dealing with the subject matter being discussed, it's a textbook example of an 'ad hominem'. It's not a matter of me being sensitive or not,yet another ad hominem.Sorry you're 'ignorant' of the logical fallacies often used.
Talk to Steve. Im done arguing with you. Easily over half the people I work with I've worked with for more than 5 years. Thats proof enough for me.
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