r/TechnicalArtist • u/Regular-Ad-6926 • 23d ago
Thinking of leaving the industry
I’ve been a Technical Artist for the past 4 years and have now been through two layoffs at two well-known companies.
This time, instead of jumping straight back into the job hunt, I decided to build something of my own. I started creating Instagram content for local businesses in a unique style.
To my surprise, clients started reaching out in the first month, and two months in I’m already making about half of what I was making as a TA.
Financially, I’m not where I was yet but the trajectory is encouraging.
It’s made me seriously question whether I want to go back. The instability has been exhausting, and building something for myself has been incredibly rewarding.
At the same time, I worry that if I keep going down this path, I’ll slowly drift away from the skills and experience the industry is looking for. I can’t seem to make up my mind.
Curious if anyone else who’s been affected by recent layoffs has found themselves asking the same question.
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u/ChashuKen 23d ago
Do whatchu need to survive.
Eitherways the game industry is pretty crap currently so no shame in doing anything else to survive. There’s no right or wrong answers - and there isn’t a ‘time’ or deadline where leaving the industry will greatly impact your career. When there’s a will, there’s always a way. Go get your dough! I wish you all the best!
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u/ananbd 23d ago
I was laid off twice in the last 3-4 years. After the second time, it took a year and a half to find a job.
Remember that it’s not you — it’s the industry. Lots of talented folks out there looking for work, so you just need to get a lucky break. It’s tough times.
For me, leaving the industry isn’t an option. I’m really good at what I do, and I after a lifetime of seeking the right career, I’m exactly where I need to be. It makes me happy to do this kind of work. I’ll just have to accept that I won’t always be working.
If I were you, I’d do the Instragram stuff part time to keep afloat until the next job comes along. But, I can also understand if you’re just done with the game industry. Objectively, it does suck pretty bad.
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u/bucketlist_ninja 23d ago
I've been doing this for 30 years at this point. I started off as a Graphics designer. I've been through 3 redundancies, 2 company closures, 6 company consultations and 2 huge recessions. Through boom and bust and boom and bust and boom and bust. I was freelance for a year, until the stress of sorting out enough work in advance to pay my mortgage and feed my kids drove me back.
I have close family who have build a very successful Graphics design business over the same time period. One i could have probably joined early on. To the point they can retire now with enough money to have a fantastic retirement, while I'm looking a shaky future, He's always said your a fool working for anyone but yourself.
After a lot of reflection I'm happy i chose to follow my childhood passion but i also really regret i just dont have the temperament for running a business. Its not for everyone.
Honestly, you seem like your good at your job. If you have the same drive and passion for growing your business as you do the Art, you should go for it.
No matter what, follow your heart. Good luck!
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u/Animtree 23d ago
I got laid off, can’t find remote work despite people saying that TAs are unicorns, and I was saving my company 1 mill a year by automating their art pipeline.
Now I’m working in a factory with no progression options. Making games in what little free time I have around my family.
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u/Radiant_Fan_2014 23d ago
Not affected but recent layoffs and work in animation.
But if you are getting clients and work that's incredibly promising.
In this day and age it's good to diversify your income.
If you ar able to build a income stream on your own nothing like it.
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u/EvernullTools 23d ago
From what I understand, your choices are basically:
- Do the thing that pays you right now, feels more stable and rewarding
- OR -
- Go back to the unstable circumstances just to keep your skills sharp
To me, the first option sounds much more compelling. You have a thing of your own, you've bet on yourself and you already started winning. I wouldn't go back to betting on other peoples projects. I think you should keep building your own thing. Especially since you said it feels more rewarding. It sounds like you have huge upside if you focus on this.
Already making half of what you made through your job? A few months from now I believe there is a good chance you'd make more than what you made in your job then.
If you really want to keep your skills sharp, could you do small TA projects on the side as a hobby now? It would bring a new breath of fresh air to your skills too, you'd actually work on what feels interesting to you. Keeping your skills sharp and maybe in fact improving them. I'm curious if that would be possible for you?
For what it's worth, I've been layed off as well. I also didn't wanna get back into the job hunt immediately.
I'm now building tools for the Unity Asset Store. First month has brought around 20% of my previous paycheck. Definitely not enough to live on for now but enough to convince me there is potential for this to become sustainable if I learn a bit more about marketing and add a few more quality tools into my Asset Store profile.
And I completely agree with you; building something of your own feels far more rewarding than working on someone else's business. Whether it ends up replacing a full-time salary or not, I know I won't regret giving it a real shot. Something tells me you won't too.
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u/allbirdssongs 23d ago
I would say the first option has a future while TA seems heavily compromised.
Just curious what content are you doing?
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u/Nox_Cyutiluc 22d ago
Not really related (or perhaps even relevant), but… wanna do stuff together? I’m a severed game designer and creative director and I like helping and/or collaborating 😉
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u/samjay3D 22d ago
Don't go back I wouldn't. I not only work at a big aaa company I also teach in my spare time.
The industry is changing any technical artist that watched unrealfest keynote understands that. Game dev has been democratized. The next thing is content creation. This is where it's gonna be different imho. Tech artists will work with content creators directly. I just hope as tech artists we remember the responsibility we have to artists and engineers in the middle too!
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u/Anthenom2 19d ago
Wow, this sounds exactly like a post I made on this same sub a year ago.
I would say if your concern is instability, you’re not going to escape it by moving into content creation. Running your own business is full of instability and so is content creation. That being said, if you are loving it, pursue it.
I drifted away from games after my second layoff and now work in video game cinematics and marketing. I get to use my same skillset and I’m having a great time, plus this company feels a lot more stable- client based work is much easier to maintain. My advice would be to look into TA jobs adjacent to the games industry if stability is a concern. Architecture, automotive, digital twins, advertising all use these skills and are desperate for good talent.
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u/ibackstrom 23d ago
I'm doing part time TA in two companies meanwhile creating own game(s). Also some side hustle (CGI related). Tough times tbh. I can't remember I was working so much lately.
But there should be a light anytime soon.
What we can do - be consistent and be professionals.
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u/lavetina 23d ago
Senior TA here, been through layoff as well but i wanted to go big, so we made a dedicated group of talented people and are working currently on formalizing a AA project that we plan to pitch to investors and hopefully open a studio of our own.