Taking a job somewhat game adjacent? Will that hurt my career?

selectstart

Hello! A bit about me, I'm in my early 40s, and have been in games for 7 years. I'm a Senior Environment Artist and have worked at a handful of indie studios, with the most notable one being my recent place. Myself and a good portion of my recent studio, all lost our jobs due to the industry being how it is. I've been applying places, talking to recruiters etc. I hopefully will be able to land something new in the coming weeks/months in games at another studio. But...I have the possible opportunity to take a job working for a big boy corporation working in VR, though not even on the game side. I'm already feeling a good 10 years behind in my career due to not getting started til later in life as an Environment Artist.

Do you think taking this job will hurt my chances to get back into games in the future? I would have nothing to add to my portfolio from it. I have worked so hard to get into the games industry and it honestly makes me really upset and depressed knowing that I possibly wont be working in games for a while, but the pay is really good and I could use it. I know this is more of a decision of what makes me happy, but I'm feeling guilty not wanting this other job when I know the games industry isn't the most stable these days.

Any thoughts or advice would be great.

zetheros

100% absolutely take the job, you can always work on gamedev stuff as a hobby or as a contractor until the industry recovers. If it's a standard 40hr work week, that's a lot of off-time to improve and make something that you want to make, instead of someone telling you what to make. It won't hurt your chances at getting back into gamedev at all IMO

buzzkill

Agreed with Zetheros, I currently work at a studio for some years from which almost nothing can be added to my portfolio. But the hours are very flexible and allowed me to work on it in the meantime. 

selectstart

Thanks @buzzkill @zetheros

I'll keep that in mind, and I think you guys are right, but I feel like if Im offered a gaming job over this one, I would take it. But who knows whats to come.

Joopson

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say-- if you're being offered a job adjacent that pays well, I think it would be silly not to take it. You can keep applying to games, and if you get an offer on that end, you can always weigh the possibilities and decide what to do. Accepting a job doesn't mean you have to stay there for a long time, if you find something more exciting or fitting.

But, especially considering the current climate, work in games can be uncertain.