12 signs you’ve been working in the games industry for too long

Too many free event t-shirts in your cupboard? Or maybe your recycling bin is starting to overflow with empty company-branded goodie bags? If you’re staring at games for more than eight hours a day and getting paid for it, then this list is for you. God bless our souls.

1. All your friends think you only ever play games at work

It’s the best job in the world. Not.

2. You no longer want to play games on your off days

There is something called too much of a good thing.

3. You stop gaming because playing other companies’ games feels like betrayal

I really like that MMORPG from company X but it’s basically competing with my product…

4. Random people friend you on Facebook to ask for free gold/credits/currency

Hey GM can I has gold pls / I can’t log in / ur game suck.

5. You nitpick at other companies’ advertisements

That’s obviously not going to work, hasn’t that project manager been in the industry longer than I have been alive?

6. All your t-shirts are freebies from work events

Yay, free shirts! And they’re all in my favorite color: black!

7. All your other t-shirts are freebies from friends’ work events

Yay, more free shirts (in black)! I never have to buy a shirt again!

8. Your games are only bought via staff discount—either yours, or a friend’s

Boo to companies that impose buying quotas on their staff!

9. You don’t have games because they’re mostly review copies

Why buy a game when you can play it for (almost) free?

10. All your recycled paper bags are from game companies

It’s completely not strange to see grandma carrying a Playstation bag to the market.

11. A gaming convention feels more like a family reunion than a work assignment

If you’ve read to this point, you know how this feels. Oh hang on, my friend is right there at the booth next door.

12. You never join a new company; you just reconnect with old friends

It’s not a career change, I’m just going back to where I belong.

Thanks to all the friends and colleagues in the industry who contributed their two cents!

This article was originally posted on Games in Asia.

(Image source, gifs)

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