Everyone can make games

Welcome to Game Dev Beginner, my blog about learning to make games, even if you’ve never done it before.

I’m John, and for many years I’ve been working to help developers create audio and music for their games (more about that here).

I’m also a keen amateur developer and since I was young I’ve loved learning how to make games.

Except, there’s always been one problem…

Without much of a game development background, I used to find it difficult to understand even the basic concepts and mechanics of putting games together. Sure, tutorials and examples helped but, when trying to apply what I learned out of context, I would often end up just copy and pasting forum answers to solve problems, without really understanding why it worked, if it even worked at all.

Luckily, I’ve since become more experienced and I’ve realised that, at first, I had missed out on some key lessons that, if I’d only known them beforehand, would have made game development easier for me to understand and easier to learn.

I started Game Dev Beginner to share everything I have and will learn about modern game development, to try and provide genuinely helpful answers to common questions and to try to make getting into game development a little easier for beginners.

And, while I’m still not an expert, if there’s one thing I now know about game development it’s that you don’t need to be.

If you’re willing to take the time to learn, anyone can make games.

Even a complete beginner like me!

game dev beginner

Comments

  1. Reply

    John you are an angel. Your blog is extremely well written, simple to understand and robust. I’m not sure how often you get to see the fruition of your work to help us beginners, but have faith that we are absolutely grateful for it.

    I’ve taken the Gamedev.tv course on Unity 2D and found it an amazing introduction to the area. I only wish I had bought it from your link so you could have gotten a commission 🙂

    Thank you so much for your blog. I’ve already subscribed to your newsletter and will definitely make this page my game developer home.

    Thank you John, you amazing human being!

    PS: In case you find my name weird, that’ll be because I’m Brazilian! Hahahaha

    1. Author
      Reply

      Thank you so much! I’m really glad my blog has been helpful. PS: your name is amazing!

  2. Reply

    Hey John,

    I’ll second everything Guilherme says there – Happy New Year to you and everyone and best of luck for 2022!

  3. Reply

    Hi John,
    I already loved your tutorials, but upon browsing your other tutorials, I found instruction that I didn’t know I needed. I’ll definitely be reading most of your articles…I just finished the Singletons article and I now feel equipped to make better decisions about sparingly using them in my game. Thank you so much for your blog and for not hiding it behind a paywall! I also love getting your newsletters in my email…I get excited when I see a new article especially.

    Thanks again and best of success to you, God bless!!

  4. Reply

    I follow all your courses they are just the best, i am working on a game called ” in the dream” a horror game 2d and it is a really good game , Thank you because this game was made by the teaching of yours 🙂

    1. Author
      Reply

      Thanks so much, I’m so glad to hear that my blog was helpful. Best of luck with your game.

  5. Reply

    Just found this blog and it’s amazing. in depth articles but suitable for beginners. I am not using Unity but a different engine but the game design concepts are still valid, looking forward to check all available and future content!

    Keep up the great work

  6. Reply

    HELLO!!! WHY I FOUND YOU SO LATE!?!?! It’s an amazing place for passionate beginners like me! Very helpful site and covers all the topics I need, discussing them very thoroughly. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!

  7. Reply

    Thank you man.. for making this blog… your the best!! Im also a beginner in game dev, and I hope that I can become a professional game developer too…. Even doe I already old… I will not give up yet! Thanks again!!!

  8. Reply

    Just a fantastic detailed complete and easy to digest resource and god knows it’s soooo rare…

    Thank you for the effort putting this out, you probably impact positively so many people out there without fully knowing it.

  9. Reply

    Thank you John! I have learned so much everything I need is right here on this website!

  11. Reply

    Hello Sir, My name is Ahsan Sultan I am a unity game developer my skill level is between beginner and intermediate.
    I have no proper training of game development its just practice that gave me confidence with little help of internet, I can make almost any game. I wanted to earn money because my financial conditions are not allowing me to carry on my passion. can you guide me what should I do.

    1. Author
      Reply

      Hi Ashan, I can’t speak from experience, because I’m not a professional developer, but I have, in the past, had aspiring composers ask me how to earn a living from making music and, as a similar creative career, I think that the answer I gave them applies here. Which is that, if your goal is to make money, there are easier ways to do it. It’s not that it’s not possible to make money as a developer, it absolutely is, but, in my limited experience and observation, the projects that tend to become really successful do so because they’re made with a lot of care and attention. And, usually, the easiest way to do that, is to take financial pressure out of the equation as much as possible, such as by getting paid work in a similar field. So, while I realise that may not be the answer you wanted, or even any kind of answer at all, I hope it helps, and if you’d like to talk about it further feel free to email me at [email protected]

  12. Reply

    Just found this site, has alot of helpful info that’s very useful and user friendly. Thank you so much for creating it!

  13. Reply

    Thanks for creating these blogs, they are so helpful to quickly understand an overview of a topic and if needed can go in-depth. I don’t usually read blogs but you are one of the few that I do read, please keep up the good work, and especially thanks for keeping it free, you are awesome.

  14. Reply

    you’re just amazing, i read ur “unity and variables” post and it was truly perfect you made me understand everything you wrote on there thank you for ur effort!

  15. Reply

    Omg, i so glad to find this blog and your youtube channel. As new in game development it will help me a lot, it will take a while to read all staff and learn it, but it will cost every second of spended time. Thanks a lot from the heart <3

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