[gamble]

The games industry is exactly like the TV or movie industry. Entry level jobs really, really suck. But if you can stick around long enough to become established (read: ship a successful title) then you can write your own check. Experienced game developers never lack for good offers. Heck, most of the people I've seen fired for incompetence were able to find new jobs within a few weeks if they'd shipped before.

[_delirium]

There's still a lot of burnout, though, because it's very hard to get into a position with significant creative control, even once you get established. You can get a job, but not the job the aspiring designers want. Among well-regarded developers I can think of off the top of my head, Borut Pfeiffer, Chris Hecker, Damian Isla, and Chaim Gingold have all left the AAA-title part of the industry in the past year or two, either to try their hand at indie development, or start a consulting firm.