Summary
Video game mods are a pretty awesome thing.Whether they’re helping extend the life of a game, like Skyrim, betteringthe overall experience, like Stardew Valley’s many mods, orchanging the experience altogether, like Elden Ring’s Graceborne, mods can do some pretty cool stuff. But did you know that mods can also help land you a job in game development?
While many aspiring game developers opt to attend a four-year university in order to hone their skills before seeking full-time work, it turns out that learning to mod is just as viable a career option. Don’t take it from us, though.Cyberpunk 2077’s associate game director, Paweł Sasko, revealed just how important modding is to game dev. So important, it can actually lead to a job atCD Projekt Red, apparently.
Aspiring Game Devs Should Learn To Mod, Cyberpunk 2077’s Paweł Sasko says
In an interview with Flow Games, andas transcribed by PCGamesN, Sasko revealed that several modders have made their way from at-home creations to a job with CDPR. Their skills have launched them into helping shape the next Witcher title, according to Sasko.
“Half of the quest team [on the next Cyberpunk] – this is the team that builds the quests which is at 24 people right now – are former modders,” Sasko said. “[They come] from Witcher, Cyberpunk, and other games. Błażej Augustynek, who’s a quest director now, was a modder of StarCraft 1 and 2."
The impact of modders on CDPR extends beyond future projects. Indeed, Sasko shared that a separate department called Jigsoft is made up of solely modders. That department had a major hand in shipping The Witcher 3’s official mod support. In other words, Sasko and CDPR have recognized the talents and creativity that modders often possess and are willing to help launch them into full-time game dev careers instead of shunning them.
His advice? Learn to mod. It’s not a guarantee that it will get you a gig, but it’s a valuable skill that can be parlayed into other roles. “I always advise young people when they ask how to get into the industry, ‘Go and learn how to mod,” Sasko revealed. “There are so many toolkits, so many ways to do it, and some of the best people we have are former modders.”
It’s clear that Sasko and CDPR are clearly monitoring the mod scene when it comes to their titles. Other studios are likely doing the same. Not only to see what’s being added to the game, but as a way to scout out future talent. Keep up the good work, modders. You never know where it might take you.
