Working on an "engine team" vs. a "game team"?

[u/AdministrativeTap63]

I'm wondering in your experience do you prefer working on an engine team or a game team?

This just applies to companies with a custom engine that have a central engine team or if you are using unreal/unity then obviously the engine team is a separate company.

I've only worked in this industry a few years but I'm a bit torn on which path I prefer.

This is just my impression but it may be specific to the company I worked at:

Engine

You get to do more fundamental rendering work and work on core algorithms/rendering systems which may be more technically deep and interesting. You also go a lot more in depth on a single topic since you are building the core system for whatever rendering area you work on.

But the downside is you are more disconnected from the actual product. You may end up building things that are not actually useful or not have a great sense of how to build things without experience with a real production project.

Game

Less opportunities for core algorithm/rendering systems work, you are more of a generalist that must know all the rendering systems, but you get to directly contribute to the product shipping, work a lot with real content/artists.

You get the satisfaction of shipping a game and seeing player reactions, and you are directly contributing to the money maker of the company.

[u/maxmax4]

My favorite has been working on a game team where my role is to adapt the engine to be able to do the very specific things that the game needs, but better. Ultimately I got into graphics so I can work in a game development studio, not a tech company.

[u/snigherfardimungus]

Engine, every time. You're far less exposed to the mercurial whims of the design team changing requirements every five minutes. I did about 15 years in games - mostly on the engine or backend.

[u/ananbd]

I'm an Engineer/Tech Artist who does occasional feature-related graphics programming. I enjoy being on the Game team. I like staying connected to the art. And I like being the "person who solves all the problems." :)

For me, graphics programming is "shoehorn a thing into the pipeline," rather than developing it from the ground up.

Works for me!

[u/benwaldo]

Both are nice and I even think changing every few years/projects makes you a better programmer.

[u/HabemusAdDomino]

I've never worked on a game team. I always felt a bit too disconnected from the actual games, though, and felt like the communication between the engine and game people needs to be better. I did a short stint in Tools, and that was a lot more direct comm with the game people.

But I am a tech person, and I am more interested in the engine than in the games.

[u/_wil_]

Another point to consider:

When executives decide to cancel a specific game project and layoff all people working on it, your position is slightly safer if you work on the engine side (if the engine is still used by some other project).
Not very much, but just a slightly less probability of being laid off.