Freelance Vs In House. What to Pursue as a Game Audio Designer

Intro

The section of what to pursue as a game audio designer will look at the decision of freelance vs In house. If I’m honest I think I’m still kind of deciding this because theres so much that this could influence. But there’s definitely some factors that can make this decision more clear cut.

Entry/Opportunities

This is basically evaluating how you entered the Game Audio scene and where your future opportunities lie. If you have alot of connections to people who would more than likely give you a freelance job or have already had a couple of small freelance gigs then this may be where you should continue. On the opposite side if you have some connections of people who work for companies with in-house audio staff like a mentor for example then an In-house position may be more in reach.

Lifestyle

I think its important to consider what kind of lifestyle you have but what kind of lifestyle you want to have and how your job will fit around that. If you are or want to spend a majority of your life at home or in terms of you schedule it may be best to be working within your own hours then freelancing would probably be best for you. However if you want a clear direct point between work and the rest of you life and you enjoy working regular structured house then an in house gig may be for you. In addition do you enjoy working 9–5 working hours 5 days a week or could you see yourself working at odd hours and odd times in a less structured way.

Job Security

In-house positions could and ususally offer a more low risk solution as this is not dependent on you constantly seeking out clients and has more of a stable and expected flow of work. However this depends on the situation if you have alot of connections and a high reputation at times freelance can offer you a higher flow of jobs and projects than an in-house position. In addition when in an in-house position your security is technically more reliant on your superiors.

Projects

Obvisously you can have a wide range of projects no mater what type of position. However typically places that do In-House positions are AAA games as they have the budget to permanently hire someone and conversly freelancing may more likely be more indie projects. So depending on your goals in type of project this may influence the decision.

What Am I Doing

Overall I would like to have an In-House position as for me seeking out a costumer base currently sounds difficult and not something I want to engage with. also lifestyle wise I work better with a structured everyday and specific hours. However later in life I feel like I would be more suited to freelance as I see my outside work schedule being more flexible.