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Gaming's Most Successful College Dropouts

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Amadeo Plaza writes: "Does having a college degree strengthen the likelihood that you'll be successful in the later chapters of you life? Just about all of us at Gamer 2.0 are college graduates. Although look at our lives. Would you really call this 'successful'? That said, however, a college degree isn't always the key to attaining life's greater spoils. There are countless stories of college dropouts who 'make it' in life, and it's those same bohemians who end up with the lion's share of the media attention. Why? Because we love the unusual.

Stories of success can be seen everywhere, including the video game industry. And you would be surprised just how many of our most revered game designers never 'walked.'"
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gamer20.com
techwizz - contributor
Published: 447 days 11 hours ago | Article | Gaming | Industry News | Dev News
 
 

Showing: 1 - 24 of 24 Comments
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TheForgotten0ne - 447 days 11 hours ago
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1 - Nice one
I have to admit, this is something I have never thought about. But it's like this with the best.
The best science people are drop outs (okey, not these days, but before anyways). And it's not much gaming you can't learn by yourself if your really interested.

You get 1 extra point in my book for being original!
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techwizz - 447 days 11 hours ago
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2 -
A good read, and interesting but not all that surprising. I have this feeling that most creative people either don't get college degrees or don't do what they majored in. School can sometimes suppress creativity, but that's just me philosophizing.
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TheForgotten0ne - 447 days 11 hours ago
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2.1 - true, but then again
that depends what you do I guess. As a write you get better grades if you use your creativity, the same with a lot of other things you can take at college and university.
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AmpedMan - 447 days 11 hours ago
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2.2 -
Yeah, but while obviously knowledge of mathematics is essential to programming, I think the biggest visionaries in this industry are more creative than anything else. Creative ideas can always be coded by someone. Great games require creative ideas.
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blueleopard - 447 days 11 hours ago
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3 -
Einstein actually didn't complete high school, but due to requirements, got his certificate later. He was a genius and I think he hated school.

I hate school... maybe I'm a genius...hmm...maybe game development is in my future :-0
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TheForgotten0ne - 447 days 10 hours ago
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3.1 - All you need is
faith in yourself and hard work, I know you can do it:P
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Gammbit - 447 days 11 hours ago
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4 -
I didn't know Will Wright dropped out of college, but I'm not surprised. That guy's a little crazy, but in a good way. John Carmack is my boy :-) Glad to see he wasn't institutionalized by the educational system. Fight the system!
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Amadeo - 447 days 10 hours ago
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5 -
What I really found shocking was that Will Wright never finished school. Not only that, but he transferred an ass-load. I have to admit though, I hear a lot of stories of extremely successful college dropouts. How many M.I.T. dropouts go on to become insane engineers? Hell, my dad is a college dropout and makes like twice as much as my mom who has a Master's degree from Columbia.
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harry190 - 447 days 10 hours ago
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6 - Bill Gates could
have had a place in the list even though he is not a dev. But he did invest heavily to create the XBOX...it must count for something.
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TheForgotten0ne - 447 days 10 hours ago
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6.1 - I do kinda agree
but then again, it's Bill Gates.

I agree that he have done a lot for us. And maybe he should be on that list, but when it's for game devs, and he's not a game dev. Then it would be stupid to place him there.
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harry190 - 447 days 10 hours ago
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6.2 - No problem with
it. It was just a random thought.
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TheForgotten0ne - 447 days 10 hours ago
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6.3 -
And I kinda agreed:P
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AnthonyPerez - 447 days 10 hours ago
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6.4 -
Bill already gets a lot of credit for starting Microsoft even though he practically stole everything he needed (DOS on the cheap; the faux partnership with Apple that kind of spurred the interface for Windows) for his success.

Gates was a hustla
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Poster Boy - 447 days 10 hours ago
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7 -
I guess college isn't for everyone.
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NegativeCreep427 - 447 days 10 hours ago
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7.1 - Most people would think that, but some type of advanced learning is a great asset.
I honestly believe that being successful in anything you do in life is reliant on two factors:

1)Always trusting you're first instinct. Never hesitate. Never Second-Guess. Always go with you're gut instinct as soon as you feel it.

2)Always think positive thoughts and have nothing but undying faith in everything you do.

I've actually started reading the book, "The Secret" which describes the Law of Attraction and how utilizing this natural law (which is just as natural as the Law of Gravity) can help you come to know how you can have, be, or do anything you want.
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Tsalagi - 447 days 9 hours ago
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7.2 - Always trusting you're first instinct. Never hesitate. Never Second-Guess. Always go with you're gut instinct as soon as you feel it.
That's a dangerous way to think. All problems should be thought through thoroughly and all other options weighed before making a decision. Just making a snap judgment and going with it, regardless of if you're right or wrong, can cause many problems.
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techwizz - 447 days 7 hours ago
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7.3 - That's a dangerous way to think. All problems should be thought through thoroughly and all other options weighed before making a decision. Just making a snap judgment and going with it, regardless of if you're right or wrong, can cause many problems.
Yeah, seriously...just ask George Bush. I just read a wonderful book called The Way of the World that mentions how Bush handled many things that way (at least early in his presidency) and we have seen a lot of the disastrous results of that.
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CenturionElite - 447 days 7 hours ago
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7.4 -
I actually just heard about that book not too long ago on Jon Stewart I think. I might have to check it out.
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NegativeCreep427 - 447 days 7 hours ago
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7.5 - @CenturionElite
Oh you should definately check The Secret out. I started reading it about a week ago and it so far has been changing the way I view and think about the opportunities and events in my life.

There is also a documentary that the book was actually derived from. The first 20 minutes of that documentary can be found on Youtube.
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DarkBlood - 447 days 8 hours ago
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8 -
yeah no second guess never hesitate that would be one hell of an enemy for me to fight
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JayTee0902 - 447 days 7 hours ago
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9 -
I think that it doesn't matter whether you go to college or not. I think it just depends on the thought and creative process you have. I've met equally brilliant dropouts and graduates. For me, college was a big deal and really helped me cultivate my interests. I'm a much different, but better, person because of school.
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CrashSpyro123 - 447 days 7 hours ago
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10 -
School had been a burden for me. I hate college sometimes, I just feel like most of the stuff I'm learning I already know. It's kind of a waste of money, I should just start writing. What the hell do I need a degree for if I want to be a writer?
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CenturionElite - 447 days 7 hours ago
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11 - I think
College is important for those who don't know exactly how or what they want to do. I think for all of the people listed, they already had the necessary talents to be great designers. Sure they learned more as they worked in the field, but they definitely had a clear goal of being game designers.
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ApocalyPS3 - 447 days 6 hours ago
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12 -
i was once on that conveyor belt of life known as the educational system. it was designed to produce the next great leaders and future businessmen of the nation.

i cry sometimes that i couldn't make it to college (parents ending up needing MY help). but this is the worst advice to tell anyone. GO FOR IT. get that degree. you'll be all the more fulfilled knowing that you achieved one of the highest and most respected honors a person can get.

the one thing i will say to everyone is too keep learning. anything.
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