What does it take to make it in the video game industry? Everything and nothing.

Keith Fuller, head of Fuller Game Productions, spoke to a full room of game developing hopefuls about the ups and downs of the industry.

Fuller suggested that an education alone is no longer enough to assure professional success.

“Start forging a network today,” Fuller said. “If you want to stand out, ship something.”

The market is wide open for young developers to create games, especially popular cell phone apps. Fuller said employers want to see ambition to make games, even on a smaller scale.

While Fuller emphasized ambition helps young people be successful in the gaming industry, he also pointed out flaws within the industry.

“Small company, no job security. Big company, no job security,” Fuller said. “Getting a diploma does not guarantee you a job.”

Fuller pointed out that consolidation of gaming companies creates an imbalance with too few employers and too many job hopefuls.

Fuller graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1997, finding employment with Raven Software in 1999. After a decade in the gaming industry, Fuller worked his way up to a studio developer. It was then he realized something needed to change.

In 2010, Fuller started a consulting business, Fuller Game Production, which works to educate leaders in the gaming industry. His company functions as a consultant to companies to help ensure better working conditions for those employed in game development.

“Where you really need to focus in the games industry is in the leadership of these companies,” Fuller said. “If the leadership of the company doesn’t value the people of the company, you’re going to have trouble.

Zachary Koehn, senior in software engineering and president of ISU Game Development Club, believes that Iowa State has the tools to prepares students for game development as a career.

“There is actually a capstone class dedicated to game design,” Koehn said. “The first half is designing the game and the second semester is dedicated to the creation and production of the game.”

With a variety of computer graphics and game design classes, Iowa State allows students to have the opportunity to develop video games in class.

Wesley Hovick and Keegan Gerrard, both computer science majors, attended the lecture to learn more about the games industry.

“I never had the tools to think about designing video games until I attended Iowa State,” Gerrard said.

Who knows? The genius behind the next Halo, Mario Bros. or Call of Duty may already be at Iowa State.