So I relegated this aspiration to the realm of pipe dreams, something whose idea I preferred to the actual process of doing it, and I continued working as a software engineer.
This only changed after a disruption to my job: the fintech I worked for got acquired by a big traditional bank and we were absorbed into their ranks.
Long story short: it wasn't a culture fit.
After six months, I decided to quit; earning a salary was the only thing keeping me there.
With all this newfound free time, I decided to give game dev another chance. I would never get back those six months, but I could use them as fuel for creative inspiration.
That's how the idea of wageslave came to be: I wanted to embody the absurdity of the 9 to 5 into an interactive format. As well as include winks and nods to developer culture.
I don't know if I was successful with this goal, but it's been lots of fun creating it as well as being a cathartic experience for me. I am actually enjoying the process and not just the results. So much so that I'm aiming to complete at least two more projects before I reevaluate whether this is viable.
I initially planned on releasing the game for free, but in the spirit of taking game dev seriously, I will be selling it for a small amount.
Feel free to try the demo, I'd be happy to hear about any feedback!