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[doctorjuice]

I want to design games at some point in my life. However, I'm going to get a Masters in computer science so I have the option of attaining a stable, well-paying job. Would getting a Masters in say, software development, be good enough by itself to get into the game design industry ? Would working at some company like IBM be beneficial to game design or a complete waste of time?

How far does programming competency alone get you in game design?
 
Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place.
 
Please give me honest, informed answers, if you can.  

[ThemsAllTook]

What do you imagine being a game designer entails?

From what I know of it, game designer is a position desired by far more people than there are positions available for them. Unless you've already acted as designer on several highly successful games, hoping to get a job doing it may be too optimistic.

In a sense, things like studying software development and working at IBM would help you with your long term goal. You'll need a lot of technical skills because you'll have to do most or all of the non-design work yourself at first, until you've built up enough reputation to attract teammates who are willing to do technical work under your designs. This takes large amounts of time, dedication, and luck. Everyone has their own ideas, and if they have the technical and artistic skill to bring their ideas to life, they'll usually do that in preference to doing it for someone else's idea.

[Impmaster]

If you want a job as a game designer and you also want a well paying job, look at this:

Says that coders were paid way more on average.

http://gamecareerguide.com/features/1340/game_career_guide_salary_survey_.php

Also look at this:

http://gamecareerguide.com/features/1223/breaking_into_game_design_part_1.php

[Netsu]

I don't think working as a programmer in an unrelated filed takes you any closer to designing games.

The way I see it there are two paths you can take:

1) Make your own games, alone or in a small team of friends. You can do it even if you have a paid job in a non-game field. Programming will definitely help you here since every game needs a programmer, this way you can design AND program your games. If you are/become good enough you might be able to eventually live off the games you make. Or maybe if you prove yourself this way someone would hire you as a designer.

2) Start programming in a video game company, get to know the people responsible for design, see for yourself what this line of work entails. Practice, discuss design with them and after a while maybe you could give them some useful feedback and advice. If you prove to be good you might ask for some small tasks and step by step gravitate towards design. I know this has been the way for quite some people in the industry, start as a programmer/artist and end up as a designer.