As a new developer, I love making games and hope to one day I can make a hobby into a sustainable career. Of course, this has been no easy challenge. For any aspiring full time devs, what’s your game plan to get into the industry? 

Mine is as follows:

-Create a short but fully polished game experience.

-Get it published on a site. (Itch.io, Armorgames. Etc) 

-Rinse repeat a few times

-learn how to network 

-Create a site to showcase my finished games

-Apply to wherever I can with what I have.

Does this list seem too broad? Would it be better to prioritize something else? 

Im curious to know how other people are planning.

3 hours ago, SnowFox said:

plan to get into the industry

Moving to the appropriate forum.

"learn how to network" needs to move up to #1.

When you said "get into the industry," I assumed you mean "get a job" (backed up by when you said "apply to wherever"). If you want to apply for a game job, we need more info - what level of education have you reached, or are you working on? And what country do you live in?

5 hours ago, Tom Sloper said:

"learn how to network" needs to move up to #1.

When you said "get into the industry," I assumed you mean "get a job" (backed up by when you said "apply to wherever"). If you want to apply for a game job, we need more info - what level of education have you reached, or are you working on? And what country do you live in?

I can see why that would be a priority, but it's one of the things I have little experience with. 

I live in the US and have a Bachelors Degree(Though not in computer science or anything related, whoops). I feel kind of weird trying to network when I really have nothing to show for it, which is why I figured to put it lower on the list.  

Not having experience networking is not a good reason not to start networking. Sorry for the double negative. Networking gets you closer to your goal, but it takes time. If you wait until your portfolio is ready, you'll be feeling more time pressure to get a job (not less). There's no harm in starting networking now.

Where in the US do you live? (How many game businesses are near you? See https://gamedevmap.com/ and http://sloperama.com/advice/m84.htm.)

1 hour ago, Tom Sloper said:

 There's no harm in starting networking now.

Where in the US do you live? (How many game businesses are near you? See https://gamedevmap.com/ and http://sloperama.com/advice/m84.htm.)

I live in California. I took a look at the game dev map, and I feel I’m at. A bit of a disadvantage. I’m my city there aren’t that many companies when compared to say Los Angeles. But maybe I should try my luck with local companies? 

How does one even start networking. Is it as simple as contacting them outright?

Sounds like you aren't ready to start applying yet, until your portfolio is up. It may be necessary to move before you start applying, if the local companies don't work out. But you can start networking by identifying gatherings where you can meet people in person (IGDA meetups, GDC, job fairs, ... ). You can work on indie projects with other people - that is a beginning of a network too.