Major ideas for a gamer

[lastchance]

I play poker mostly for the intellectual challenge and what it's taught me about luck and variance. Other people seem to enjoy pure luckfests. I really don't, I like winning or losing because of skill and strategy. I like playing games in general (chess, highlife/Big 2, hearts, KOTOR, settlers of cataan etc), but what's more, I like thinking about them. I like theorizing about how to win and reflecting on the game after it's over. I love trying to find how best to strategize a win, and how to squeeze +EV out of every decision. I play these games pretty cutthroat, to win and to play the best I can.

I'd love to think about a game as a job for the rest of my life. I'd love to hear some ideas and hopefully find a major that will allow me to do this for the rest of my life.

[xorbie]

Economics and game theory if you are handy enough with math. Computer science if you like algorithm work, it's quite similiar in that you need to solve a puzzle (a lot of work though).

[xorbie]

Oh and Law.

[TMDG]

if you like math..maybe operations research? it's all about finding optimal solutions to pretty complex problems.

[Isura]

Take a course in game theory. Maybe another in mathematical optimization or computer algorithms. Perhaps another in probability theory (taking a serious course in this will require a background in real analysis/measure theory). These topics can lead to many different career paths. Don't worry so much about choosing the right major. Just make sure to take enough challenging and interesting courses. Employers will want to see that you are capable of learning difficult material on your own, and can work well both independently and in groups. Any outside projects will help. Ask a prof about his research projects. Offer to help out in any way. You'll probably get stuck doing something not too deep like programming, but it is a good experience and you can get a feel for what interests you.

[Bilgefisher]

I caution against turning hobbies into jobs. But when you take something you enjoy and turn it into a job, manytimes you will not enjoy that down the road. Just some food for thought. I'm not sayin do something you hate. Obviously find a job you enjoy, but you still need to have a something you enjoy away from work.

[madnak]

Math math math math. Game theory obviously, also combinatorics, probability, number theory, discrete math, financial math (much more applicable than you might think). Computer science isn't a bad major, especially if you ever want to make games. You might even take some design/engineering classes if that's what you're going for, but it doesn't sound like it.

[DJ_Northstar]

physics/advanced math courses/engineering

[lastchance]

<--- good at math. Suck at writing.

(though not this bad, drunk + really [censored] tired)

[tabako]

I'm in the same boat as the OP, but the problem is I do not like math. I took 2 years of calculus in high school (2 semester college equivialnt) did not do homework/study or enjoy it, took the AP test (got a 5). I want to take courses in probability, but the classes whose course descriptions seem interesting require 3rd semester calculus, which I do not want to take. I will be taking game theory next semester, and I hope that will be enjoyable.
While in high school jr and sr year I traveled to the university in town and took two 300 level computer science classes, did not enjoy either of those really, so I doubt that is going to be viable for me.
Anybody have advice regarding possibilities inline with with the OP suggested without being math intensive?