What’s the best way to start learning game development?

First off, you'll want to choose a game engine. Godot and Unity are both solid options. Start with a beginner-friendly tutorial or course focused on the engine you pick. If you're finding a programming language is part of the tutorial but not fully explained, consider doing a short beginner's course—maybe find something on YouTube that takes about six hours. You'll likely finish it in a few days if you take the time to try the exercises they offer.

It might help to start with general programming before diving deep into game development. If you jump into it with no background, the engine will be a bit overwhelming. Learning Python is a good entry point, and I'd recommend checking out the free MOOC "Python Programming 2025" from the University of Helsinki. Once you're comfortable with Python, you can switch to the Godot Game Engine using GDScript, which feels pretty similar to Python.

I suggest starting with JavaScript to grasp essential programming concepts, and then you can transition to C++. It's a solid way to build a foundation before getting into more complex game programming.

Consider what role in game development you're actually interested in. Are you looking to be a coder, artist, or perhaps a game tester? There are so many avenues. If you just want to experiment with making a game, tools like RPG Maker or GameMaker are great for that. If you know Python, you might explore Ren'Py for visual novels or PyGame for a more coding-oriented approach. Many engines are available for various genres, not to mention older classic game codes are out there to study!