I think video game success is probably distributed like startups. Maybe 1 in 10 will have real success, a few might break even or make a little and most will end up never making enough to cover the costs to create. The work is massive and the pay off is not guaranteed. Creating a video game by yourself is not for the money, it's because you're driven to create the idea you see in your mind.
If “break even” is “I made back costs” and not “I made back opportunity costs” - most game devs could have made many multiples contracting, or even working those hours at Starbucks.
