I'm surprised this has been asked. The majority of sw engineers I have worked with over the past 20+ years have been gamers. I'd prepared to go out on a limb and say the most effective and productive people I have worked with have tended to have been the biggest gamers.
Switched to web developer from a sort website content management / editorial career path. Went back to uni part time to do a CompSci graduate diploma at 34, got web dev job at 36. Still there now 10 years later.
(if it hadn't been liquidated)