Mortgage software actually sounds interesting and complex.

Game developer working for someone else sounds boring.

There is no way that being a game developer does not sound interesting and complex. I say this as someone that doesn’t even play many games! But it’s something almost everyone has a point of reference for and has (hopefully?) enjoyed at some point in the past.

I would say it depends. Never say never.

Personally mortgage software sounds complex but boring to me.

Game developer sounded interesting and complex before I knew more about it. Now it's more boring as in after knowing the death march culture I don't want to know more. I guess your parent meant that too by 'boring'. If you work for yourself or with like minded indie developers that sounds more interesting to me.

It can definitely be complex.

Having also worked on mortgage software, there are ways to "sell" it -- the people your software helps are getting homes when they might not otherwise have been able. That's pretty exciting for them.

Working by yourself (or with friends) you get to make the engine and that's where the fun is. You can write really unique stuff that may or may not work.

Working for a big studio is like creating a movie with directors and for some that feels like fun but working on mortgage software is about data normalization which can offer it's own high.

Not to the average person. Even CS freshmen seem to think game design means playing early prototypes of Grand Theft Auto 6.