Epic's Brandon '<what-color-would-you-like-today>Marine' Reinhart updated the Unreal Technology page with some enthusiast words about upcoming mods for Unreal Tournament, and how creating a successful mod could land you a job in the gaming industry if you have the talent and will to pursue such opportunities. Here is an excerpt:

There are a lot of opportunities out there, you just have to drive yourself. If you've done a Quake or Unreal mod, definitely consider Unreal Tournament. Everybody at Epic is very open with answering questions. We won't fix your code, tweak your level, or polish your art, but we can point you towards resources and we can give you the tools to educate yourself.

The days of garage game developers are not over. In fact, its a hidden renaissance. You don't see entire game companies popping out of nowhere, but you do see a large number of very dedicated people getting into the industry. So you've always dreamed of making a cool mod? Go for it. (And hey, do it for Unreal Tournament. You never know where it will take you.)