Video game design has never been a more exciting and in-demand area. Every year a slew of video games are released from Microsoft, Sony and the Nintendo platforms. The best part of being a video game designer is the ability to be creative and use your imagination to create something unique for thousands of people to play. Perhaps you’re so passionate about video games that you want to become a video game designer. There’s quite a bit of competition for these jobs, but with the right skills and education, it’s possible to break into the job market. Here’s what job seekers need to know to be ready for work in this occupation.
What Does a Video Game Designer Do?
A video game designer is a person who designs the gameplay for a video game, which includes all of the rules and actions that happen during a player’s time playing the game. A designer might also create game levels, invent enemies, and decide how players will be able to move around in-game. They work closely with the programmers and artists to turn their ideas into a playable product. In order to do this, they have to have an understanding of how games are played as well as what types of games are popular now and those that might be popular in the future.
Video game designers can find their completed work on mobile devices, PCs, Macs, iPads, tablets, game consoles, online and in arcades. These creative and technically oriented employees develop the storylines, characters, settings, dialogue, puzzles and controls for games.
A crucial part of a video game designer’s work is hammering out game mechanics. This aspect of design requires employees to think of ways to engage players to keep them from becoming bored. The mechanics of the game encompasses how the game is scored, how players manipulate its elements and how complex it is.
Creating graphics, animation, visual effects and making 2D and 3D models for animation is typically not the work of video game designers. Some job descriptions don’t include these tasks and responsibilities because they might fall on other departments within a video game studio such as game development, audio, production, programming and visual arts. However, most job descriptions for video game designers are fluid, with duties varying widely by employer. You will likely still be required to have knowledge of every of part of the creative process.
Personality Traits for Video Game Designers
Designers of video games love playing these games. They are also adept analyzers of the good and bad aspects of specific games on the market. Since designing these games is a team effort, the people who do so must be able to speak and write their ideas clearly. The ability to get along with people is another requirement. Even before they became video game designers, some employed in this field were immersed in writing fan fiction.
How to Become a Video Game Designer
There are many different paths you can take to become a video game designer. One of the best ways to get into video game design is to get a degree in game design. If you already have a bachelor’s degree and are looking to change careers, consider some of the following:
- you can learn to code
- learn to use game engines
- take online courses on how to design games
- complete a certificate program in game design
Video Game Designer Education Requirements
Most employers hiring video game designers require that they have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Some companies will consider candidates with strong portfolios who also have a certificate in video game design or a related field.
Some majors in game design include game design, game development, game programming and game arts. Additionally, the following areas may also help prepare you for a career in video game design: computer science, software engineering, software development, computer systems or computer animation.
When selecting a program of study, look for institutions accredited by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education, which accredits postsecondary schools. Accreditation is not an absolute guarantee that a school or university has a good program. Accreditation basically puts a stamp of curriculum approval on the program. Check out our recommendations below.
While in college, students should try to get an internship at a studio or business that creates video games. Employers look for people who have real-world experience. Students with an internship can also build professional connections, and if they perform well, they could land a full-time job.
Build a Portfolio of Your Work
Building a portfolio of work is very important in video game design, as it’s usually a game or prototype that gets you your next job after you graduate from college or decide to try entering the industry. Your portfolio will provide insight into your creative skills, technical skills and your organizational skills. Most employers will ask for you to provide this portfolio either when you apply to a job or during the interview process.
Grabbing the Attention of Employers
Aspiring video game designers can capture the attention of prospective employers by doing any of the following:
- Starting a blog about gaming
- Posting their opinions to message boards
- Creating games and giving the public can access to them
- Getting a job as a game tester, which usually doesn’t require a college degree
Basically, anything you can do to help you stand out from the rest of your competition can be a huge help.
Video Game Design Jobs
Some of the top jobs in game design include quality assurance tester, 3D modeler, game designer, lead programmer, studio technical director and director of studio operations. The demand for video game designer jobs, as with most other jobs, is cyclical.
Where Do Video Game Designers Work
Most video game designers work at gaming studios. Others find employment at a tech startup, software firm, media firm or multimedia company. These specialists create games not only for gamers, but also for advertising, the web, educational projects and more. Some who design video games strike out on their own to start their own studio.
Where to Find Video Game Designer Jobs
The higher job availability will be in the cities with the most game studios in the U.S. These cities include San Francisco, Austin, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Santa Monica, Bellevue, Irvine, and Portland. Interesting tip: America has more gaming studios than any other country. However, there are gaming countries all around the world including countries like Japan and Canada. Regardless of where you live, more employers are hiring for remote game designer roles and this is especially true for video game designers. Gone are the days where you have to look for work in your own backyard or move to a different state.
Companies Hiring Game Designers
According to job sites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn, companies that are currently looking for video game designers include:
- Microsoft
- Boeing
- Walt Disney Company
- MIT
- Warner Brothers
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Nintendo
- Activision
That’s just a short list of companies that you might expect would be hiring video game designers at any given time. There are other companies that you wouldn’t think would hiring video game designers that actually do. These companies include Grubhub, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jimmy John’s, McDonald’s and Domino’s. As you can see, there is no shortage of places who do hire video game designers.
Video Game Designer Salary and Job Growth
A Video Game Designer’s salary depends on variables such as the city or state where designers work, whether they’re entry-level or lead staffers and how many years of experience they have in the industry.
Average salary for a video game designer is around $71,000 in the U.S. For an entry-level position, a video game designer can expect to make around $40,000. As you gain more experience in the field and work your way towards a more senior role, video game designers can expect to earn the $65,000 to $70,000. Senior video game designers with six years or more on the job may earn a six-figure salary.
Similar to a career in animation, video game designers can expect a promising job outlook with many increasing job availability due to people retiring in the industry.
Conclusion
Being a video game designer can be a rollicking career. It can keep people abreast of the latest technology while allowing them to be creative. Job holders also have the satisfaction of knowing that they brought fun into the lives of people of all ages.
Game Design Colleges
Game Design with Full Sail University
Full Sail University offers the following undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in game design including Game Art, Game Design, Game Development and 3-D Arts
Game Art and Development with SNHU
SNHU offers a BA in Game Art & Development and a BS in Game Programming & Development.