While it isn’t like a more conventional career in so many ways, being a game developer can still be financially rewarding. There are many different ways to earn money as a game designer, including working at a big game company, independent publishing your game, or becoming a professional game designer consultant. But what do you have to do to get your career started? And where do you go from there?
Learning and Building Your Career in Programming
You can start your career as a programmer by learning programming skills through school or finding an IT job that will teach you the basics of computer programming and game development through a hands-on internship. If you don’t mind getting your hands wet on the field, you might consider a programming position with a gaming developer firm—however, a few reasons why a more corporate career might be a better fit for you. For one thing, you can apply the knowledge you pick up at an internship to your positions within the firm. Using your learning outside of work is also important; this is where networking, such as networking with gaming companies, can pay off in the long run.
Writing Codes
A big part of developing video games involves writing code. While this is a prerequisite for all careers, there are now career paths within the gaming industry that require programming skills. Programmers write code that allows games to interact with each other and with players. Programmers can work in the gaming industry directly by creating their titles, or they can go through outsourcing their work to a company for a smaller fee.
Learning Web Development Skills
While a lot of game developers start out making games, a good career move may be to study web development. As mentioned before, most game development is done internally. The development team will usually consist of both designers and programmers, and the web team handles all aspects of making websites. A web developer must be familiar with HTML and basic code to get started on this career path. A primary career as a game developer will have you learning web development skills while getting a foothold into game development.
Video Game Design
Another common career choice for game developers is video game design. Video games are trendy, and the majority of households now have video games that they play. While you don’t need to have a particular degree in graphic design to pursue a career in this field, having a degree in computers and technology will help your prospects for a career in video game design be much greater.