Do you have a passion for playing video games?

Are you creative and a good story-teller?

A person holding a video game controller Photo by Mélanie THESE on Unsplash

If you answered YES to these two questions, then becoming a video game designer might be the right fit for you!

But how do you know if you'd enjoy being a videogame designer? Jot down these notes!

A black woman taking notes

What Do Video Game Designers Do?

Video game designers create interactive worlds for players to inhabit by

  • Proposing and developing new game and game play ideas

  • Developing storylines, plots, layouts, characters, rules of play, and levels of difficulty within games

  • Developing creative ways of navigating games and paying attention to detail in design

  • Conducting research on gaming trends and doing play tests to refine the gaming experience

  • Improving existing games

A neon-lit video game controller with the words 'Game On'

What Qualifications And Training Do You Need?

You will need :

  • An associate’s or bachelor's degree in computer games design, graphic design, or animation. If you already have a degree in another field, consider supplementing it with game design certificate courses offered on Coursera or LinkedIn Learning.

  • Practical experience in video game design via internship, apprenticeship, or volunteering.

  • A portfolio of games that you have designed to show future employers.

A black woman smiling and holding a red and gold diploma canister Photo by Felipe Gregate on Unsplash

Quiz

What are some key skills of a video game designer?

Where Do Video Game Designers Work?

Gaming Companies

Production of Video Games

Flaticon Icon Top gaming companies include :

  • Nintendo

  • Microsoft

  • Sony Interactive Entertainment

Marketing Companies

Creating Ads for Video Games

Flaticon Icon Top marketing companies include:

  • Ubisoft

  • Kairos Esports

  • Viral Nation

You'll Love It Because...

  • You get to make your own games

  • You get to be creative and work with others

  • You get to play games as part of the job

  • You can do more than entertain

    Actor Jimmy Fallon is excitedly punching with his right fist up in the air

Think About Another Career Path If...

  • You don't like sitting at a desk and working at a computer all day

  • You don't like to spend time on attention to detail

  • You don’t like “crunching” — working longer hours than normal to meet deadlines

    Man sweating, as he is about to press the 'crunch time' button over the 'home time' button with his right index finger.

Will It Pay The Bills?

Flaticon Icon In the U.S.A, the average salary for a Video Game Designer is $64,000 USD

Flaticon Icon In Canada, the average salary for a Video Game Designer is $54,000 CAD

Pick The Future Video Game Designer

Matthew

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  • Loves working with others to complete designs

  • Doesn't care much for writing detailed storylines

Celine

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  • Is currently completing an apprenticeship in video game design

  • Does not enjoy doing play tests to refine the gaming experience

Lisa

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  • Is a good story-teller and puts a lot of attention into the setting of a story

  • Has a flexible schedule and can work odd hours when necessary

Clinton

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  • Draws complex characters with elaborate costumes and superpowers

  • Sitting at a computer for long periods of time strains his eyes

Quiz

Who sounds like the best fit for a career in Video Game Design?

Take Action

Does it sound like video game design could be a good path for you? If so:

Actor Seth MacFarlane is standing in front of a woman, saying 'Your job will be waiting for you.'

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