5 in-demand jobs in the gaming industry 🎮

Have you ever dreamed of creating an immersive world such as The Legend of Zelda, designing iconic characters of Overwatch, or coding smooth gameplay mechanics like Call of Duty?

These games are much more than just having fun. They involve hours of hard work in building, designing, storytelling, and coding to bring imaginative experiences to life.

Whether you're a fan of Fortnitebattles or Minecraft, your passion could lead to an exciting career in gaming.

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The top five jobs in the gaming industry that make these epic adventures possible are:

• game designer

• game developer/programmer

• game artist (2D/3D)

• game producer

• quality assurance tester

Let's understand these jobs in detail and the skills you need for each.

A game designer visualizes the game and creates its defining features such as:

• characters

• obstacles

• levels

• narratives

• settings

• user interface

• prototypes

Game designers use their software and graphics skills to create the game mechanics and plan the player experience. Designers collaborate with programmers and artists to develop their ideas.

What do you need to become a game designer?

• Knowledge of game engines such as Unity, Unreal, etc.

• Knowledge of design tools for visual designing, flowcharting, and mind mapping, such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

• Preferably a degree in computer science

A developer conceptualizes the game from the initial concept to the final product. The developer:

• Devises the framework of the game

• Establishes the mood or feel of the game, and the target audience

• Writes the code for gameplay mechanics

• Selects the right platform to build the game

• Creates game assets

Developers collaborate with designers and use their storyboards, and ideas as blueprints to turn the game concept into an actual game.

What do you need to be a game developer?

• Advanced knowledge of programming languages such as C++, Java, JavaScript, and Python

• The knowledge of game engines such as Unity and Unreal

• Ability to "write clean, efficient code" and understand game architecture

A game artist's role is similar to a game designer's as they are both involved with a game's visual aspects such as settings, characters, color schemes, environment, etc.

Unlike the game designer, who focuses more on the mechanics and rules of the game, a game artist brings the narrative of the game to life through:

• storytelling

• animation

• character appearance

• style

If you love gaming and have artistic skills, you can become a game artist and express your creativity through 2D sprite art or 3D modelling.

What do you need to become a game artist?

• Skills in 3D modelling, animation, texturing, and digital painting

• Strong understanding of visual language, including color, perspective, and composition

• Expertise in design tools like Maya, Blender, or Adobe Creative Suite

• Preferably a bachelor's degree "in fine arts, animation, graphic design, or a related field"

A game producer is like an executive who manages the teams that are involved with the design and development of games. The game producer is required to:

• Complete projects on time and within budget

• Support all development aspects

• Collaborate with each department to ensure productivity

• Delegate tasks to team members

• Create schedules and publish deadlines

• Negotiate pricing with sellers/vendors

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

What do you need to be a game producer?

• Strong leadership abilities, project management expertise, and in-depth knowledge of the gaming industry

• Programming and coding knowledge to understand the effort required and set timelines accordingly

• Preferably a degree in management

• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively

Like with any other product, it's essential to test the quality of a new game before it is released in the market. Here comes the role of quality assurance (QA) testers.

They are the first to test new games and identify any glitches or bugs that could impact the player’s experience.

A QA tester ensures that gameplay runs smoothly, with no errors or graphic issues.

What do you need to be a quality assurance tester?

• A keen eye for detail, analytical thinking, and a methodical approach to testing.

• Basic programming knowledge and a strong understanding of game mechanics.

• Familiarity with Jira or other bug tracking tools.

• Ability to write concise bug reports.

Quiz: Meet Charlie, a game tester.

While testing a new game, he finds two issues:

• A character's shadow is missing in one level.

• The game crashes when saving progress.

Charlie must report and prioritize these issues with developers, as the game is due for release in the next 48 hours.

What should he do?

A. Report both bugs as equally severe.

B. Prioritize the missing shadow.

C. Prioritize the crash issue.

D. Let the game be released without any fixes.

Regardless of the role you choose, you need to take certain basic steps to build a career in the gaming industry.

Here are some suggestions:

Education & Skills

• Pursue a degree in game design, computer science, graphic design, or interactive media

• Learn some game design and prototyping tools such as Unity, Unreal, Figma, Adobe Photoshop, etc.

• Develop skills such as creativity, storytelling, innovation, and collaboration

• Keep learning and adapting to new technologies

Practical Experience/Networking

• Volunteer or take up short projects to build a portfolio

• Network with industry people and apply for entry-level jobs

The gaming industry is booming! Spending hours immersed in games could be the first step toward a rewarding career.

If you're passionate about games, consider channeling that interest into a career in the gaming industry.

Check out some additional resources to learn more about the jobs in the gaming industry: