Cool Careers in Video Game Design

The Career Center recently hosted a seminar on Careers in Video Game Development. Our guest speaker from King Crow Studios discussed his job as a game designer, as well as his thoughts on the skills needed to succeed in this field. In case you missed it, here are some of the key takeaways:

a diverse field of careers

Video game design and development is a rapidly growing field, in both the AAA title and Indie development scenes. Creating interactive experiences requires a team including a programmer, an artist, a business manager, and a tester. There are several different subcategories within all of these disciplines.

Programming

 The programming language used by game developers is determined by the engine they are using and the kind of game they want to create.  For example, if a development team wanted to use the Unity Engine, they would have to have a programmer that knows C++, C#, JavaScript/ UnityScript, or Boo. Here are some of the most common video game design engines, along with the programming knowledge required to operate each:

  • Unity Engine: C++, C#, JavaScript, UnityScript, Boo
  • Unreal Engine: Unreal Script
  • Flash and iOS: JavaScript
  • Other: HTML

Art

 Video games are known for their different art styles, especially indie games such as Bendy and the Ink Machine and Cup Head. AAA titles such as Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Uncharted are known for their environments. Art styles in video games are diverse and sometimes specific to franchises. Different kinds of artists and jobs include:

  • Concept Art
  • 3D Modeling
  • 2D Modeling
  • Rigging
  • Branding/Logos
  • Apps

Business

Business is crucial in every industry, and video game design is no different. Video game companies need people who have experience in business, handling sales, marketing, social media, the press, etc. – without them, the company wouldn’t be making much money off of the games. Different business related careers include:

  • Sales
  • Marketing
  • Public Relations
  • Press Coverage
  • Media Management
  • Communications
  • Client Solutions
  • Social Media Manager

Testing

One of the most crucial parts of the development process is making sure everything works properly. Testing occurs during development to search for bugs in a developmental build of a game. Careers in testing include:

  • Bug Testing
  • Quality Assurance Testing
  • Software Quality Assurance Tester
  • Quality Assurance Trainer

Pros/Cons

If you really love video games and have a good work ethic, video game development might be a good fit for you. However, if you aren’t willing to put in the work and dedication to such a massive project, you may not be successful in this career. The video game design and development industry is also difficult to get into. Video game companies like to see passion and dedication to the field. If you’re an artist or a programmer, they like to see your previous projects and personal works, so you may need to build a portfolio. Overall, the video game industry can be a rewarding and fun experience but requires continuous drive and spirit.

Written by Kelly Brown