No matter if you’re at that age where you need to decide on what you will study in order to have a prosperous career or if you’re someone who’s not satisfied with their current occupation and looking for a change, you might be considering becoming a video game developer. But how can you become one, what kind of education is required, what would be your daily tasks, what are the pros and cons to this career path? Read on to learn more.
How to become a video game developer
For starters, you might hear that you don’t need a degree to be a video game developer. While that is technically true, you also can’t get a job without experience or some relevant education. Although there is no degree for video game development, most companies will look for candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science, or some similar field. That being said, some universities have started including degrees and minors that are targeted more toward the gaming industry, such as game design.
On the other hand, if you’re creative and already have some experience with programming, you could start educating yourself a bit further on the topic and work on your video game developer skills in order to attract companies looking for top-notch talent. Many will ask for a demo of your work so this is a great chance to catch someone’s eye. You will need to master C++, which you can learn more about on websites like technopedia, and C# if you want to hop aboard this career train.
Daily tasks of a video game developer
Now that you better understand how you can become a video game developer, you must also understand the job’s daily tasks. Of course, what you will do will depend on your specialization and the size of the company you work for. While you might be tasked with only one game element, you might also have to handle several roles.
For instance, you might be only in charge of developing new ideas for game design. Then, it might be your job to translate these into code or prototype and polish the gameplay. You will also be collaborating with other artists, designers, producers, and quality analysts. Finally, you will have to monitor your game’s stability across various platforms as well as review the current code and see whether it could be improved.
Games that video games developers make
Regarding the games you can create, your choices are pretty much endless. First and foremost, it will depend on the company you start working for. If you manage to get a job at a big company like Ubisoft or Electronic Arts, you will be given tasks that you will have to do as you’re told. However, you might also get a chance to work on some of the biggest titles out there such as Assassin’s Creed or FIFA.
On the other hand, when working with an indie developer, you might get more input as you might be a part of a smaller team. Some of the best indie games of all time include Undertale, Celeste, and Among Us.
Then, you might also be hired to work on online casino games. To attract players, casino game developers ensure their games are carefully crafted and include quality graphics and enchanting soundtracks. As you can see, places like Temple Tumble, Golden Glyph 2, KISS Reels of Rock, and Money Train 2 are just some of the most popular titles on these platforms.
Benefits of being a video game developer
If you like what you see, you’ll be further encouraged to make this career move after learning more about the benefits.
First of all, quality video game developers are in high demand seeing as how more and more games are being produced on a daily basis. Furthermore, the salary is not something to overlook either as an International Game Developers Association survey found that full-time employees earn more than $50,000 per year while glassdoor.com reports $71,295 as the average base pay for US developers as of October 2021. If you’re passionate about this, there is no better feeling than being paid for doing what you love.
Another pro of this career path is the possibility of making your own games. Is there something you’ve always dreamed of playing, but no one ever released it as a game? This is your chance. Who knows, this game can make many other people happy, too.
However, even if you end up working for a company, video game developers usually get to work in a casual and collaborative environment where they also get to be creative. Not bad, huh?
Downsides of being a video game developer
If you want a con to this profession, remember that the competition is fierce. So, if you don’t perfect your skills, you might not get the desired job. Moreover, you might have strict deadlines that you will have to meet. Otherwise, you might hurt your company’s chances of turning a profit.
If you’re looking for a career in which you can brag about your accomplishments to your friends, consider this one. However, make sure you first have the necessary skills.
