career in video game design salary

Video Game Designer

By TACP Staff on July 18, 2021

A video game designer is someone who utilizes several artistic talents, as well as finely-honed technical skills. In an exploding industry, such a video game design, the need for innovative, perceptive and qualified designers is at an all-time high. Find out what it takes to succeed in this leading-edge career.

What Is Video Game Design?

While video games are fun for people to play, they are often complex to create and develop. Video game designers plan the stories, create the graphics, test the game to work out any bugs, and help to produce the final product. In 2013, CNN Money listed video game design careers 15th in its list of the best jobs in America. It assigned the career an A for personal satisfaction and low stress and a B for the benefit to society and flexibility.

What Does a Video Game Designer Do?

Video game designers must create all of the dimensions that a user encounters when playing the game. After developing the idea and concept of the story, they need to create a system that responds to every possible action a user could take during the course of the game. Video game design typically requires one to be creative as it requires several prototypes to see what works well and what should not be included. These ideas are detailed through design documentation. The hours can be long during this phase as all functions of the game need to be perfect. Video game designers also need to meet a pre-determined production schedule. Video game designers are creative and a good fit for those who have problem-solving skills which can be strengthened by earning a degree in game design.

Related: 10 Video Game Studios Behind Some of Your Favorite Games

Video Game Designer Education & Training Requirements

The video game market is growing at an accelerated rate thanks to the technology that makes increasingly sophisticated games possible. In spite of this, the competition for entry-level positions is strong. Employers and clients look for people with formal education as well as experience. Several different degree options are available depending on the student's career path goal in the video game design industry.

Education

Both online and offline colleges offer associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs in video game design. Certificate programs are often available as well, both for students just breaking into the field and those who want to specialize in a certain area. Some programs focus on the art and design aspect of creating video games while others focus strictly on development. Additionally, students who choose to obtain a bachelor's degree in animation can choose video game design and production as their minor. Regardless of the specific program, a degree in video game design teaches students about the gaming industry as a whole. College courses encourage analytical and thinking skills required to produce video games and resolve issues with them before releasing a new game to the public. Some of the specific courses in a bachelor's degree program for video game design in college include:

3D Animation
Algorithms
Animation
C++, Java, and other programming languages
Color Theories
Cinematography
Computer Graphics
Digital Media
Drawing
Game Design
Game Theory
Gaming Tools and Technologies
Modeling
Physics
Programming

Students learn to create two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) games early in their video game design degree program. The design process begins by creating the rules and content of the game. The next steps are to develop graphic and sound as well as the various actions a player could take during the course of the game. From there, students learn how to create responses to each potential action. They also need to decide the requirements to win the game and any time limits. An important part of the formal education process is for students to create a portfolio that demonstrates their best work. Those who have created an online game can create a link to it along with a brief description of the purpose and rules. For games with physical components such as a board game and dice, students should plan to take several photographs of the game and describe the development process. Potential employers and clients are just as interested in seeing the thought process and problem-solving skills of the prospective worker as the actual game itself. Professors at colleges offering video game design degrees should spend considerable time discussing how to prepare a portfolio. Video game design careers can be both challenging and lucrative.

Earn Practical Experience (Internships & Volunteering)

Although employers and clients want to see that a video game designer has earned a degree, they are often more interested in practical experience. Completing at least one internship while a student is the best way to obtain this experience. While evaluating potential schools that offer video game design degree programs, students should pay special attention to the internship requirements and assistance offered by each one. In a four-year bachelor's degree program, students typically complete an internship in the junior year, senior year, or possibly both. A college's career center is the best place to start when looking for connections to a possible internship. Some schools have established connections with companies in the video game industry that expect to receive inquiries from their students. Other colleges offering video game design leave it more to the student to research and follow-up on local leads. This can take persistence since people in this industry are busy and don't always have the time to work with beginners. Schools that require internships usually expect some type of reporting on the experience, such as a presentation to a student's peers or a paper on an industry topic. Volunteering is another way to gain experience in this industry and build a portfolio. Many video game manufacturers host large events where they demonstrate new games. Offering to sit at a table and help answer questions or even handing out programs is a way to connect to the video game industry outside of school. The benefit is that many high-ranking professionals from various companies attend these events and there may be an opportunity to chat with them. The best way to receive notifications of these types of events is to join one or more organizations dedicated to video game designers.

Continuing Education / Advance Your Career

Some people test the waters in this career by earning an Associate in Video Game Design and Development. This gives them the opportunity to learn if they enjoy entry-level work and wish to pursue a higher degree. Other popular degree choices include a Bachelor in Game Art and Design, a Bachelor in Game Software Development, a Bachelor in Game Design and Development, and a Master's Degree in Game Design. Each level of education offers the potential for greater responsibility and pay on the job which is why opt to get their master's degree. It's also possible to earn certification in a specific area of video game design, such as storyboarding or programming.

Video Game Designer Salary & Job Outlook

The video game industry is a career path, with a projected growth rate over the next 10 years of 21 percent. In 2013, approximately 1,365,500 people held a position in the field as a video game designer. A big reason for the increased demand in this field is that consumers continue to expect more realistic and complex video games, particularly in the category of role-playing games. Video game manufacturers will depend on the advanced skills of designers to respond to this demand. They will create intricate storylines as well as 2D and 3D graphics and sounds that make people feel as if they are actually in the game and not just playing it.

Related Careers & Occupations

People interested in creating video games for their career don't always become designers. Three similar occupations give them the opportunity to use their strong technical skills or artistic sense in slightly different ways. These include:

3D Artists and Animators

People who work as a 3D artist or animator within the video game industry are responsible for creating the visual images contained in a game. They create sketch storyboards to visualize the story from start to finish before beginning their work. Some of the specific programs they may use in their work include Lightwave 3D, Macromedia Flash, 3D Studio Max, and Alias/Wavefront. These software programs enable the 3D artist or animator to create realistic characters and movements. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an average salary of $70,530 in 2017 for the general classification of multimedia artists and animators.

Web Developers

Video game manufacturers rely on game developers to write software that enables games to operate without any glitches. Game developer are responsible for bringing the video game designers creative ideas to life through game programming and a key piece of video game development. Approximately 50 percent of people who work in the gaming industry are employed as web developers. The technical coding they create determines the precise movements of characters and other objects. Gaming computer programmers need to be knowledgeable about industry trends and advances in their own profession in order to produce games people will continue to buy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists an average salary of $79,500 annually for web developers, although it does not differentiate for those who work primarily with video games.

Game Testers

This can make an ideal position for students, interns, and those brand new to the video game industry. Game testers play beta versions of video games to help identify problems before the game goes into mass production. Potential problems include having the screen freeze, problems with character movements, and lack of realistic sound effects. Game testers need excellent written communication skills to create detailed reports about their experiences. Indeed.com reports an annual salary for full-time work as a game tester between $18,000 and $55,000 per year. However, many of these entry-level positions are temporary and do not pay any benefits.

Helpful Organizations, Societies & Agencies

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
Entertainment Sofwatere Association
International Game Developers Association
North American Simulation and Gaming Association

Related Digital Arts Careers

Consider these additional careers in Digital Arts.

3D Modeler
Computer Animator
Graphic Designer
Multimedia Designer
UI UX Designer
Web Designer
Web Developer