Anyone who has their eyes open can see that the video game industry has really come a long way in the last twenty years – and will surely only continue to get better. Think about it; we’ve gone from PacMan and Duck Hunt on the massive video game machines to playing INSIDE the game itself with PS4 VR! That’s a long way to have grown and evolved over the years, and it’s come with a huge influx of jobs and opportunities in the gaming arena. There’s a stigma surrounding gamers that they are just grown-ups who never, well, grew up. However, a player knows the ins and outs of how a game should work, and the new generations of gamers are turning their passion into something constructive.
Some people are choosing to design their own games, where others are creating platforms on which games can sit and be safely played. Children who grow up loving video games often go into a career in the industry, and they’re a big part of the evolution of the sector. There are hundreds of jobs in the gaming industry, from cybersecurity careers to ensuring that games meet security compliance lists to design careers where people are making it their mission to create relatable characters. Knowing you can choose a degree that will lead you into a career in gaming should open some doors for you. If you’re a gaming guru and you’re trying to choose what to do with your life, why not take the opportunity to make your passion something that you pursue?
Education opens door after door if you have the right certifications. You should find a degree exciting; think of the end game! You can really create something magical when you put your mind to it. From the security to the design options, there are tons of careers in which you can be involved in the gaming industry. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some of the jobs open to you in the gaming industry. Why not start researching them today?
Video Game Artist
Those doodles you did in classes? Those can come to life! You may have had great success in art and design at school, and if so, you can get digitally creative as a video game artist. The characters you created that looked lifelike on your page can grow into real characters on screen. You’ll need to know about animation and design, color, and more. Every single video game begins with an artist that understands that their hands create magic, and your talent could take you far. You could net an excellent salary and climb the ladders to animation across gaming and movies if you wanted to go that route. People need your talent, and you can really go for it in some of the more prominent companies out there!
Security Engineer
Not strictly gaming, but if you think about it, video games require security professionals to ensure that their games are compliant online. Data breaches are a big deal in the online world, and if you’re a part of the solution, you’re going to be needed. Cybersecurity has to be tight to keep customer data intact, and you can ensure that you are offering the very best to a gaming company who really needs your skills.
Game Writer
Every game needs a story, right? Most games today are RPG – role-playing games. That means there has to be a storyline with several layers so that you can offer something significant to the story, and your writing skills will get you there. Writers need imagination, and that’s true in the gaming industry, too. You can ensure that you create dynamic and exciting characters, and it’s the instruction manuals and gaming menus that all need writing, also. You could even write rule books or lore books for some of the most popular table top RPGs and potentially get them published through one of the publishers in Boston, or wherever you are, and get them into stores for people to purchase and use for their games. The best in the industry can earn six figures in the gaming industry, and if you’re good at it, you’ll go very far!
Gaming Programmer
Those who love to code and love games can put the two together and pursue a career as a gaming programmer. You can work to improve the existing games out there, and you can enhance gameplay for games that didn’t quite make it off the diving board. Pair up with a designer and make their ideas come to life, and you’ll be earning the big bucks. You’ll also have a varied career – which is the goal, right?
Game Tester
Oh, yes, there’s a market for those who want to be paid to test games. You can check the game, offer feedback, and note glitches and issues, and you need to think about the game as a whole. You don’t just spend time playing games; you need analytical skills to ensure that you can test the games and know exactly where they’re going wrong. It’s not a huge money-spinner, but it’s a step into the industry in which you want to be involved, so it’s worth a look!
Gaming Designer
You don’t always have to be an artist or an exceptional coder to have a career in gaming design. You could, however, have a fantastic idea for a video game, and start to mock it up for yourself. You have a job to put a team together and make that game of yours a reality, and as a designer, you’re leading the charge. You do need a degree for this; it’s not all hand-drawn sketches. There is a lot of technical buzz behind a game, and you can ensure that you are correctly working your gaming idea.
Professional Gamer
You may have seen them on YouTube, but professional gamers do exist. You need to be incredibly talented to make it huge, though, and you have to be able to enter sponsored tournaments. It’s a big deal, and you do need a passion for gaming.
Gaming Producer
There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into production, and gaming producers know all about it. You have to promote your game to the gaming bigwigs and get them on board your ideas. You also have to think about budgeting and project management, too. However, you can find success with considerable salaries in this arena.
