Game Jobs - What Are They and How to Get One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

The video game industry employs a wide range of creatives, programmers, marketers, testers, and developers in a studio. For example, you might be a concept artist, responsible for drawing characters, items, and locations. A sound developer or composer creates the music and sound effects for the game. Motion capture artists capture the 3D animation of the characters. Coders and programmers translate what the designers create into computer code, while game testers rigorously play through the game and document everything that happens to promote quality assurance.

The most sure-fire way to get into the game industry is to start at the bottom as a game tester. In this job, you’re responsible for quality assurance. You play through a given section of a game, explore a map, make a character do something, or complete other tasks the programmers ask. You document what happens so the programmers can fix any bugs in the code. Another way to get into the industry is to have a strong creative portfolio as a graphic design artist, sound designer, or even the designer of your own game. If you plan to advance in this career, you need a computer science degree with a focus on computer programming or game design.

As a video game designer, you’re responsible for the creative aspects of the game. If you like creating stories, fleshed-out worlds, and memorable characters or music, this is the job for you. You have to work under tight deadlines with a team of other creatives, and it can turn into a high-pressure environment. This can also be an unstable career. While it is possible to be an in-house designer for a video game company, many designers go from project to project. In this scenario, downtime in between gigs is normal.

On the developing side of the spectrum, programmers and other professionals deal with the hardware and software of a game console. To get a job in this area, you have to know computer programming languages. C++ is one of the most highly sought. Working with a studio, you’ll have access to console game design kits to develop games for systems like PS4 and XBox One. You need to have an eye for programming and be able to spot mistakes. You must also be prepared to work long hours into the night to make sure the game works the way it needs to. While this is a stressful environment, it is a stable career with good growth potential.