What You Need to Know to Become a Videogame Designer

Advancement in videogame development software and tools has made the field more accessible than ever, but that doesn’t mean anyone can do it. There are a lot of things you’ll need to consider if you’re looking to get into video game design, ranging from building your skillset, to what companies you should scope out for potential work. Here are three things anyone looking into videogame development should keep in mind.

Education and Schooling

While you hear plenty of stories of people who taught themself coding and became game designers, these are usually people who have had an interest in programming for years and have built up the necessary skills over the course of their lifetime. For most people, you need the proper education to learn how to design games properly. A Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Game Development helps you develop skills and gain experience to become a videogame designer. Tech schools like SAE Institute often have education programs for software design and applied sciences.

Top Companies to Work For

Finding a job as a game designer can be hard work, especially just getting out of school. If you manage to get into the right company though, you’ll be living the dream. With so many game development companies to choose from though, it can be hard to figure out which companies you should send off resumes and portfolios to. According to Game Skinny, you’ll want to do some research and look into the top of the line companies like Nintendo, Blizzard, Rockstar and Valve, while avoiding other companies with lesser infamous reputations.

Independent Development

Game design is one of those career paths that does give you the option to branch out into independent development–and with the rise in popularity of crowdfunding sites, it makes this a much more viable option for people who like to keep their creative freedom unchained. It does take a lot of discipline in making your own schedule and setting and meeting goals for yourself. Furthermore, according to Deloitte US, you will probably want some start-up capital. In order to gain favor from investors, you’ll need at least a proof of concept to entice people to fund your project. If you do decide to go into independent development, just be sure not to quit your day job just in case things fall through.

Game design can be a rewarding and profitable career if you’re willing to put in the effort. It is far from easy though and can become your life especially during crunch times or if you try your hand at independent development.

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