Game Designer

Job Desription

Game designers design every aspect of a game whether that be characters, levels, objects, etc. They use code to create the features which can lead to massive code so they usually work in a team to help with bugs and feedback. Game designers use their knowledge of computer science, graphic design, computer programming, etc to create the games that people play.

Salary average: $67,000 - $98,000

Occupational Outlook

As this is a rapidly growing field there is a lot of competition for jobs, but there will always be more places to choose from. The outlook for this field is very good because there are always going to be opportunities to work.

Links to Learn More About This Career:

Educational Requirements:

A degree isn’t necessary to get a job as a game designer, but will help you with the competition. All that is really needed is some sort of communication skills, along with programming skills (knowing multiple coding languages will make it easier to find a job), and some graphic design skills.

University of Kentucky

Address: Lexington, Kentucky

Website: https://www.uky.edu/

Information on the Major: https://www.uky.edu/academics/bachelors/pigman-college-engineering/computer-science

University of Louisville

Address: Lousiville, Kentucky

Website: https://louisville.edu/

Information on the Major: https://catalog.louisville.edu/undergraduate/majors/computer-engineering-science-ba/

Rochester Institute of Technology

Address: Rochester, New York

Website: https://www.rit.edu/

Information on the Major: https://www.rit.edu/study/game-design-and-development-bs

Soft Skills, Characteristics, and/or Abilities Need For This Career:

Softskills:

Creativity
Collaboration
Process-Oriented Thinking

Hard Skills:

Coding (Need to know how to code in at least one language, but being flexible is better)
UX/UI
Prototyping

Software Knowledge Needed For This Career:

Software depends on who you work for. There isn’t really a set in stone program. The software will be some form of any programming language (C#, Java, Python, etc).

Pros and Cons to Choosing This Career

Pros (Positives to this Career)

Multiple Routes of Entry
Part-time work is available
Can work independently

Cons (Negatives to this Career)

Long Hours
Highly Competitive
Pay Significantly Varies

Typical Working Conditions For This Career:

The hours can be quite long with game designers often working overtime. Also, depending on the company, time crunches can lead to a lot of stress to meet deadlines. Game designers can work from home or in the office.

Career Researched By: Ben Stumpf