Game Developer Career Outlook
Game development is a new and exciting industry with strong potential for growth. Competition for jobs within this industry is intense; however, talented and experienced individuals are highly likely to obtain employment.
Gaming developers create, design, develop and market video games and manage the teams in charge of creating each element of the game production. Game developers require in-depth knowledge about how games work in practical terms in order to design realistic and workable games. For candidates with solid work experience within the gaming industry, there are many desirable job prospects available.
Gaming developers can be employed globally by independent companies, dominant corporations and smaller business ventures. Game developers are hired by companies to create and produce new video games for them to market and sell to consumers. Developers with a thorough understanding of market supply and demand and a connection with popular gaming trends are more likely to acquire continual employment.
Many gaming developers specialize in a particular gaming platform. Sony Playstation and Microsoft Xbox are the two main industry leaders in the gaming development field and it is very difficult for smaller companies to compete effectively with these global giants. Many gaming developers aim to work for these corporations and focus on specializing their knowledge and expertise to accommodate the employment requirements of Sony or Microsoft.
Game developers earn $70,000 to $120,000 per annum, although some developers may earn more or less depending on the prominence of the employer in the game industry. Some game developers work in a self-employed capacity as independent contractors and acquire contracts on a freelance basis. Commission structures may be available whereby a game developer earns a percentage of sales profits. Earnings are often based on reputation and well-known designers with a favorable industry reputation have the potential to earn significant wages.
To achieve career success, game developers need to have successfully completed a degree program and possess a proven variety of skills and industry experience. Game developers must manage and direct artists, programmers, animators and sound editors and co-ordinate their efforts to produce a high quality end result. Developers who are proficient at problem solving and have creative vision and innovative thinking will continue to find job opportunities within the industry.
Game developers must be committed to the principles of life-long learning to remain competitive and locate employment in the computer gaming field. New technologies are constantly emerging and current technologies regularly transform and change. A game developer needs to remain on the cutting edge of technology and keep pace with new developments. Constant research, further study and professional development are required. Memberships to professional associations can provide information and support for developers who wish to continually improve their knowledge base and skill set. Employers are always looking for highly flexible developers committed to progress and adaptable to change.
Graduates who are looking for entry-level positions are unlikely to be successful in this field as gaming developers need reliable work experience. For graduates who wish to pursue a career in game development, it is necessary to develop work experience in a connected and related field. Many graduates begin their careers as programmers writing code and progress through the ranks from there. Once experience has been gained, it is possible to pursue higher-level positions with more responsibility.
The career outlook for gaming developers is excellent. Although many major corporations outsource programming work to overseas economies with low average wages to reduce costs, gaming developers are unlikely to be affected by this practice. For candidates with the right education, experience and skills, there are many opportunities for a prosperous career within this field.
