Speedy Mentors       2 yrs ago

In 2021, the gaming industry was valued at USD 173.70 billion. By 2027, it is predicted to further grow to USD 314.40 billion. The lockdowns imposed in the past two years to control the COVID-19 pandemic has made significant contributions to this growth, with thousands of people turning to online gaming platforms to pass the time. 

Accordingly, the Datareportal reported that 4.88 billion people used the Internet in October 2021 alone or about 62% of the global population. A massive chunk of that percentage was people who played games or watched game video content such as live game streaming.

Given the industry’s reach and projected growth, it is no surprise that plenty of companies wants to get involved in this revenue stream. In fact, some tech giants like Google, Apple, and Meta have started their foray into the industry, with plans to develop full gaming operations to maintain their presence in the digital lives of billions of people. Many other companies follow suit, creating significant demand for video game developers. 

Understanding what game developers do

Game developers play an essential role in bringing artistic concepts to life. They use their coding skills to create and program different game elements and features, including environments, characters, theme and story, conflict, rewards, and strategy and chance. They also plan game levels and the actual gameplay that allows players to advance. 

They are also involved in testing and troubleshooting issues affecting a game’s functionality and playability. Their goal is to ensure that the end product works well on consoles, computers, and mobile phones while delivering a quality gaming experience to users. 

Generally, game developers either work independently or as employees of game studios, where they are teamed up with artists, designers, and project managers. The path you choose will depend on your skill level, the stage you are in your career, the gaming elements you are interested in, and how much creative influence you want to have over the process and final product.

Is game development a promising career?

Many game developers got into the role because of their love for gaming. Working in this industry is extremely challenging as the game development process has become increasingly complex in recent years. It is critical to have the right skill set beyond creativity and passion to write, design, and test codes repeatedly until they reach perfection. Equally crucial is an in-depth understanding of what players want to create a game that will sell. 

Despite the challenges of the job, though, being a game developer is also a rewarding career for several reasons. To start, you get to turn your hobby into a position that allows you to do what you are passionate about while getting paid and building your skills in the process. At the end of the day, when you develop a game, you can see it being played and appreciated by other people, which is already a reward in itself.

You also get to work with talented people who consciously and subconsciously will challenge you to put your best foot forward in everything you do. With that, you learn how to effectively utilise your abilities and develop new ones that you can use throughout your career. And the better you get at your job, the higher the salary you can command. On average, you can earn a base pay of $50,000 per year, and those numbers go up with experience and an improved skill set. 

Finally, there are plenty of career possibilities in the gaming industry. As mentioned previously, the video game industry is rapidly growing and will likely continue doing so in the coming years. Having the foundation skills and interest in developing your career can help you expand in other areas, including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, e-sports, and software development.

Becoming a game developer

Now that you know what being a game developer entails, you are likely encouraged to take this career path. In that case, let us move on to discussing how to become a game developer, including the academic requirements and skills needed to make yourself competitive during your job search.

Earn a degree

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer programming, or a similar discipline is usually an essential requirement by many game development and publishing companies when hiring game developers. Meeting this requirement should no longer be difficult since most universities offer those degrees, some with minors in game development, multimedia design, or interactive entertainment. There are also specialist institutions that provide complete video game development degrees aimed to prepare students to become innovators in the gaming industry. 

Although a degree is not necessarily required, completing one will expose you to the realities of game development and help you develop the foundational technical abilities to succeed as a game developer. That includes coding skills, basic knowledge of mathematics, physics and OOP languages, and understanding of workflow and project guidelines. Completing a degree can also develop your soft skills like analytical and problem-solving skills and the abilities to manage time, communicate, and work as part of a team.

Acquire new skills and brush up on existing ones

Of course, a degree is not enough to acquire critical game development skills. After all, the technology and tools used in the discipline change over time, so you must keep your skills updated to stay competitive. 

You do not have to go back to university to acquire new skills and improve your existing ones. Instead, you can always take certification courses or bootcamps in the discipline, which are also designed to help you become more proficient in hardware technology, various programming languages like C, C#, C++, Python, and Java, and game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine. 

Build your work experience 

Know that game development jobs are highly sought-after by many job seekers, making job searching very competitive. Due to that, you must distinguish yourself from the competition, and one way to do that is to have work experience.

Internships and placements are a sure-fire means to gain relevant work experience in game development. Many large employers offer structured work experience opportunities for graduates, typically lasting for a couple of weeks or months. The great thing about these experiential learning opportunities is that they let you shadow and assist real game developers. As a result,  you gain insight into the tasks they do daily. You may also be given responsibility for a particular aspect of a game, enabling you to do some real work.

Doing personal projects and modding are other ways to build a game development experience. Since you may already have the foundational skills, it will be best to put them into practice by making your own game and improving on existing games. Engaging in these activities will significantly hone your skills and give you experience. They will also help you discover the area you would like to specialise in, such as in-game system, user interface, level design, etc.

Build a portfolio

As a job seeker, you want potential employers to know that you have what it takes to build games that sell. What better way to demonstrate that to them than by having a portfolio of your work? Include the original ideas and projects you have developed on your own or with a team. Consider adding screenshots of games scenes and other vital elements in your portfolio to allow interviewers and game studio executives to assess your work. Adding links to game installation software will also help them try out your games and see your creative and technical skills. 

Seek for a game developer mentor

If you want to build your game development skills further and improve your career prospects, consider employing the help of a game developer mentor. Being involved in a mentoring relationship will give you access to the expertise of someone who has in-depth experience in game development. 

With that, your mentor can give you valuable insights into the industry and the profession. They can also assist in remediating your performance in areas where you are lacking by imparting their professional wisdom and providing advice, feedback, and suggestions. Additionally, a game developer mentor can bring critical readings, opportunities, and resources to your attention. They may even introduce you to other industry professionals who can impact your career. 

When finding a mentor, start with your existing network. Chances are, you already have people in your circle who can offer their professional expertise and the support you require. Better yet, consider joining a mentoring platform like Speedy Mentors. Doing so can speed up the process of your search for a mentor since platforms like that already have a network of professionals that they have partnerships with. You can choose a mentor based on your industry, which in your case is game development, and approach them conveniently through the platform’s messaging system. The good thing about using such a platform is that you have the freedom to choose the mentor you want to work with, and you can do the mentoring online at a time that is convenient to you.