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Game Developer
Also goes by: Game programmer,
What Is a Game Developer?
Game developers create video games, which can involve various sub-specialties like graphics programming, AI for games, physics engines, and more!
How much will I make?
Salaries can range by location and years of experience, but these are averages for the US.
$66,178
according to Salary.com
Will I get a job?
Projected job growth is 47% for the period 2020-2030 in the US, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
64,957
Total Openings
according to comptia.org
Who will I work for?
- Gaming Companies
- Independent Game Studios
- AR/VR Companies
- Mobile Game Companies
- Educational Software Companies
Game Developer’s Daily Activities
No Game Developer works alone! Game Developers spend their days collaborating with designers, other developers, and product or project managers to bring games to life. Below you will get a sense for what a day-in-the-life of a Game Developer could be:
Collaborate With Your Team Members to Build games
Game Developers work hand-in-hand with their team members to create games. In order to do this, you’ll need to have an understanding of a wide variety of skills including Unity & Unreal Engine, Game physics, C#. Collaboration can take many forms, including planning and strategy meetings, design brainstorms, reviews, and pairing.
Code Your game
Much of a Game Developer’s day is spent coding. In practice this means having a development environment set up on one’s computer that allows you to track your progress as you go.
Test Your game
One of the joys of working as a Game Developer is that games are ALWAYS breaking! As a Game Developer one of your core duties is testing your games for bugs and errors and working to fix them
Game Developer
It’s absolutely possible to become a Game Developer even if you have no prior experience in tech and no degree. In fact, a career as a Game Developer is one of the best entry level jobs in tech. Read on to learn how to do it!
Learn The Required Skills
First things first, in order to become a Game Developer you have to learn the required tech skills!
Unity & Unreal Engine
Unity and Unreal Engine are two popular game development engines used by developers to create video games and interactive 3D applications.
Game physics
Game physics is the branch of science that deals with the motion of objects in games. Game physics is used to simulate the real-world behavior of objects, such as gravity, friction, and collision detection.
C#
C# is an object-oriented programming language that is primarily used for software running on the Windows platform.
Read More3D graphics
3D graphics are computer-generated images that have three dimensions. 3D graphics are used in a wide variety of applications, including video games, movies, and simulations.
AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a computer or machine to mimic cognitive functions of a human, such as learning and problem-solving. AI is used in a wide variety of applications, including web search, machine translation, and fraud detection.
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of numbers, quantities, shapes, patterns, and their relationships, used to model and solve real-world problems.
Game design principles
Game design principles are the guidelines that are used to create games that are fun, engaging, and challenging. Game design principles include things like gameplay, level design, story, and character development.
Game testing and debugging
Game testing involves evaluating video games to identify and fix bugs, errors, and issues, ensuring the game’s quality and smooth functionality before release.
Game distribution platforms
Game distribution platforms are online services that allow users to buy and download games. Some popular game distribution platforms include Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
Multiplayer network programming
A multiplayer network allows multiple users to connect and interact in real-time, facilitating online gaming or collaborative experiences over the internet.
C++
C++ was based on the original C language, and was specifically created to add objects and instance methods (object behavior).
Read MoreVersion Control
Version control is the management of changes to documents, source code, or other files, allowing multiple users to collaborate and track revisions, facilitating teamwork and preventing conflicts.
Read MoreBuild A Portfolio
The best way to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills—especially when you have no prior experience—is with a portfolio of professional quality coding samples.
Check out these blog posts for more:
Apply For Tech Jobs
Once you’ve learned all the required technical skills and built a killer portfolio, it’s time to dust off that old resume and LinkedIn profile and hit the pavement, or Internet superhighway as it were, in search of your first job as a Front End Developer!
➡️ Prepare Your Resume, LinkedIn, and Portfolio
Although your most valuable asset as you job search is your portfolio, you do have to cross your t’s and dot your i’s and when it comes to the job search that means optimizing your resume and LinkedIn profile. Tech employers expect you to have all three!
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Build Your Network
Your net worth is in your network, which can be hard when you’re changing careers! But don’t worry, the tech industry is incredibly welcoming to newcomers. Whether you prefer in-person meetups, Slack channels, coffee-over-zoom chats, conferences, hack-a-thons or a little bit of everything, there are tons of opportunities for you to meet fellow techies.
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Find Good Jobs To Apply For
A good job can be hard to find—or is it? The good news about tech is that there are so many openings at so many diverse companies that your biggest challenge will most likely be keeping up with all the opportunities!
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Practice Interviewing
Whether you’re a season pro, or brand new to the tech industry: interviewing for a new job is tough! Add to that technical interviews…and you’ve got a recipe for heartburn, practically guaranteed. Luckily there’s an antacid on the market that works every time: practice. Read on for expert guidance on how to prepare for your next tech job interview.
Check out these blog posts for more:
➡️ Prepare for Technical Tests
Ah the dreaded technical test! Technical tests can come in many different forms: whiteboard tests, pair programming tests, take-home tests, algorithmic tests…just to name a few. Luckily, getting good at technical tests is a skill, just like anything else, and it’s one you can absolutely practice ahead of time.
Check out these blog posts for more:
You Might Also Be Interested In Learning About:
AR/VR Development
AR/VR developers specialize in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) experiences.
Learn More
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FAQ
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What does a Game Developer do?
Game developers create video games, which can involve various sub-specialties like graphics programming, AI for games, physics engines, and more. You will find Game Developer working at a number of different types of companies including Gaming Companies, Independent Game Studios, AR/VR Companies, Mobile Game Companies, Educational Software Companies.
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How much do Game Developers make?
Although salaries can range by location and years of experience, the average salary for Game Developer in the US is $66,178 according to Salary.com.
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Are Game Developer in demand?
Yes, Game Developer is in high demand: there are currently 64,957 jobs open. And the number of jobs is expected to grow substantially over the next 10 years. Projected job growth is 47% for the period 2020-2030 in the US, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Is a Game Developer a good job?
Yes, with an average salary of $66,178 according to Salary.com, and 64,957 current job openings, Game Developer is considered a great job.
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What skills does a Game Developer need?
In order to work as a Game Developer you will need to know a number of different technical skills including .NET, 3D programming, .NET, 3D graphics, AI.
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Is it too late to become a Game Developer at 35?
Absolutely not! You can become a Game Developer at any age. And since so many jobs in tech, like Game Developer, are relatively new, if no one over 35 could become one, there would be even MORE job openings than the 64,957 open Game Developer roles that there are!