Video Game Artist
Every video game needs talented artists to bring the designer’s ideas to life by creating vivid characters and environments from scratch. Game artists also must be able to animate their creations in a life-like manner if they wish to immerse their audience in the world they’ve created.
Audio Engineers
Audio Engineers are responsible for recording a game’s music, sound effects, and voice overs. Audio Engineers work tirelessly to create the perfect ambiance throughout a gaming experience.
Writer
Today, video game scripts can be thousands of pages long. Writers have to create dynamic characters that react uniquely in different situations while staying true to the essence of their personality. They also are responsible for all of the documentation that comes with a game, such as instruction manuals and in-game menus.
Game Programmer
If you have a knack for coding, as well as a love for video games, you might do well as a gaming programmer. You’ll work to improve upon previously created engines to enhance gameplay. While the artists have created the characters and their animations, you’ll be ensuring that the characters are playable and controllable. You’ll also create the artificial intelligence that makes interacting with non-playable characters as realistic as possible.
Game Designer
Maybe you’re not an artist and you don’t have much experience with computer coding, but you have an amazing idea for a video game. As a designer, your job is to assemble a creative team that can handle all the specialty work and make your dream game a reality. You’ll describe the characters, the environment, and the overall purpose of the game, and guide your team as they work their magic.
Game Producer
As a producer, you’ll put your love of video games in the spotlight. While you’ll definitely have to deal with office-related work like budgeting and project management, you’ll also be tasked with promoting your game to the gaming industry, as well as the most important people in the industry: the fans!
Game Tester
Woo! You actually get to play the game rather than design it! Sounds great, right? Well, it’s really not all fun and games. Being a game tester is less “having fun playing games all day” and more “inching your way around the environment, taking notes on whether or not you found a glitch in the system.” In it’s simplest terms, imagine having to “play” a level of Super Mario, jumping ten times in one spot, moving forward an inch, jumping ten more times, moving forward again…you get the idea.
Professional Gamer
You definitely can make some major cash playing video games for a living. Of course, you either have to be incredibly talented or extremely entertaining to make it big. Creating "Let’s Play" videos has left some gamers with a lot of money, but those people are very rare. Competitive gamers can also earn money through sponsored tournament winnings.
What skills should I work on now if I want to create video games?
Play games and evaluate gameplay - start looking for patterns in games. Looking at a game from different angles, focus on what makes a game fun and how particular elements and mechanics make it so interesting and addictive.
Become a storyteller - Storytelling drives gameplay forward and the more immersive experience the designer can create, the more successful a game will become.
Practice, practice, practice - Practicing your craft by building lots of games is the best way to become a skilled designer.
Create with code - successful game designers have a deep understanding of computer programming. Try this tool to start coding!
Even if you don't want to have a career in the video game industry, there are lessons you can learn from playing video games.
For example:
- You should observe before you act.
- The obvious solution is not always the best solution.
- It's important to pick your battles.
- It's best to stay true to your character.
- A strategic plan will help guide your decisions
- Having fun is essential!
Explore the K12 Career Education Navigator
The K12 Career Technical Education (CTE) Navigator helps you explore high school courses and career pathways offered across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Browse by industry sector, county, school district, and more to find options that match your interests and career goals and see how these pathways can prepare you for college, certifications, apprenticeships, or the workforce.
Credits:
Created with images by Luis Villasmil - "Pink neon colored video game controller on purple background" • Sean Stone - "Blue Playstation 4 controller" • Stem List - "untitled image" • Alex Haney - "untitled image" • Florian Olivo - "Overwatch" • Unknown - "Free stock photo of blur, close-up, device" • Nikita Kachanovsky - "On my eames"