Game Developer Careers

If you're looking to work in game development - actually creating the art, code and sound which make up a modern game - then there are six major career options open to you. Here's our guide to the different development careers, including vital information about what skills, talents and qualifications you'll need for each...

• Art

  From concept sketches to building 3D models and creating the textures and effects that bring a landscape to life, Artists are the people who craft the visuals of a videogame. It's a wide-ranging and sometimes surprisingly technical field - so what do you need to know to be a videogame artist? Read this article to find out, and to get vital tips on preparing your all-important portfolio. [Read Article ]

• Programming

  One of the most demanding and challenging technical jobs in the world, game programming is all about getting the very best performance out of the machines you work on. Game programmers do everything from writing the engine which supports the entire game, through to coding artificial intelligence for enemies or network code for smooth online play. Read this article to find out what skills are vital, which qualifications are best, and what employers are looking for in a demo. [Read Article ]

• Design

  The dream job of many gamers, the designer is responsible for the vision behind a game, not only in terms of the high-level concepts but also the nitty gritty of how levels are created, how combat works, how much damage each weapon does, and so on. Attention to detail is even more important than pure inspiration - but design has historically been a difficult area to get into. Read our guide to find out how becoming a game designer could be within reach, if you have the talent and the drive. [Read Article ]

• Animation

  Once considered to be part of the artist's job, animation is now a field in its own right - and with methods of animating characters, environments and enemies becoming increasingly complex and detailed, it's easy to see why. Like the artist's role, this job requires a keen eye for detail and real creative flair, but it's also a very technical role and one which involves working closely with the programming team. If bringing heroes and creatures to life sounds like your thing, read this article to find out what's involved - and how you can get into this exciting field. [Read Article ]

• Audio

  From recording character voices and creating sound effects through to formulating a game soundtrack, the game audio field is one of the most diverse and rapidly developing creative fields in the world. However, many of the basic technical and creative skills which have been used by audio professionals for years remain just as relevant as ever. Read this article to find out how game music and sound effects could become your career. [Read Article ]

• QA

  Often considered to be the "back door" into the videogame development industry, working in Quality Assurance gives people excellent hands-on experience of the industry, as well as being, for many people, a rewarding and challenging career in its own right. Responsible for finding, tracking and reporting all bugs and issues with games in development, QA staff are uniquely positioned to move up into other roles as well as to progress within their own field. Read on to find out more about this fantastic opportunity to get your foot in the door of the games industry... [Read Article ]