For Microsoft:How much is the Salary?

Hi Victoria,

The answer to your question is, "It depends."

"Game developer" can mean many things, but usually it means one of four things:
Artist
Game Designer
Programmer
Producer

Your salary will depend on which of these you do, and how much experience you have.

Programmers usually earn the most, then artists, then game designers. I am not sure where producers fall in the order of pay -- somewhere in the middle, I think. As an experienced game programmer, I usually earn between $85,000 and $95,000 per year in Austin, TX, which has a lower cost of living than cities like Seattle and San Francisco, where you would earn more.

If you do certain kinds of programming, you can earn more than me. Server, database, and AI programmers usually make more than I do. Similarly, some artists are in higher demand than others, and therefore usually earn more. For example, good 3D animators are hard to find.

Finally, your skill as a negotiator will affect how much you earn in the long term. If you work hard to become as skilled as possible and you believe in yourself, you can ask for a higher salary. I am not good at this -- I don't like claiming that I am "good" -- so I usually earn less than average. This can be a good thing, though. Because I am competent and cheap, I have never been laid off.

I have never worked at Microsoft, but my brother has (though not as a game developer). They offer competitive pay and good stock options (though their stock is not as good as it used to be). They are not the best employer in terms of pay, but they are good. You could expect to earn as much, or more, than the numbers I quoted above -- once you have experience.

As a starting game programmer, I would suspect you will earn between $60,000 and $70,000 per year in a city like Austin -- though this is just a guess. In time, you could expect to earn six figures, but that will take years.

In the end, game developers usually make a bit less than their peers in other technology fields. This is partly because so many people want to develop games, there are more people than jobs, which drives salaries down. However, if you work hard and land a job, you will find nothing else compares to it. The hours are long and the pay is only "ok," but at the end of a project, when you see people playing your game, you will experience a feeling that others never do. I think it's worth it!

Good luck with your job hunt!

That is a great a career the salary should be good i have a estimate The typical salary for a Microsoft Game Designer ranges from $101,078-$136,892, with an average salary of $114,334 some comments online its really hard to get exactly how you they get but i think will be a good pay for any company you work as game Developer.