4 answers
Elsi
Student
Islip Terrace, New York
1
Question
Asked
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What type of growth opportunities can I expect working at a video game company?
I’m a female who’s very invested in creating video games, and learning new skills in the field, I’m currently working on a game but I always wonder how far up I can take my career.
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4 answers
T.J. Worthy
Mentor
202
Answers
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Updated
T.J.’s Answer
Hello Elsi!
There's a couple of paths in the video game industry. If you're unfamiliar with video-game jobs, you may find Riot Game's series helpful:
https://tinyurl.com/riot-games-eps-series --- They explain the most common types of roles in Game Development!
After you take a look at all of the roles, you can select one to explore further or research.
Some careers require different work and experience from you to find new opportunities.
The good thing is working in the video game industry does not require a college degree! What matters more is your skills and portfolio of personal work or projects.
Depending on the career you want, you'll likely have a unique approach to learning:
- If you're interested in programming, you might benefit from a Computer Science background.
- If you're interested in art, you might find learning 2D Digital Art online independently or in a online school better.
There's also roles that fall between art and programming, such as technical artist.
Mostly, your growth will mostly hinge on your skills and potential employers liking your work.
The biggest barriers to career growth are lack of job openings for entry-level roles and lack of stable/fair wages.
These factors will remain out of your control. However, you can focus on the things within in your control.
To learn more about how you can advance your career, check out this video from a technical animator:
https://vimeo.com/514666431
If you want more resources, I recommend learning from these as well.
https://tinyurl.com/gamedev-youtube-channels
https://80.lv/articles/tips-on-landing-a-job-in-the-video-game-industry/
https://80.lv/articles/10-insider-tips-for-artists-applying-to-game-studios/
Sending you good luck on your journey in game development :)
There's a couple of paths in the video game industry. If you're unfamiliar with video-game jobs, you may find Riot Game's series helpful:
https://tinyurl.com/riot-games-eps-series --- They explain the most common types of roles in Game Development!
After you take a look at all of the roles, you can select one to explore further or research.
Some careers require different work and experience from you to find new opportunities.
The good thing is working in the video game industry does not require a college degree! What matters more is your skills and portfolio of personal work or projects.
Depending on the career you want, you'll likely have a unique approach to learning:
- If you're interested in programming, you might benefit from a Computer Science background.
- If you're interested in art, you might find learning 2D Digital Art online independently or in a online school better.
There's also roles that fall between art and programming, such as technical artist.
Mostly, your growth will mostly hinge on your skills and potential employers liking your work.
The biggest barriers to career growth are lack of job openings for entry-level roles and lack of stable/fair wages.
These factors will remain out of your control. However, you can focus on the things within in your control.
To learn more about how you can advance your career, check out this video from a technical animator:
https://vimeo.com/514666431
If you want more resources, I recommend learning from these as well.
https://tinyurl.com/gamedev-youtube-channels
https://80.lv/articles/tips-on-landing-a-job-in-the-video-game-industry/
https://80.lv/articles/10-insider-tips-for-artists-applying-to-game-studios/
Sending you good luck on your journey in game development :)
Harmit Singh
Game Developer
18
Answers
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Updated
Harmit’s Answer
Hi Elsi!
You can expect a lot of growth in and out of the video game industry, as a lot of the skills are transferrable to other positions in various industries. If you are leaning toward the software engineering side, there are many opportunities to grow from a Junior position to eventually a Senior to a Lead or Head. Those software engineering skills can 100% be transferred to other software positions. There are many instances where software engineers who have solely worked on games transfer to software engineering positions at companies that are not gaming-related (and vice versa).
This also applies to many different areas, such as UI/UX, Art, Project Management, HR, etc.
I wish you luck on your journey!
You can expect a lot of growth in and out of the video game industry, as a lot of the skills are transferrable to other positions in various industries. If you are leaning toward the software engineering side, there are many opportunities to grow from a Junior position to eventually a Senior to a Lead or Head. Those software engineering skills can 100% be transferred to other software positions. There are many instances where software engineers who have solely worked on games transfer to software engineering positions at companies that are not gaming-related (and vice versa).
This also applies to many different areas, such as UI/UX, Art, Project Management, HR, etc.
I wish you luck on your journey!
Ahmed Khanzada
Consultant
13
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Ahmed’s Answer
You can do everything with a career at a videogame company that you can do at a traditional tech company.
Some downsides of the videogame industry is lower pay and higher hours than other tech companies . Many tech workers want to work at videogame companies, which lowers the salaries. And shipping videogames is difficult, which means long hours.
One of my favorite game companies is Monolith Soft, which is known to have many women and reasonable work hours: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolith_Soft
Some downsides of the videogame industry is lower pay and higher hours than other tech companies . Many tech workers want to work at videogame companies, which lowers the salaries. And shipping videogames is difficult, which means long hours.
One of my favorite game companies is Monolith Soft, which is known to have many women and reasonable work hours: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolith_Soft
Adit Bhiday
Software Engineer
11
Answers
Gibson City, Illinois
Updated
Adit’s Answer
Working in a video game company can be a stepping stone to numerous growth avenues, tailored to your skills, passions, and career goals. The dynamic and diverse nature of the video game industry opens up a broad spectrum of professional enhancement possibilities. Here's a look at the potential growth opportunities you may encounter:
Skill Enhancement: Video game companies often foster skill and knowledge enhancement among their employees. Your role may present opportunities to master new programming languages, game development engines, artistic tools, animation methods, game design fundamentals, or marketing tactics.
Career Advancement: Most video game companies operate on a hierarchical structure, providing room for career growth. Starting from a beginner's position, you can climb the ladder to more senior roles like lead developer, producer, project manager, or creative director.
Expertise: As your experience grows, you can choose to become an expert in a specific area of game development that matches your interests and strengths. You may decide to concentrate on game design, level design, character modeling, user interface design, audio engineering, or game testing.
Creative Contributions: Video game development is a team effort that thrives on creativity and innovation. You'll have the chance to influence the creative direction of projects, brainstorm new game ideas, or craft unique gameplay mechanics.
Project Diversity: In larger game studios, multiple projects often run concurrently. This gives you the opportunity to work on a variety of games, from mobile to console to PC, and to experience different genres and styles.
Networking: The video game industry is a closely-knit community. Being part of a game company can help you build a robust professional network, opening doors to future opportunities within the same company or elsewhere in the industry.
Industry Updates: Keeping pace with the latest industry trends, technologies, and market needs is crucial in the video game industry. Working in a game company ensures you stay on the cutting edge of these developments.
Global Opportunities: Many video game companies operate worldwide, offering employees the chance to work overseas or collaborate with international teams.
Leadership Positions: As you gain experience and prove your capabilities, you may get the opportunity to assume leadership roles, managing teams and steering the development process.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities: For those with a strong entrepreneurial drive, you might get the chance to present your game ideas to the company or even launch your own indie game development projects with the company's backing.
Remember, growth opportunities can differ among video game companies. Therefore, it's crucial to research and choose a company that aligns with your goals and values, ensuring your professional growth in the industry.
Skill Enhancement: Video game companies often foster skill and knowledge enhancement among their employees. Your role may present opportunities to master new programming languages, game development engines, artistic tools, animation methods, game design fundamentals, or marketing tactics.
Career Advancement: Most video game companies operate on a hierarchical structure, providing room for career growth. Starting from a beginner's position, you can climb the ladder to more senior roles like lead developer, producer, project manager, or creative director.
Expertise: As your experience grows, you can choose to become an expert in a specific area of game development that matches your interests and strengths. You may decide to concentrate on game design, level design, character modeling, user interface design, audio engineering, or game testing.
Creative Contributions: Video game development is a team effort that thrives on creativity and innovation. You'll have the chance to influence the creative direction of projects, brainstorm new game ideas, or craft unique gameplay mechanics.
Project Diversity: In larger game studios, multiple projects often run concurrently. This gives you the opportunity to work on a variety of games, from mobile to console to PC, and to experience different genres and styles.
Networking: The video game industry is a closely-knit community. Being part of a game company can help you build a robust professional network, opening doors to future opportunities within the same company or elsewhere in the industry.
Industry Updates: Keeping pace with the latest industry trends, technologies, and market needs is crucial in the video game industry. Working in a game company ensures you stay on the cutting edge of these developments.
Global Opportunities: Many video game companies operate worldwide, offering employees the chance to work overseas or collaborate with international teams.
Leadership Positions: As you gain experience and prove your capabilities, you may get the opportunity to assume leadership roles, managing teams and steering the development process.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities: For those with a strong entrepreneurial drive, you might get the chance to present your game ideas to the company or even launch your own indie game development projects with the company's backing.
Remember, growth opportunities can differ among video game companies. Therefore, it's crucial to research and choose a company that aligns with your goals and values, ensuring your professional growth in the industry.