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This article is part of the Video Game Developer Salary series. See the annual pay for all video game jobs here.
Video Game Programmer Stereotype
Don’t worry, you don’t need a bow-tie to write kicka** code.

Contents:

  1. Game Programmer salary: Overview
  2. Game Programmer salary: Factors
  3. Search for Game Programming jobs
  4. Game Programmer salary: Details
  5. Other factors that affect Programmer salary
  6. Demand for Game Programmers
  7. Should I become a Game Programmer?

When young people dream of making video games, they usually think of becoming a game designer. Learning how to be a video game programmer isn’t usually on their radar, because most people don’t really understand what a game developer does. In fact, game programming can seem like a black art that’s too technical (and nerdy?) for the average person to understand.

But the truth is that anyone can learn to be a game programmer. And there’s something else you might not know about game programming: Video game programmers have, on average, the highest salaries of any development job in the game industry.

Now do I have your attention…?

How much do video game programmers make? And how much could you make as a game programmer?

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By Posted in Careers 7 Comments
eBook: How to make games that don't suck
Don’t you wish it was this easy?

It’s easy to dream up an idea for a new game. Nearly everyone seems to have at least one great game design they’d love to bring into the world, given the chance.

But game design isn’t a single skill set. To become a good game designer, you’ll need to build a variety of skills such as cinematic storytelling, interaction design, level design, game engines, and more. Not to mention, learning all about the business of the video game industry.

That’s why I asked some of today’s top game designers for their must-read books for learning game design. Jenova Chen (Journey, Flower), Hal Milton (Marvel: Avengers Alliance) and Kelly Toyama (Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines) are industry titans, and you’ll find their all-time best books for learning game design below. At first, some may not seem to be about game design at all. That’s because the game design skill set is bigger than just learning game engines. Trust the experts: dig in and find out why.Read more »

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By Posted in Careers 12 Comments

If you’re an aspiring video game designer, you already know a ton about games. And if you’re anything like the ones I know, you probably spend more time playing games than you’d like to admit to your parents, or your friends… or maybe even yourself.

But if you’re preparing for a video game design career, you need to do more than just play games and read design books. Just knowing how to build games isn’t enough. You’ve got to know how to build experiences.

I spoke with some of this decade’s top game designers to get their unfiltered advice on how you can prepare yourself for a game design education. Follow their advice, and one day you just might follow in their footsteps.Read more »

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By Posted in Careers, Tools 14 Comments

The Internet is full of info about the game industry. But only a handful of resources cut through the noise to offer current, practical information to help you get a job and grow your career in games. And they’ll save you a lot of time and effort along the way.

The resources below are the cream of the crop, and come recommended by top game schools and industry professionals. And – bonus! – most of them are absolutely free. Enjoy!

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By Posted in Careers 175 Comments
This article is part of the Video Game Developer Salary series. See the annual pay for all video game jobs here.
An astronaut with colorful planets
Why shoot for the moon when Reach and Pandora await you?

Table of Contents

  1. Search for Game Tester jobs
  2. Game Tester salary: Overview
  3. Game Tester salary: Factors
  4. Game Tester salary: Details
  5. Other factors that affect Tester salary
  6. Demand for Game Testers
  7. Should I become a Game Tester?

When I was a kid, everybody dreamed of growing up to be an astronaut or firefighter, a ballerina or doctor. Things have really changed! Ask a modern kid what they want to become. Even the old standbys of “rock star” and “pro athlete” have been bumped off the wish list, replaced by something that once seemed out of reach: a job as a video game tester.

By now, most grown-ups know that getting a job as a video game tester doesn’t mean you sit around and play games. But it’s still a great way to break into the game industry. In fact, I’m the poster boy for starting as a tester. I began my career in quality assurance (another name for testing, or QA). Later I went on to become a designer and an engineer, and eventually a director in charge of multiple departments. I did go to school to learn programming, but only after I’d started my QA job.

After you’ve done your research on what a video game tester actually does, you may wonder about a more practical matter: What is an average video game tester salary? Read more »

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By Posted in Careers 320 Comments
This article is part of the Video Game Developer Salary series. See the annual pay for all video game jobs here.
Man wondering How much do game designers make?
You can make games. But can you make money?

Table of Contents

  1. How much do game designers make?
  2. Game Designer salary: Factors
  3. Search for Game Design jobs
  4. Game Designer salary: Details
  5. Other factors that affect Designer salary
  6. Demand for Game Designers
  7. Should I become a Game Designer?

When people find out that I work at a game studio, there’s always one or two in the group that excitedly explain how badly they want to become a video game designer. They love to play games, talk about games, and read news about games. Boy oh boy, they’re passionate about games!

I always encourage them to follow that passion. But I also temper it by describing what a brutally hard job it can be at times. Once their enthusiasm simmers down a bit, the next question is usually a little more practical: How much do video game designers make?

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Photo of Kris Durrschmidt looking crazy
Is he really a viking? Is he actually crazy? Let’s find out.

Kris Durrschmidt is the co-founder, CEO and creative director of Crazy Viking Studios, an indie game development shop in the Seattle area. In the days just prior to completing his first major title, we spoke with him about life as a self-employed indie dev, the ups and downs of having complete creative control, and how to stay motivated.

In Part 2 of this interview, we’ll chat about running a Kickstarter, the future of the videogame industry, and advice for devs starting their careers in games. And – bonus! – the unsavory art portfolio that landed Kris his first industry job!

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Concept Art / Poster for Volgarr the Viking Videogame
Who will win, Volgarr the Viking or this giant man-eating rattlesnake viper? I know who I’m betting on!

Kris Durrschmidt is the co-founder, CEO and creative director of Crazy Viking Studios, an indie game development shop in the Seattle area.

In Part 1 of this interview (which you should definitely check out), we talked about life as a self-employed indie dev, the ups and downs of having complete creative control, and how to stay motivated. In Part 2, we chat about running a Kickstarter, the future of the videogame industry, and some advice for devs starting their careers in games. (And – bonus! – the unsavory art portfolio that landed Kris his first industry job!)Read more »

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Photo of Patrick ConnoleThe role of technical artist is a fairly new career in the game industry. We’ve always had artists and programmers, but tech art evolved organically. As games got bigger and timelines got smaller, studios needed people who could program tools, rigs, and automation – but also have a deep understanding of the artistic process. Thus, the Technical Artist was born!Read more »

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