How To Become a Video Game Designer

November 22, 2024 in [ Performing Arts & Digital Arts ]

In This Article:

What Is a Video Game Designer?
What Does a Video Game Designer Do?
Becoming a Video Game Designer: Experience and Education Requirements
Best Degrees for Becoming a Video Game Designer
Skills Needed To Become a Game Designer
Median Annual Wage
Projected Job Growth
Where Do Video Game Designers Work?
Advancement Opportunities Within Video Game Design

What Is a Video Game Designer?

Video games possess the capacity to entertain and captivate players, offering countless hours of enjoyment. However, the creation process demands considerable dedication and effort. Video game designers work on a team with other game design professionals to develop many different aspects of a game, including the objectives of the game, the narrative and the game’s various levels and challenges.

In 2022 alone, the worldwide revenue for the video gaming market was estimated to be close to $347 billion.¹ This encompasses video games across different platforms, including mobile games, VR gaming and games that use cloud technology.¹ When aspiring to design a game, you’ll need to carefully consider how to become a video game designer when making plans for your college education.

50 Million

Copies of “Overwatch” sold, one of the best-selling video games of all time.²

What Does a Video Game Designer Do?

What does a typical day look like for a game designer and what does a video game designer do in terms of job responsibilities? It can vary depending on the project they are working on and the specific phase of the project they’re in. Once they’re immersed in their role, a game designer might find themselves crafting character development one day, and the next, troubleshooting issues related to leveling up in the game. Their specific tasks and responsibilities can include:^3,4

Creative Brainstorming

Engage in brainstorming sessions with fellow creatives to generate artistic concepts for the game world, including plotlines and challenges.

Client Meetings

Some game designers may regularly meet with clients to discuss new, upcoming projects or update clients on current projects.

Revise Game Design

In response to feedback from clients, animators and other industry experts, game designers meticulously revise animations and various aspects of the game to meet evolving standards and expectations.

Game Development

Using both technical and artistic skills, game designers give shape to the artificial and the interconnectivity of the world.

Digital Tools

Video game designers harness sophisticated computer programs and tools to craft dynamic animations and graphics.

Post-Market Improvements

Even after a game has been released to the public, game designers may persist in refining and enhancing it.

Video game designers aren’t the same as computer programmers. Designers imagine the world and what happens in it. They typically use computer programs to create designs and manipulate animations. In fact, it isn’t necessary to know how to write code in order to become a game designer, although having some basic programming knowledge may be helpful.⁵

Becoming a Video Game Designer: Experience and Education Requirements

Acquiring knowledge on how to become a game designer as early as high school can assist in better planning for your future endeavors. Although there isn’t a singular path leading to a career in video game design, there are several common elements found in many designers’ backgrounds, including the following:

High School Diploma

A high school diploma is an essential first step toward a STEM career. During your high school years, look for opportunities to acquire both artistic and technical competencies. Consider enrolling in as many art classes and computer skills classes as possible — everything from sculpture to film production may prove useful for a future game designer.⁶ In addition, consider exploring relevant extracurricular activities, such as computer, animation or art clubs.

College Degree

Individuals in this field often possess a bachelor’s degree, though there isn’t a specific type of required bachelor’s degree. Generally, aspiring game designers pursue degree programs in computer graphics, animation or even fine arts. Certain programs are tailored to cater to the specific needs of future animators.⁶

Undergraduate Certificates

Acquiring undergraduate certificates may help bolster your credentials and set you apart in a competitive industry. Alongside your bachelor’s degree, consider pursuing certificates in areas such as motion graphics, animation, special effects or computer programming.

Internships

Consider completing one or more relevant internships in the digital design field, either while earning your degree or shortly after graduating. Completing an internship experience can provide opportunities to practice your skills, develop professional soft skills and work on acquiring a professional network.³

Entry-Level Roles

After earning a degree and perhaps completing an internship or two, you may be ready to apply to entry-level roles in the field. These can include positions as a quality assurance tester, level designer or level editor, video game tester and junior game designer.

Professional Certifications

Although not always necessary for securing an entry-level position, obtaining a professional certification can be advantageous for propelling or enhancing your career.³ There are a few certification options available in the game design field, including:⁷

Adobe Product Certifications (Adobe)
Unity Certified 3D Artist (Unity Technologies)
Maya Certified Professional (Autodesk)
3ds Max Certified Professional (Autodesk)
Certified Game Developer (International Game Developers Association)

The process of how to become a video game designer might not look the same for every professional, but regardless of your academic background or career path, strong technical skills and an artistic eye are essential. While completing a digital design bachelor’s degree program and internships, seize opportunities to develop your portfolio of work to help boost your employability.⁶

Best Degrees for Becoming a Video Game Designer

It may be possible to enter the field with an academic background in fine arts, such as drawing or sculpture. However, when working toward becoming a video game designer, it’s ideal to choose a degree that marries technical skills with more traditional artistic skills. This type of degree program can allow you to develop a strong portfolio of digital design work, as well as teach the necessary technical skills.

During a digital design degree program, you’ll be encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and creativity, technical competencies and an artistic eye. You’ll be prompted to use advanced computer software programs and techniques, ranging from motion graphics to 2D animation to 3D modeling.

A digital design degree or similar program teaches a range of subjects, including:

Vector-based graphics
2D & 3D motion graphics
Artistic methods
Adobe Creative Cloud
Maya software
Design aesthetics
Game marketing and promotion
Live streaming
Project management

GCU Recommends These Degree Programs for Future Game Designers

There are a range of professionals who work on video game design, including creative directors, brand managers, promotional specialists, animators, special effects artists and game developers. No matter which specific career you’re pursuing in the game design field, you have the opportunity to benefit from a strong academic background that can help prepare you to tackle modern challenges with emerging technologies.

When planning to pursue a career in game or video design, you might consider enrolling in one of the following degree programs:

Skills Needed To Become a Game Designer

Game design professionals draw upon a diverse, interdisciplinary skillset that encompasses both technical competencies and artistic skills, as well as soft skills. To be effective in this field, it’s helpful to work on developing the following skills:^3,6,8

Artistic eye
Creativity
Computer skills
Communication
Time management
Teamwork
Storytelling

Usability and user experience
Passion for gaming
Project management
Problem-solving
Animation
Social Media
Marketing

Median Annual Wage

$99,060

Median annual wage for special effects artists and animators as of May 2023⁹

There are multiple types of jobs within the game design field, and salary expectations can vary according to your position. Other factors that may influence one’s salary include academic qualifications, professional certifications, your experience and employer. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), special effects artists and animators had a median annual wage of $99,060 as of May 2023.⁹

Projected Job Growth

Estimated job growth for special effects artists and animators from 2022 to 2032¹⁰

According to the BLS, the game design field is primed for faster growth than average. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook estimates job growth for special effects artists and animators to increase by 8% from 2022 to 2032, indicating that employers expect to hire about 7,400 more of these professionals.¹⁰

Where Do Video Game Designers Work?

You might think that video game designers all work for gaming companies. However, there is a diverse range of companies that may hire professionals with digital design skills. These include:¹¹

Motion Picture/Video Companies

An experienced animator may find work creating animated films as well as video games.

Computer Systems Design Companies

Computer companies often employ game designers to create interactive entertainment products.

Software Publishers

Software companies hire game developers to create games that are often sold to millions of businesses and consumers.

Advertising and PR Agencies

In advertising and public relations, animators may create marketing, or other promotional materials.

Advancement Opportunities Within Video Game Design

Digital design professionals, armed with a robust portfolio of professional work and a commendable reputation for effective teamwork and time management, may be well-positioned to explore opportunities for growth and development in their field. These individuals may be able to position themselves to possibly acquire supervisory or directorial positions, including producer, director or art designer roles.⁶

Pursue your passion for gaming at Grand Canyon University. Apply today to enroll in the Bachelor of Arts in Digital Design with an Emphasis in Animation degree or the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an Emphasis in Game and Simulation Development program.

¹Clement, J. (2024, Jan. 10). Video Game Industry – Statistics & Facts. Statista. Retrieved on March 25, 2024.

²Sirani, J. (2024, March 20). The 10 Best-Selling Video Games of All Time. IGN. Retrieved on March 25, 2024.

³Tobin, J. M., MFA. (2023, Oct. 31). What Is a Video Game Designer? ComputerScience.org. Retrieved on March 25, 2024.

⁴U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). What Special Effects Artists and Animators Do. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved on March 25, 2024.

⁵MadWorld Games. (2022, Dec. 14). Does Game Design Require Programming Knowledge? LinkedIn. Retrieved on March 25, 2024.

⁶U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How to Become a Special Effects Artist or Animator. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved on March 25, 2024.

⁷Teal. (n.d.). Game Developer Certifications. Retrieved March 25, 2024.

⁸Coursera Staff. (2023, Nov. 29). What Is a Video Game Designer? Career overview + FAQ. Coursera. Retrieved on March 25, 2024.

⁹The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Special Effects Artists and Animators, as of May 2023, retrieved on October 30, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Special Effects Artists and Animators, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were [aid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half of the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.

¹⁰COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2022, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Special Effects Artists and Animators, retrieved on Sept. 27, 2024.

Approved after edits and verified accurate by the digital design director of the College of Arts and Media on Nov. 7, 2024.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.