From Gamer to Developer: Breaking Into the Gaming Industry

Game development is a unique industry that combines creativity, technology, and storytelling to create interactive experiences. Whether you see yourself working at an independent outfit, which produces and distributes games on a smaller scale, or one of the larger AAA studios, which produce and distribute high-budget games, there are some key things you will need to consider.

If you’re new to programming and looking to enter the world of game development, here is a guide to help you get started. We spoke with Dr. Cayley Bower, Research and Data Analyst at The Chang School, who was involved in the development of The Chang School’s Certificate in Programming for Game Development, which starts in the Fall Term.

Get to Know the Industry

While having a passion for gaming can help, understanding the basics and learning game development roles and which one you’d like to specialize in will go a long way towards getting your foot in the door.

Game development is the process of creating a video game from concept to final product. This can be broken down into several stages: concept development, design, coding, testing, and release.

Choose Your Focus

Think about whether you want to design games, write code, create art, or work on sound design. Once you’ve chosen your focus, that will help you get a clearer idea of the skills you need to acquire to get the role you want. These are the main roles working in game development:

• Game designer: creates the rules, story, characters, and gameplay mechanics.
• Programmer: writes the code that makes the game work.
• Art and animation: creates visual assets like characters, environments, and animations.
• Sound designer: develops the sound effects and music that enhances the gaming experience.
• Testing: ensures the game is free from bugs and glitches and plays as intended.

Learn the Basics

Now that you’ve got your focus, you can refine it further by breaking down what skills you need to land a role in that area.

“You need to have a specialized skill set in order to break in and succeed in the industry,” says Dr. Bower. “If you want to be an artist, you need to do 3D modeling and learn animation and rigging,” she says. (Rigging is a technique for manipulating 2D and 3D models to add movement.)

• Game design: Study game mechanics, storytelling, and level design, like "The Art of Game Design" by Jesse Schell.
• Programming: Learn programming languages commonly used in game development, such as C++ and C#. Familiarize yourself with game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine.
• Art and Animation: Learn digital art software like Photoshop and 3D modeling tools like Blender. Study animation principles and practice creating game assets.
• Sound Design: Learn about audio editing software and techniques for creating sound effects and music. Tools like Audacity and FL Studio can be useful.

Take Online Courses and Certifications

The Chang School’s Certificate in Programming for Game Development focuses on the more technical side of game development, like programming in C# and C++ in game engine development. You’ll also learn to:

• Perform game development activities within game development pipelines at both AAA and small independent studios
• Work effectively in a game studio or similar environment by communicating effectively
• Use the video game medium to create compelling and engaging player experiences; and execute industry-specific activities like programming game features, prototyping, debugging, troubleshooting and beta testing.

Build a Portfolio

A well-crafted portfolio will help sell your skills to potential employers or clients — even if it’s just small projects you’ve done on your own time. Projects like a simple game, a piece of digital art, or a set of sound effects help demonstrate what you can do.

“A portfolio can be as simple as a website with videos of the games you’ve created or the code you’ve created,” says Dr. Bower. “Or if you decide you want to be a 3D artist, you should demonstrate in your portfolio that you can move from a 2D concept to 3D art.”

Join a Community

In the gaming world, there are many ways you can join a community from participating in online forums to social media groups to local meetups related to game development. Good places to start are Reddit’s r/gamedev, TIGSource, and GameDev.net. These are places where you can network, share your work, and learn from others.

Participate in Game Jams

Websites like itch.io host regular game jams where you can create a game within a short period of time like 24 to 72 hours. Participating in such events can help you practice your skills, collaborate with others, and add to your portfolio.

Work on Collaborative Projects

By socializing with other aspiring game developers, you can collaborate with them on projects. This experience will help you understand the workflow of game development and improve your teamwork skills.

“If you want to work in the industry, learn about workflows, learn about how development actually works and what’s trending,” says Dr. Bower. “No one is going to care if you know a lot about a particular game.”

Stay Updated

Like most industries these days, especially those that are in tech, the game development industry is constantly evolving. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends, technologies, and best practices by following industry news, attending conferences, and reading blogs and articles from industry experts.

Build Your Career

Before you land your dream role, be on the lookout for any opportunities like internships, which can provide valuable experience and help you network with fellow industry professionals. Taking on small freelance jobs to gain experience and build a reputation can also go a long way.

When applying to game development studios, look for entry-level positions and tailor your resumé and portfolio to highlight your skills and projects that are relevant to the job. If you combine persistence, creativity, and a willingness to learn with the tips above, you’ll be on your way to landing a job in the game development industry. Put these things into practice and hopefully you’ll soon be living your dream of developing the next big indie hit or working on blockbuster titles.