Description
Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.
Interests
- Artistic
- Investigative
- Enterprising
Work Values
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
Work Styles
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Cooperation
- Attention to Detail
- Initiative
- Achievement/Effort
Tasks
- Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
- Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
- Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
- Solicit, obtain, and integrate feedback from design and technical staff into original game design.
- Conduct regular design reviews throughout the game development process.
Work Activities
- Thinking Creatively
- Working with Computers
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Getting Information
Detailed Work Activities
- Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Technology Skills
- Development environment software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Object or component oriented development software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Video creation and editing software
Abilities
- Fluency of Ideas
- Near Vision
- Originality
- Written Comprehension
- Information Ordering
Skills
- Programming
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
Knowledge
- Design
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- Mathematics
- Psychology
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Avid Certified User: Pro Tools for Game AudioCertifying Organization
Avid Technology, Inc.
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Unreal Engine: 3D FundamentalsCertifying Organization
Epic Games
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Adobe Flash CS4Certifying Organization
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Unity Certified User - ProgrammerCertifying Organization
Unity Technologies
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Microsoft Visual Studio Gaming Development FundamentalsCertifying Organization
Microsoft Corporation
Type
Product/Equipment
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $62,647 |
| Median (50%) | $92,579 |
| High (90%) | $140,054 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | N/A |
| Mid Level | N/A |
| Senior Level | N/A |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 128,600 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 138,800 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 8%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 8%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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