How to Become a Game Developer

Creating a video game usually involves a team of people. While independent developers make some video games, games typically require a team of designers, artists, programmers, quality assurance testers, and production professionals. A game developer works on the programming side, or the backend, to interpret artistic concepts and designs into physical software. 

According to Statista, the video game industry's projected market value is $103.80 billion by 2027 [1]. Additionally, US in-game ad revenue alone will reach $7.74 billion in 2024 [2], and trends such as advancements in AI and virtual reality will encourage strong consumer spending in 2024. Given these statistics, it’s little wonder that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 17 percent growth rate for game and other software developers [3]. 

What does a game developer do?

A game developer helps create video games by coding and compiling the software needed to make the game run and act as expected. Game developers take the game designers' designs, storyboards, and ideas and use them as blueprints to bring the game to life as something gamers can play. 

Common responsibilities include: 

• Interpreting visual concepts in code: Game developers work with designers, artists, and writers to translate ideas, art, storyboards, and creative writing into playable lines of code. 

• Coding the game’s framework: Game developers use code to create the base of the game, in many cases using multiple program languages. 

• Meeting with the team: Game developers commonly work in teams. Depending on the size of the project, the team may include lead programmers, graphics programmers, network programmers, physics programmers, and more. 

• Testing and refining the final product: Game developers also work with quality analysts and testers to ensure the game works as expected. 

Video game developer vs. video game designer

Developers and designers are two careers that work together to create video games, but they have very different day-to-day responsibilities. While a video game developer focuses on the coding and software necessary to support the game and make it work, a designer creates the visual elements or aesthetics of the game. While the two roles are different, they aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s common for game developers to work on design aspects, but it's also the other way around. 

Game developer salary and job outlook

According to Glassdoor, the average base game developer salary totals $87,855 annually as of July 2024 [4]. Additionally, some game developers may have opportunities to earn additional income of more than $15,000 on average in bonuses, commissions, and other employer incentives.  

Additionally, the demand for game developers is growing faster than average in the US. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes game developers in an industry segment along with software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers. The BLS expects this industry category to add an average of 140,100 jobs yearly from 2022 to 2032, growing at 17 percent [3].

How to become a game developer

Creating video games can be a rewarding hobby for the amateur programmer. Still, if you’re interested in making game development your career, you must complete your education and develop your programming skills. By following the steps below, you’ll be on the right track to finding a job creating video games from scratch. 

1. Meet the educational requirements.

Most employers are looking for game developers with a bachelor's degree. For some roles, employers may prefer candidates who have a master’s degree. You can pursue a bachelor's degree in game development, such as:

• Bachelor of Science in Game Development

• Bachelor of Science in Video Game Programming

• Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Development

Digital media, software engineering, and computer science are other potential fields to study. According to Zippia, 69 percent of video game developers have a bachelor’s degree, and 11 percent have earned their master’s [5]. 

2. Gain game developer skills and training.

Becoming a game developer doesn’t have to be a linear path. You can learn many skills required to become a game developer through certifications and courses and by knowing people to gain industry experience. You may also find it beneficial to continue learning after a degree to add new skills, such as additional programming languages or specialized skills. Skills required of game developers typically include:

• Coding languages: Python, C++, Java, C#, Ruby, Go, Lua, and PHP are common coding languages for game developers. 

• Detail-oriented: Game developers must avoid coding errors and have the ability to spot mistakes. 

• Video content and animation: Zippia reports that 48.4 percent of game designers add “video content” as a skill on their resumes, and animation appears on 30 percent of resumes [6].

• Game engine: Unity and Unreal are two of the most popular game engines that make it easier to create 3D graphics and game experiences.

• Teamwork and communication: Game developers work in teams on big projects, which requires strong human skills such as communication and collaboration.

3. Build a portfolio and gain experience.

Gaining experience as a game developer is one way to help your resume stand out from other potential applicants. Internships and entry-level programmer experience are good places to start, but you can also work on independent projects or contribute to open-source projects to round out your portfolio. Contributing to projects independently or with an open-source team can effectively hone your programming skills and showcase your talent to potential employers. 

Game developer career path

If you’re interested in starting your career in game development, video game programming can be an entry-level position if you have the right skills and education. While you’re still building skills, you could become a play tester to help debug code. As you learn, you could also become a junior or associate-level developer. 

Once you’ve gained experience as a game developer, you could move up the organizational chart to become a senior game developer or a senior software engineer. If you’re interested in building your own indie games, you could develop your marketing and business skills to handle the sales and marketing side of the industry. 

Get started in game development with Coursera

Game development is an in-demand career with the potential for significant growth and the opportunity to progress as you build your skills, experience, and portfolio. 

You can start learning the skills you need to become a game developer today on Coursera. The Game Design and Development With Unity 2020 Specialization offered by Michigan State University is a beginner-level track of five courses that will help you learn how to create 3D games in Unity. You can also consider the C++ Programming for Unreal Game Development Specialization offered by the University of Colorado, an intermediate-level Specialization that includes five courses. With these two specializations, you can create your own video games using two popular game engines.