Careers in the Video Game Industry

1. Careers in the Video Game Industry It’s not all fun and games... ...but it’s better than a lot of other things I can think of. Tom Sloper

2. Lots of careers in games • Programming • Art • 2D • Concept art • 3D • Animation • Game Design • Level Design • Writing • Audio • Producing • Testing • Customer Support • IT • Marketing • Legal • Financial/accounting

3. Types of companies • Publishers • Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, THQ... • Development studios • Pandemic, Savage, Naked Sky... • Platform holders • Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft... • Quality Assurance providers • iBeta, VeriTest, VMC...

4. Big vs. small companies • Big companies – for experienced candidates only • Narrow specialization • Numerous specialties • Numerous departments or studio teams • Opportunities for lateral, diagonal, vertical movement • Small companies – good for beginners breaking in • Everybody wears numerous hats • Few departments/teams • Opportunities vary, but boy will you learn a lot!

5. Programming • The most in-demand position, and the most demanding. • Requirements: • 4-year degree or better (CS preferred) • Solid portfolio (“demo disc”) • Salary: the highest in the industry (see GameCareerGuide Salary Survey); avg. $83K • Entry-level positions abound, mostly at smaller companies (don’t hold out for top companies only). Internships may be available

6. Programming specialties & languages, etc. • A.I. • Engine • Tools • 3D Graphics • Physics • Online/networked • Mobile • Web games, IPTV • C++ • C# • Flash • Java • Brew • Scripting languages • Engines

7. Art • Also highly in demand, but very competitive • Requirements: • Art degree • Outstanding portfolio • Comfort with Photoshop, Maya, 3DS Max • Entry-level positions plentiful but don’t hold out for a job at one of the top companies – be willing to start small • Salary: avg. $67K

8. 2D Art • Yes, 2D. User interfaces, mobile games, web games, textures • Requirements: • Art degree • Outstanding portfolio • Entry-level positions plentiful but don’t hold out for a job at one of the top companies – be willing to start small

9. Concept Art • Niche position, requiring extraordinary talent and style • Requirements: • Art degree • Exceptionally outstanding portfolio • Optional: film, comic book / graphic novel experience • The extraordinarily talented candidate might be able to get a full-time job making concept art for games. But mostly it’s freelancing...

10. 3D Art • Highly in demand, but very competitive • Requirements: • Art degree • Outstanding portfolio • Entry-level positions plentiful but don’t hold out for a job at one of the top companies – be willing to start small

11. Animation • Narrow specialty • Requirements: • Art degree • Outstanding portfolio (“demo reel”) • Knowledge of MoCap and Facial MoCap & other animation tools • Entry-level positions unlikely. The candidate may need to gain experience first in film, TV, commercial, or Web animation

12. Game Design • Highly competitive position. It’s not what you think. (It’s not about “ideas.”) • Requirements: • Bachelors degree, liberal arts • Strong résumé (a lot of industry experience) • Entry-level positions do not exist. Game industry experience required. Usual entry paths: QA, Level Design, Programming • Salary – lower because of the high competition (the glamour and cachet of the title); avg. $64K

13. Level Design • Very much in demand • Requirements: • One or more degrees: Art, Game Design, Programming, Architecture... • Outstanding portfolio (“demo disc”) • Comfort with 3DS Max and/or other level design tools • Entry-level positions exist, but the candidate must demonstrate proven ability to create levels that are fun to play. Internships may be available

14. Writers • Demand vs. supply: many want to do it; few are qualified; few openings • Requirements: • Writing degree • Writing experience credits (film, episodic/dramatic TV, comic books, graphic novels) • Entry path: Writers for games are normally freelancers, not full-time employees. (Exceptions exist.) • Freelancing...

15. Audio • Demand vs. supply • Requirements: • Bachelors degree • Audio experience credits (film, radio, TV, commercials, books on tape...) • Entry path: Audio engineers are often freelancers, not full-time employees. (Exceptions exist.) • Freelancing... • Average income: $73K

16. Producing • Every project needs someone to manage the details, communication, expectations; only open to industry insiders • Requirements: • Bachelors degree a plus • Outstanding game industry experience • Entry-level positions do not exist. Most producers migrate into project management from other jobs: QA, programming, art, design, marketing, legal... • Salary – not as high as you might think; avg. $79K

17. Testing (Quality Assurance) • Demand vs. supply: testers are always needed; lots of people want to be testers; easiest entry path • Requirements: good communication skills; good technical skills; experience playing games • Opportunities for advancement: can be a good entry pathway, depending on company type. Best opportunities with smaller companies; no opportunities at independent test labs • Salary: the lowest in the industry; avg. $39K. And expect frequent layoffs

18. Customer Support • Demand vs. supply: not highly competitive. Openings may exist, when the position isn’t outsourced. • Requirements: candidate must be a helpful “people person” with excellent communication skills • Opportunities for a move into the studio: depends on the company and whether or not it has an internal game studio • I consider game masters as belonging to this category. Sometimes unpaid volunteers (but pay is available)

19. Information Technology • All big companies need IT (at small co., someone in engineering handles IT) • Requirements: • Degree • IT experience • Entry path: none (just apply at a large company) • Opportunities for a move into the studio: depends on the company. If there is an internal studio, may be possible to migrate into game creation

20. Marketing • Requirements: • Marketing degree • Marketing experience a plus • Entry path: apply when nearing completion of marketing degree. Internships a good way in. Experience in other industry? Apply! • Salary: avg. $73K

21. Legal (in-house counsel) • Requirements: • Law degree (contracts, IP) • Bar exam • Entry path: none (just apply at a large company). Internships a good way in • Opportunities for a move into the studio: Depends on the individual

22. Financial/accounting • Requirements: • Degree • A plus: CPA or MBA • Professional experience (good résumé and references) • Entry path: none (just apply at a large company) • Opportunities for advancement: managerial only (no movement into game creation is likely from here)

23. Switching into games from another career • More doable than you might think • Professional experience means a lot • Game degree not needed, but might help • Solid portfolio essential • The path of least resistance

24. Switching jobs within the industry • Doable but requires patience and serendipity • Depends on company type and structure • Depends on individual’s experience, cooperative/ collaborative attitude, and what the company needs • Individual must prove he’s capable, enthusiastic, hard-working. Self-driver who’s not afraid to seek assistance and learn • Realistic approach required; willingness to do whatever is needed

25. The Egg • The egg is “the game industry.” • The yolk is whatever job it is that YOU want. • Moving around in the egg white is comparatively easy. • Getting into the yolk takes time. • The really hard part is getting inside the shell in the first place.

26. Job vs. Indie vs. Lone Wolf vs. Startup...??? • Many seem to think they have to start a company right out of high school or college!!! • Indie (or modding) is good preparation for Job. • Job is best preparation for Startup • Experience • Contacts • Maturity • Money • Lone Wolfdom is only for the exceptionally accomplished Renaissance Man

27. The keys to breaking in • Location, location, location • Realistic targeting • Research, research, research • Networking • Solid portfolio (body of work)

28. Resources • Sloperama.com – yellow zone • IGDA.org (job aspirants, professionals) • GameDev.net (indies and lone wolves) • GameCareerGuide.com (students, wannabes) • Introduction to Game Development (Rabin) • Secrets of the Game Business (Larramée) • Game Design Workshop (Fullerton)