Which job in the game industry is right for you?

“Stop playing computer games and start doing something useful. Computer games won’t get you a job.” These are the words that most of the children hear from their parents each day. But contrary to what their parents want them to believe, passion for computer games can actually lead to a professional career.  There are many options in the game industry to choose from; below, we look at the six most popular career choices.

Game designer

As the name of the job suggests, a game designer is a person responsible for creating schemes for new games. Although it seems simple, the task is more complicated. Game designers need to make sure that the new game will be playable and entertaining. There are many different genres of computer games so a game designer needs to think about the audience and the genre’s themes. Moreover, this person co-operates with people from other departments, like programmers, animators or audio engineers. When the game is finished, a game designer needs to play it himself to make sure that the game is not too difficult.

Game tester

The job of a game tester is to test and report on various features of the game, its bugs and other issues that need improving. There are different methods that are used in the process and a game tester needs to be well acquainted with them.  A person doing this job has to be very particular and pay attention to details because the main task here is to identify even the smallest issues.

Animators

Animators are responsible for bringing the vision of a game designer to life. In other words, they are responsible for the visual side of a game. At first, they need to create a series of images that will be later turned into animation.  In the process, they often have to co-operate with artists, to create the images together.  Animators frequently use specific software in their job, so it is vital to have experience and knowledge when it comes to using these programs.

Audio engineers

The job of an audio engineer is to provide every single sound for the game. It is not an easy task. A person hired for this role needs to be very attentive and focused, as they have to find sounds and place them in the game. They also need to choose music and voices for characters.

Writer

Two different types of writers can be distinguished in the game industry. First of them is a scriptwriter. Their main task is to create a story behind the game; a plot, various descriptions and dialogues. In some cases, writers even have to create whole new worlds or adapt worlds from movies or books.  The second kind of writer is a technical writer. He or she is responsible for providing documentation and instructions for the game.

Translator

The main task of a translator is to provide the content of the game in different languages. They may be also responsible for translating the technical side of the game, like instructions and documentation.

Sophia Beirne is a passionate educator and writer. Currently she develops her passion at Career FAQs, one of the leading providers of career and educational resources in Australia.