Top Five Reasons to Start a Game Design Career

What makes a game design job so appealing?

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Is Game Design Right for You?

It’s very unusual for real-world jobs to be identified with fun and excitement, but a career in game design is one of the rare few. Sheer enjoyment of the day-to-day aspects of the job isn't the whole story, though—game designers are part of an ever-evolving industry that's constantly presenting new challenges and rewards. Not convinced yet? Take a look at these five benefits of working in the game design field:

1. Use your creative and analytical skills. Game designers are responsible for conceptualizing the themes, structure and rules of a video game—some specialize in more overtly creative areas such as scriptwriting or level design, while others work on game-play design or level mechanics. In either case, as a game designer you'll be using artistic and creative skills in addition to technological knowledge. Being analytical and organized is critical to planning how various aspects of the game will work—how a character confronts obstacles in the game, for instance, or how the player earns a score in relation to completing missions.

2. Work in an enthusiastic and casual environment. The game design culture is unlike the environment in any other industry. Employees are living their passion—they're dedicated, enthusiastic and creative, and as a game designer you get to experience the ultimate satisfaction of creating a product that you love and others will enjoy. Not only that, the day-to-day environment tends to be informal, and you'll get to share your workday with others who are similarly passionate about what they do.

3. Enjoy a steady career in a dynamic industry. The game industry is always changing, whether the focus is casual games, multiplayer environments or motion-sensitive controllers. There's never a dull moment, and you'll have the opportunity to learn throughout your career. At the same time, because the video game field is well established, you'll enjoy the security of a steady job.

4. Earn a competitive salary. According to the 2009 Game Developer Salary Survey, earnings went up for game designers, despite an overall slight decline in salaries for the game industry as a whole. Salaries in game design reached an annual average of $69,266 in 2009, an increase of 3 percent over the previous year. Designers who work for game companies on the West Coast, which is a mecca for the game design industry, can expect an even higher average salary—12% higher than the rest of the country, according to 2008 figures.

5. Make a career out of helping people have fun. Interactive entertainment is about more than just escapism or child's play—it's about people of all ages enjoying themselves in an immersive environment, whether it's a fantasy world or a sports field. As Electronic Arts' head of European talent acquisition Matthew Jeffery stated in a 2008 article for GameCareerGuide, "What job is better than helping people have fun?"

Get Started in a Game Design Career

If you’re ready to start a career in this exciting field, explore game design schools in our directory, and request more information about their programs.