how to become a game tester

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how to become game tester

How to Become a Game Tester

If you enjoy working with electronics, becoming a video game tester may be an attractive career choice. Not only is there a demand for quality game testers due to the popularity of video game consoles, but it’s a good way to enter the video game industry. In this article, we will explore what a game tester does and how you might find a job as a game tester.

What does a game tester do?

A game tester, or quality assurance tester, plays video games that are under development to check for errors, also known as glitches or bugs. Game testers normally work for video game companies, often in close connection with programmers and other technical members of the development team. They are expected to test extensively, often repeating game levels multiple times to make sure they have tested every possible permutation of play.

As well as playing games, game testers take note of any gameplay errors they find along with steps on how to recreate those errors. They communicate these problems to the development team so they can correct them.

Average salary of game testers

The average salary for a game tester in the U.S. is $14.13 per hour as of November 2019, with a range of $7.25 to $44.10. Your salary as a game tester will depend a lot on your experience and the company you work for. Where you live can also be a factor in how much you get paid, since regional laws may determine a minimum wage. Some game testing jobs may be in an office where the company provides the materials you need. Other game testing jobs are work-from-home positions where you are expected to provide your own game consoles, television and other equipment. You should consider this when negotiating your salary.

Steps to becoming a game tester

If you’re interested in a career as a game tester, here are some steps you can take:

  1. Earn a high school diploma, GED or equivalent.
  2. Play video games.
  3. Get a college degree in video game design or a related field.
  4. Work in quality assurance.

1. Earn a high school diploma, GED or equivalent

You don’t need a high school education to be a game tester, however, most game testers are 18 or older, so you should complete high school. Also, you will need basic writing and communication skills, which you can learn in high school or as part of studying for an equivalency.

2. Play video games

Most game testers started as video game enthusiasts. They learn about game dynamics, gameplay and what makes a good game from spending hours playing games. Since the job involves playing video games for long periods of time, often replaying game levels looking for problems, it helps if you enjoy playing video games.

While you don’t need a college degree to be a game tester, having one can help you find a job. Game testing is a competitive market, so any qualifications you have that might make you an attractive candidate are useful. The most helpful degree subjects are those that give you a better understanding of the technical aspects of game design and programming. These include computer animation, interactive game development and computer science. A degree could also help you advance in your career from testing to game design or development.

4. Work in quality assurance

Video game testing is more than simply playing the game. As part of your job, you are constantly trying to break the game, to find the game’s flaws and see how you can exploit them. If you have work experience in quality assurance, you will likely be familiar with this way of thinking.

Expectancy of Job Growth for a Video Game Tester

If you live in a hotbed of game studios, you can probably get a job as a tester.

Video games resemble complex machines, except that instead of moving parts they have lines of code. This code interacts with itself and with hardware to drive the video game environment. If the programmers don’t write their code properly then the game might not work properly—just as a machine’s many moving parts can go awry if they aren’t fine-tuned. Since many bugs won’t be obvious in the code itself, developers always test-play their games before publishing them. The popularity of video games should ensure steady growth for industry positions such as video game testers.

Need for Testing

The process of developing a video game creates thousands if not millions of opportunities for mistakes, called bugs. This makes it all but impossible for the programmers to catch every bug themselves. Almost every video game needs additional, third-party testing before it can go onto the market. This is where video game testers come in. Game studios typically contract “quality assurance” testers to come into their offices and play new, unpublished games to spot bugs that the developers can hopefully fix before the game hits shelves.

Need for Testers

The demand for video game testers closely reflects the overall demand for video games themselves. It also reflects the programming complexity of the games, since more complicated games require more hours of testing to reach an acceptable state of market readiness. As of 2012, the industry is in the midst of a period of intense growth following a stagnant period during the global recession that began in 2008. Technology research company Gartner reported in 2011 that the sale of games and hardware would increase by more than 50 percent in dollar value between 2010 and 2015. A growing industry means a growing demand for testers. In 2012, the video game industry is considerably bigger in dollar terms than the motion picture industry. More than half of the U.S. population plays video games in some form, meaning there are thousands of video game testing opportunities.

Regional Factors

The rosy picture nationally looks more lopsided regionally. For instance, Oklahoma doesn’t have many video game development studios. It has only two listings on the Gamedevmap website, and both are in Tulsa. In contrast, Washington 83 studios, most of which are located in or near Seattle. Video game testers typically work in a controlled environment because working remotely increases the risk that testers will steal and illegally distribute unpublished games. As a result, your job prospects as a video game tester go up exponentially if you live in a center for video game development, either on the West Coast or in the Northeast. If you live in either of those regions, you can probably find a video game testing job. That scenario should continue at least through the end of this decade.

Job Description

Testing a video game provides a completely different experience from playing a game for fun. It involves very repetitive tasks, such as loading an options menu over and over, or fighting the same battles dozens or hundreds of times while trying out different weapons and armor combinations. Sometimes you don’t even get to play the game. Instead, you might spend your days creating characters to make sure the character creation system works correctly. Video game testing has a varied reputation. On the downside, many testers report long hours or not enough hours, low pay, overheated working conditions and bad treatment at some game studios. On the plus side, many testers also report positive experiences, free games, wage growth potential and entrance opportunities to a career in the games industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that full-time, in-house testers earn almost $50,000 annually on average. Just don’t expect to make that kind of money as an entry-level worker, a part-timer, or a contractor.

How to Find Work as a Game Tester

You can have a career as a game tester.

You might enjoy working as a game tester if you like video games. However, the job does involve some work. Game testers play games for long hours to find bugs that could interrupt the end user’s enjoyment. They also ensure that graphics, text and other content in the game are appropriate for the user. The requirements for the position are not complex. It’s easier to find game tester jobs in regions where development companies are concentrated.

Education and Training

Candidates should have at least a high school diploma or GED. However, a college education is helpful if you plan to become a game producer or developer in the future. There’s no formal training for the job but you should be able to use personal computers, various consoles and handheld game devices comfortably. You should also have experience playing a variety of games on these machines.

Qualities

Game testers need various qualities to perform the job successfully. For instance, you should have good attention to detail, enjoy playing games for long periods, and not mind playing the same section of the game many times over. Discretion is also necessary because you will be working on games that have not yet been released. Development companies have testers sign a non- disclosure agreement to prevent them from taking pictures or discussing the games outside the workplace. Testers who violate the agreement can be fired and prosecuted.

Work Conditions

The work environment is typically a lab filled with machines for testing the games. You could work on one game through its production cycle or be assigned to various games. Testers work in groups. Your schedule could vary by day depending on when new versions of a game arrive, and you may have to work overtime. Game testers typically don’t work year round. Companies need them while a game is in production, but the job’s over when it’s complete and released to the public.

Finding a Job

Many game development companies are based in Dallas and Austin, Texas; Los Angeles, Montreal, San Francisco and Redmond, California. If you live in one of these cities, finding a game testing job will not be difficult. Because most of these jobs are temporary, many companies rely on temporary staffing agencies to fill vacancies. The agencies might list these jobs on career websites and in newspapers. Some development companies offer permanent positions and hire testers directly. You can look for job postings on company 

How to Apply for Video Game Tester Jobs

Video game testing is an in-demand position with massive growth potential.

Becoming a video game tester may sound like a dream career, but there’s more to this job than playing games. Performing quality assurance on a software application requires technical skills, patience and attention to detail. The hours may be long and the pay relatively low, but many would-be game designers and developers take video game player jobs to gain entry to the video game industry.

Finding Game Tester Jobs

There are plenty of video game tester jobs posted on job sites like Indeed.com. Many are with renowned game companies like Activision and Sony Interactive, but there are also positions listed with smaller companies. Some game companies post available positions on their websites, so be sure to check the websites of companies that make games you like playing. You can also send your resume and cover letter directly to the company’s human resources department and hope that it will be forwarded to a manager responsible for hiring.

Qualifications for Video Game Tester

There’s competition for even entry-level game tester jobs, so it’s important to emphasize your qualifications when applying. Some companies prefer college graduates with a degree in a technical field like computer science, while others put a higher premium on having enthusiasm for gaming and knowing a lot about the industry. Aside from being an experienced gamer, good communication skills are an important qualification. Video game testers work closely with game developers and designers and need to be able to clearly explain the problems they encounter.

Strong problem solving and troubleshooting abilities are critical for a video game tester. After detecting a problem in a game, a tester needs to be single-minded about determining the steps that caused it. After a problem is fixed by the development team, a tester also needs to be diligent about retesting the original problem and making sure the fix didn’t cause unexpected regressions.

Anyone who’s testing software needs to be imaginative in order to come up with user scenarios that could reveal bugs. Finally, a tester needs to really care about providing the best possible gaming experience for the player. In total, these are a lot of skills required for a job that may pay less than $20 per hour, which is why many testers are looking for a steppingstone to a better position in the video gaming industry.

Game Tester Responsibilities

The day-to-day responsibilities of a video game tester can vary widely depending on the assignment. When testing a new version of game software, testers are responsible for finding bugs and glitches and reporting them to the development team. Since developers usually won’t or can’t stop what they’re doing to look at non-critical problems, a tester will usually fill out a bug report that describes the exact circumstances that led to the problem. This is when strong written communication skills are a must.

A tester may also work closely with video game developers on the design and usability of a game, providing feedback about the user experience. This role may involve less writing, but still requires good verbal communication skills and the ability to function well on a team. The most successful testers have learned how to discuss software problems with developers without casting blame or being too negative.

Gaining Video Game Tester Experience

As with many jobs, it’s can be hard to get hired as a video game tester when you have no previous software testing experience. One way to gain some unpaid experience is by volunteering for beta tester jobs. The beta version of a software application is very close to being ready for release. A company will often reach out to its community of users for additional testing of a beta version.

To get started as a beta tester, create a list of games that you’d like to test, then research the companies that make the games to find out how they handle quality assurance for beta releases. Volunteering as a beta tester, even if you’re not paid, will help you gain experience for your resume and could help establish professional contacts within the company.

Who Would Hire a Video Game Level Designer?

Game designers such as Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto show off their wares at the annual E3 convention.

Modern media goes through many channels before it reaches your hands. A writer pens a novel and a publisher releases it to the public, just as a production company creates a film and a distributor places it in theaters or on shelves. Likewise, a video game passes through numerous creators, businesspeople and companies before it hits your gaming device. Level designers — professionals who map out a virtual area’s layout, character and enemy placement and overall interactivity — serve a creative role in the complex flow of the industry, and they typically don’t work alone.

Direct to Developers

In the video game industry, the team of people who create games are known as developers or development studios. In addition to artists, programmers, writers, testers, audio designers and others, level designers play a key role on these teams. In the modern gaming industry, where games often take a more expansive form than the clear-cut “levels” of yore, studios often include lead designers, associate designers, content designers, game mechanic designers and level designers, the latter of which tend specifically to the interactive virtual environments. In addition to traditional means, such as online classifieds, developers often post hiring ads for current projects on their company’s website or reach out to level designers based on the quality of their past work.

The Indie Equation

Typically, a development studio creates a game and a publisher distributes the game for public consumption. Sometimes, companies do both; for instance, while Platinum Games developed “Bayonetta” and Sega published it, Nintendo both published and developed “Super Mario 3D World.” However, independent developers break this mold. Indie developers, often very small teams or sometimes a single individual, both design and release their own games, usually through digital distribution channels such as Steam, the Nintendo eShop or Xbox Live Arcade. If you’re an indie level designer, no one hires you; you do the work, and reap the rewards, yourself.

Branching Out

While development studios or independent game creation act as the bread and butter for working level designers, outside entities sometimes hire designers for related work. For instance, trade shows such as the Game Developers Conference pay designers and other industry professionals a flat fee to present panels on topics such as level design. Colleges with game design programs also may hire seasoned level designers to teach classes in software design and development.

More to Consider

Oftentimes, designers begin their careers at development studios in a smaller capacity, serving as a tester or programmer, for instance, before moving up the ranks. Studios often prefer level designers to have a bachelor’s degree in game design, computer science or computer engineering, as well as plenty of programming experience. As of 2013, the Game Industry Career Guide estimates the average salary of a designer at $40,000 to $100,000 per year, ranging from an associate game designer at a small studio to a lead or senior game designer at a large development house.

Salaries of Game Programmers in the United States

Programmers write code that brings video games to life.

Video game programmers bring the ideas of designers and artists to life by writing lines of code that allow video games to function. Programming determines most aspects of a video game, from graphics to the manner in which characters interact. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, most programmers have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a closely related field.

U.S. Programmer Salary

Based on an industry salary survey conducted in 2010, Game Developer magazine reports that game programmers working in the United States earned an average salary of $85,733 per year. This compares favorably against programmer salaries in other parts of the world; according to the same survey, Canadian programmers earned an average of $74,474 per year, while video game programmers in Europe averaged just $48,231 annually.

Pay by Title and Experience

Programmers with fewer than three years of experience in the industry averaged $55,426 a year in 2010, according to Game Developer. Those with between three and six years of experience made an average of $76,413 annually, and programmers who had been in the industry for more than six years averaged $107,888 per year. Lead programmers with three or more years of experience averaged between $81,722 and $108,796 per year, and technical directors with more than six years of industry experience reported an average income of $126,554 annually.

Pay by Region

As with most video game occupations, the West was the highest-paying region for programmers in 2010, with an average annual salary of $96,651. Programmers in the East earned the second-highest mean salary by region, $77,630 per year. Programmers in the Midwest reported an average annual salary of $71,000, while programmers in the South reported the very lowest average regional salary, $68,636 per year. Regardless of position, Game Developer reports that California, Washington and New Jersey were the three highest-paying states for video game industry occupations in 2010.

Benefits and Bonuses

As of 2010, 77 percent of U.S. game programmers reported to Game Developer magazine that they earned income in addition to their salary. Additional income came in the form of end-of-year bonuses, project bonuses, stock options and royalties. The average amount of additional income reported was $17,689 per year. Ninety-four percent of video game programmers received some form of benefits, such as medical and dental insurance, through their employers.

The Requirements to Be a Game Programmer

The Requirements to Be a Game Programmer

If you love video games, have an analytical mind and an eye for design, becoming a game programmer may be an ideal career path. A college degree that provides specific knowledge about coding, graphic design and software platforms is the best preparation for this career field. Once your career takes off, you can work independently or for a large game development company.

Job Description

A game programmer uses innovative thinking and software development knowledge to create video games for a wide variety of computer platforms. Working independently or for a software company, a game programmer often has the flexibility to work from home. As an independent contractor, you will have to develop games, market them and manage all aspects of the business. A typical work day for a self-employed game programmer involves using a social media presence to connect with potential clients, scouring game forums to conduct market research on new trends, and networking with companies that are seeking new products. Game programmers that work from home have regular meetings, over the phone and through the computer, with prospective clients. Usual work parameters do not apply to this career. It isn’t uncommon for game developers to work six or seven days a week.

Education Requirements

While not required, given the competitive nature of the field, earning an undergraduate degree in game programming and development provides the best preparation for this field. This degree provides in depth knowledge of computer programming languages, game engine development and graphic design elements. You will take classes like: digital game development, graphics game engine, digital multimedia development, graphic design for the web, scripting, software development, and artificial intelligence. A capstone project will give you the opportunity to develop your own game prototype. Seeking an internship with a software development team is a plus. As you take classes, you can begin to develop a portfolio using the projects from each class. A portfolio is used as a resume, when seeking full-time employment, following graduation.

Industry

In 2017, the median annual salary for a game programmer was $70,530 or, $33.91 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Game programmers who work independently could make less and would not have paid benefits. Large companies are likely to pay more. The top 10 percent earners made an annual salary of $123,060.

Years of Experience

Connecting with other game programmers, virtually, can expand your awareness of the platforms used by large gaming companies. Breaking into this field requires developing an innovative product that is in high demand. Networking on social media and pitching your work to companies is the best way to break into the industry. Experienced game programmers have the advantage, when new game systems are in the developmental stage.

Job Growth Trend

Available positions for game programmers are expected to grow by eight percent between now and 2026. Multimedia game options are an expectation of gamers, but international outsourcing could threaten the availability of domestic positions.

How Much Do Video Game Testers Make?

Testing video games sounds like a dream job to some. According to the employment website ZipRecruiter, video game testers earned an average of ​$22.49​ per hour as of February 1, 2021. For individuals lucky enough to be employed full time as game testers, that translates to ​$899​ per week, ​$3,898​ per month or ​$46,770​ per year.

Geographic Location Affects Pay

As with most jobs, a video game tester salary is impacted by geographic location. ZipRecruiter identified 10 U.S. cities where video game testers earned higher-than-average salaries.The list includes Richmond, California (​$57,227​); Stamford, Connecticut (​$55,725​); Bellevue, Washington (​$55,600​); Bethesda, Maryland (​$54,466​); Mountain View, California (​$54,406​); Issaquah, Washington (​$53,832​); Lakes, Alaska (​$53,649​); San Francisco, California (​$53,636​); Palmdale, California (​$53,059​); and Lawrence, Massachusetts (​$52,981​).

When thinking about moving to a new location for a job, use a cost of living calculator such as the one available for free at NerdWallet. It will let you compare the cost of living in two cities. For example, if you currently live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, earning ​$53,000​ in San Francisco might sound like a lot. But, as NerdWallet shows, your cost of living will be 106 percent higher. That means you’d be able to maintain the standard of living in San Francisco at ​$53,000​ that ​$25,692​ would get you in Cedar Rapids.

Becoming a Video Game Tester

If you’re an avid gamer, that’s only one of the requirements for getting hired by a developer and earning a video game tester salary. As explained in an article for Business News Daily, testers often play the same levels of a game many times to look for programming bugs, broken applications and nonfunctioning visual effects. Testers check elements of the game against a detailed plan that tells them how the game is supposed to work. A game might be fun and engaging, but if it doesn’t work the way a developer intended, the errors must be documented in a tester’s written report.

Although every employer is different, most employers seek individuals with the following:

  • Knowledge of gaming terminology and trends
  • Talent and passion for gaming
  • Tech school or college coursework (not necessarily a degree) in computer programming, software development or graphic design
  • Ability to write a technical bug report

QA Tester Jobs

Although a college degree may not be required for entry-level game-testing positions, it’s likely that you’ll increase your employment options and salary potential with education. As stated above, computer programming, software development and graphic design are college degrees that can provide you with the knowledge and the credential for work in QA tester jobs. If college is not currently an option, start with any of the free online tutorials found on YouTube or other social media platforms.

Search “video game tester” and “QA tester” on web-based employment services such as Indeed, Monster, JobHero, Glassdoor and others. By looking at a number of job listings, you’ll get an idea of what qualifications employers seek for QA tester jobs.

Video Game Tester Work Environment

The work environment for a video game tester varies by employer. Some positions are contractual or part-time. Home-based positions may be available, but many developers are looking for individuals to work full-time and onsite.

Video game developers are located throughout the U.S. Current hubs for game design studios include San Francisco, Austin, Los Angeles and Seattle. Top states for the number of video game designers employed are California, Texas, Georgia, Illinois and Washington, D.C., so you may want to think about relocating for opportunities as a video game tester. Internationally, leading cities for video game design include London, Tokyo, Paris, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. The cost of living can be very high in these cities, so do your research before making a move.

Video Gaming Industry Outlook

According to the New England Institute of Technology, the video game industry is expected to reach ​$180.1 billion​ in 2021. The job market for video game designers is expected to grow at least through 2026, which means more opportunities for video game testers.

Video Game Design & Development

Modern video game development is a complex process that can take years.

The first video games showed up in arcades in the early 1970s, and the video game revolution began in 1972 when Magnavox introduced its Odyssey game console. Atari then introduced Pong, and home video game consoles became an instant fad. The rest is history, and the 21st century has ushered in the video game era, and video game design and development has morphed into a rapidly growing multi-billion dollar industry that provides jobs for tens of thousands of people.

Game Designer

Game design and game designer are very broad terms that have evolved over time. The first video game designers were also lead programmers, but many today come from other backgrounds. A number of early video games were designed and developed by small teams of two or three or even largely by single individuals, whereas today game development teams range from single digits to hundreds of employees. A game designer is the person who conceives of the game and who designs the gameplay. Modern game designers are typically specialized, and many development teams will include a lead designer (or two) as well as several game mechanics designers and environment designers. According to Game Developer magazine, game designers earned an average salary of $73,386 in 2011.

Game Developer

Game developers tend to be programmers or software engineers, and it is their job to make the software “engine” of the game run smoothly. Developing software to optimally display high-end graphics is a typical task for a game developer, but 21st century developers also spend a lot of time writing code or working with game development software to create new features or enhance gameplay. Average game industry programmer salaries grew from $85,733 in 2010 to $92,962 in 2011.

Writer

Writers work closely with the game development team, especially in the early stages of development. The job of a game writer is to create the narrative, dialogue, comments, hint system, and the like for the game, and work with the marketing team to produce packaging materials and advertising copy. Writing for video games is highly collaborative, as writers have to embody the ideas of the designers while providing the informational content to lead players through gameplay. Video game industry writers took home an average salary of $73,386 in 2011.

Game Tester

Game testers have a job that most kids dream of — they get paid to play video games! But video game testing is not all fun. Video game testers have to test every aspect of a game and document everything they do. This often means playing certain parts of the game over and over, which can make it feel a lot more like a job than just fun. While playability and continuity are certainly part of the testing process, most game testers are looking for technical issues such as graphics glitches or ways players can play the game to cause system crashes. Game testers brought home an average salary of $47,910 in 2011.

Job Prospects and Advancement

The video game industry is a cyclical industry, and tends to go through ups and downs. It can be difficult to get an entry level position during the down cycle, but networking and developing a good portfolio can increase your chances. Working on a successful game is by far the best credential to move up in the industry, so it is important to get your foot in the door as early as possible. It is worth noting that programmers, especially programmers with video game experience, are typically in great demand.

Advantages & Disadvantages About Video Game Designers

Advantages & Disadvantages About Video Game Designers

Even the most passionate gamer may not be happy designing games. Playing video games is a hobby, a lifestyle, a passion; designing games is a job. A fun job for the right person, but like any other career, becoming a designer has advantages and disadvantages. Before jumping in, weigh the pros and cons to decide if it’s right for you.

Pro: It’s a Fun Gig

If you already game, you have opinions about what makes games good. Becoming a designer gives you a chance to create the games you wish were out there already and design games the way you think they should be. Even if you can’t find a game company that likes your ideas, you can work freelance, creating and releasing games on your own.

Con: Cutthroat Competition

Like any popular, creative field, there’s no shortage of designers and wannabes. If you want a regular paycheck by landing a job with a gaming company, you’ll face lots of competition. Even though the industry is growing, you may not land a position.

Going indie is an option, but it means doing without an income until the game is finished and selling. The market is heavily saturated, so even if you have a great game, winning a market share may not be easy.

Pro: Flexible Qualifications

To become a doctor, you go to medical school. There’s no alternative. Game design, by contrast, doesn’t require a degree. If you’ve got the right skills – storytelling, visual design, strategic thinking and more – that counts more than your academic qualifications. A degree may still be an advantage when you’re starting out and need to prove yourself, but it’s not essential.

Con: Crunch Time

Game design is driven by deadlines. If a game is tied to an upcoming movie, or the company wants a release ready for next month’s tech show, you and your team have to get it done. To have the game ready by deadline, the different parts of the project will have earlier deadlines. If you blow a deadline, it could hurt the game’s chances to turn a profit.

Hence crunch time. Meeting deadlines on a big project with a team of a dozen or more often requires coming in early, leaving late, working on weekends or all of the above. The crunch may extend for days or weeks or, in some cases, months. That can take a lot out of the design team, even if they love the work.

Salary of a Pixel Game Artist

Animators create the art for video games pixel by pixel.

The artists who create visuals at the pixel level in video games are known as animators. Animators are responsible for bringing to life the ideas and characters envisioned by video game designers, programmers and concept artists. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, animators typically receive a bachelor’s degree in art or computer graphics and develop a portfolio of work before finding employment.https://7e81e2022175ce37f0c0f4d2fddb3906.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Animator Pay by Industry

According to data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, animators working in the video game industry earned an average income of nearly $65,000 per year as of May 2011. These earnings were comparable to those reported by artists and animators in advertising, public relations and specialized design services. They were far lower, however, than the annual incomes reported by animators working in the motion picture industry, who averaged more than $83,000 a year during the same period.

Pay by Experience

Game Developer magazine reports that the salaries of artists and animators with less than three years of experience working in the video game industry averaged almost $45,000 a year in 2011. Those with three to six years of experience averaged considerably more, nearly $62,000 per year. After six years, the average pay for video game animators rose considerably once again, to nearly $87,000 per year.

Regional Income Variations

Video game animation salaries varied considerably by region in 2011. Game Developer magazine reports that animators in the Midwest earned the lowest average salary, at $52,500 per year. Video game animators based in the Northeast earned an average of $62,756 per year, while those in the South reported nearly identical earnings, an average of $62,692 per year. Animators in the West ranked first, reporting annual income of just less than $78,000.

Occupational Outlook

Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment of artists and animators will experience a weak growth rate of 8 percent across all industries in the coming decade, the outlook for video game animators is much more robust. Employment for these animators is expected to grow at a rapid 49 percent between 2010 and 2020. Because of the popularity of the industry, applicants should expect stiff competition for jobs.

2018 Salary Information for Multimedia Artists and Animators

Multimedia artists and animators earned a median annual salary of $72,520 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, multimedia artists and animators earned a 10th percentile salary of $49,320, meaning 90 percent earned more than this amount. The 90th percentile salary is $90,450, meaning 10 percent earn more. In 2018, 71,600 people were employed in the U.S. as multimedia artists and animators.

How Much Money Does a Videogame Designer Make in an Average Year?

How Much Money Does a Videogame Designer Make in an Average Year?

Video game designers use their creativity to come up with an idea for a game and bring it to life with a storyline, rules system and visual details. Their duties require a background in computer science, computer graphics and art that allows them to use computer software to create and test their designs, whether they’re creating a game’s characters or missions. If you enjoy playing video games and have ideas for making new games, you could enjoy a career as an independent game designer making mobile games or a full-time game designer making console games for a major publisher. How much video game designers make on average depends on if they’re regularly employed or independent, their skill set, industry and experience level.

Job Description

Video game designers are responsible for creating the visual aspects of a game, such as the background scenes and characters, as well as help design the game’s themes, rules, story and progression. These duties require game designers to be creative problem solvers who can create designs that visually engage players and provide an enjoyable gameplay experience. Although some game designers, especially those who create games on their own, do the game’s programming themselves, it’s common to work with developers who create and test the code for the game based on the planned designs. This collaboration makes communication skills particularly important to ensure the game comes out as intended.

Education Requirements

Aspiring video game designers often earn a bachelor’s degree in an area like game design, game development or computer graphics, and it’s common to take math, design and computer programming classes in these programs. Technology skills are particularly important for game designers, and you’ll likely need to know how to use 3D game development software like Unity, Adobe applications for graphics and video editing, and code editors. Making game designs or entire games you publish on app stores is a way to add to your games portfolio and demonstrate your talent to potential employers.

Video game designers may earn a salary from a company or self-publish games where they can charge their own price. The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups video game designers with other multimedia artists and animators, and this occupation group had an average wage of $76,560 a year or $36.81 an hour in May 2017. The bottom 10 percent had yearly earnings less than $39,330, while the 10 percent with the highest pay earned more than $123,060. Those working for software publishers averaged $83,180, while those in the computer systems design industry averaged $75,640.

Industry

Video game designers often work at software publishers and game studios where they collaborate with a team of other artists and programmers to implement their designs into the game. These workplaces often allow you to work a regular schedule, but you sometimes work overtime to complete games on a deadline. With the rise of mobile gaming, there are also many opportunities for independent game designers to make and publish their games on the Apple and Android app stores. As a self-employed game designer, you can work independently and remotely with more flexible hours that you choose.

Years of Experience

With experience, you can get significant wage increases as a game designer and ultimately be promoted to a senior game designer position where you can earn a higher salary between $66,617 and $120,620, according to April 2018 PayScale.com salary data. This data also shows how much video game designers make on average at different levels of experience:

  • 0 to 5 years: $56,000
  • 5 to 10 years: $71,000
  • 10 to 20 years: $79,000
  • 20 or more years: $98,000

Job Growth Trend

Due to more video games produced that will need special effects and animations, video game designers and other multimedia artists can expect employment growth of 8 percent between 2016 and 2026, notes the BLS. This works out to 6,200 new positions for multimedia animators and artists and particularly a demand for those who make games for video game consoles and mobile phones. To stand out as a game designer in this competitive job market, having some computer programming skills and being able to show some game elements you’ve designed are beneficial.

Software QA: Job Description & Duties

Software quality engineers try to break the product so they can fix it.

Software testing and quality assurance, often called QA, may sound tedious. The thought of sitting in front of a computer day in and day out typing the same test cases could easily cause serious ennui. Fortunately, automated testing tools eliminate this drudgery and turn most testing into interesting programming challenges. Demand for software quality engineers continues to grow, with annual salaries ranging from the mid $50,000 range up towards $80,000.

The Test Engineer’s Role

Before any successful software product ships or website goes online, it has to be thoroughly tested to ensure that the product performs all specified functions and that it performs them correctly. Although developers test each individual function as they build the product, it is the responsibility of the test engineers to verify that every aspect of the product works the way the designers intended. Software gets tested for ease of use, how it handles bad data, what happens when power goes down and how well it performs when thousands or millions use it at the same time. Throughout this phase of development, test engineers try to break the programs in any way possible then report their findings back to the development team.

Test Plans

Every project begins with a test plan that describes the project objectives, lists budgets and schedules, itemizes features and requirements to be tested and maps a series of test cases. Depending on the organization, these test cases may be described in rough overview or may be written out in tedious detail. Work on the test plan usually begins soon after programming starts and is based on the same specifications and designs that the programmers use.

Automated Test Tools

Once testing begins, the engineers create scripts or develop programs that drive automated testing tools. These tools run the programs through a series of test cases then create a log that reports successes and failures. The test engineers analyze these logs and write problem reports that go back to the development team. As new features or modules arrive, more tests are added. This process repeats until all requirements and features have been fully exercised.

Part-Time Hacker

In addition to testing program features and requirements,, test engineers create and use a variety of other tools and techniques. Programs must be impenetrable to intrusion, so test engineers often play the role of hacker to break into new programs or websites. They may use a number of computers to create extremely high loads or denial of service attacks to verify capacity requirements. They may randomly power down computers while critical processes run to test recovery processes.

Communications

A test engineer spends a lot of time reading and writing. While writing the test plan she will read analysis and design documents to understand the purpose and uses of the software. She also must gather detailed lists of features and specifications to ensure that all phases of the product get fully tested. When problems occur, she must explain each step of the process that caused the problem in a concise report so the developers can recreate and fix these issues.

2016 Salary Information for Software Developers

Software developers earned a median annual salary of $102,370 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, software developers earned a 25th percentile salary of $78,570, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $129,310, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 1,256,300 people were employed in the U.S. as software developers.

Video Game Programmer Job Benefits

Programmers are the workers who write the code that makes video games function. They work closely with designers, animators, and producers to ensure a successful finished product. Game developer benefits typically include health insurance and paid vacations. The median 2020 game programmer salary was ​$89,190​.

Video Game Programmer Job Description

Although programmers may love playing video games, make no mistake about it – video game programming is work. Although some programmers also design games, many use their knowledge of coding and platforms (such as PCs, online, cellphones or game consoles) to bring someone else’s ideas to life. According to employment website Monster, entry-level and junior programmers often use their skills on more than one platform. Senior programmers, however, are typically valued for their expertise on one platform and for a particular aspect of game development, such as special effects or network performance.

Companies use a variety of names for video game programmers, and job descriptions are likewise varied. To see how your skills stack up to the qualifications employers are seeking, look at current job announcements for game programmers, game developers, game designers and video game testers. Employment websites such as Linked In, Monster, ZipRecruiter and Indeed let you search jobs by selected criteria as well as post your resume.

Video Game Programmer Education Requirements

There are many opportunities for talented programmers in the video game industry, and formal education is not necessarily a requirement, according to Monster. Instead of a diploma, employers would rather see a portfolio that demonstrates your passion and skills. Building your own games or modifying existing ones are two ways to do this.

Although an associate or a bachelor’s degree is not usually required, some employers look for individuals who have completed college coursework in programming, game design and closely related disciplines. A college education can broaden your knowledge and experience, and you may find an internship through your school, which is a great way to begin building a professional network.

Video Game Industry

The video game industry changes rapidly. Technology is continually advancing, and consumers seek novelty and fresh challenges. Business Insider reported that the video game industry generated ​$119.6 billion​ in revenue in 2018, with more than 2 billion gamers worldwide. Numbers will likely increase as the huge variety of games and the growing popularity of e-sports have widened the appeal of gaming across demographics.

Years of Experience

The employment website PayScale reports the following video game programmer salary averages based on years of experience:

  • Less than one year: ​$57,000
  • 1 to 4 years: ​$65,000
  • 5 to 9 years: ​$74,000
  • 10 to 19 years: ​$98,000

As with most jobs, a number of factors can affect earnings, including geographic location and employer. The employment website ZipRecruiter lists average state-by-state video game programmer salaries. The highest wages were reported in Massachusetts (​$90,140​), followed by Hawaii (​$89,272​), Connecticut (​$88,689​) Rhode Island (​$85,998​) and Washington (​$85,108​). The lowest wages were reported in Georgia (​$68,282​), New Mexico (​$66,709​), Alabama (​$66,686​), North Carolina (​$64,523​) and Florida (​$64,357​).

Video Game Programmer Growth Trend

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics includes video game programmers in a broad category called “Computer Programmers.” As of 2020, the median pay was reported as ​$89,190​ per year or ​$42.88​ per hour. Median pay means that half in the industry earned more, while half earned less. Game developer benefits vary by employer, but most individuals working full-time receive health care benefits and paid time off.

Despite the popularity of video games, the job growth rate for U.S.-based programmers is expected to decline 9 percent through 2029. Because programming can be done anywhere in the world, companies may turn to foreign workers who can be paid less.

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