Game Designer

Game Designer Career

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As a Game Designer you imagine, outline, and create video games. On large projects there is generally a team of Game Designers who do this work, and as a group you decide the rules, storyline, environment, and structure of the game. You are also responsible for the documentation of the project, be it legal, financial, or work progress updates, that is required by your investors (usually a Video Game Publisher).

The job of a Game Designer requires both artistic and technical talent: You must think up your imaginary world, then know if it is possible to create it with a computer program. After you create the overall vision, then you design the game mechanics or details that make people enjoy the game such as complexity and player goals. On the whole, you are responsible for imagining both the large scale and specific drivers of a video game.

Completing these tasks could involve brain storming sessions, pitching ideas to investors, and writing the technical specifications for your proposed designs. While this is happening you work with other Game Developers, such as Video Game Programmers and Game Artists, to create the technical and stylistic properties that make your vision come to life.

How do I become a Game Designer?

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Start off as a Game Tester. Seeing how other people make games will help you learn the process. Look to advance your knowledge with a degree in some area of gaming, then join a design team in that field. Work your way up, or think of an idea on your own, if you want to become a Game Director and head up the design process.