Are you passionate about playing online games? Do you often check out online gaming platforms? Do the behind-the-scenes codes of games intrigue you? Have you considered making a career out of your passion for online games?
An unconventional yet on-trend career option: Gaming.
Yes, gaming is a new-age career option that will give you the privilege of not having to work a single day in life yet watch your bank balance grow. Want to know more? Explore the How’s and What’s of gaming as a career with us in this article.
Global Gaming Market Trends :
One of the fastest-growing gaming markets valued at $930 million and estimated to grow at 41% a year, India currently has 560 million online gamers. Worldwide, there are more than 1 billion gamers who helped in generating huge revenue from gaming.
Over 275 game development companies operate in India currently, including top players like Infosys, Zensar Technologies, TCS, and Tech Mahindra.
What are The Career Avenues in Gaming?
Gaming is a multilayered industry, bearing different facets and functions. Further, digital game segments include casual games, real money games, fantasy sports, and e-sports. Professional opportunities in gaming are immense and yours to choose, according to your preferences. Let us explore the career avenues that gaming has to offer.
Top 8 Careers in Gaming
Below we have mentioned some of the most popular gaming jobs and gaming career options available for video game lovers.
Professional Gamer
Be in the middle of the action, play the game and get paid for it too. Professional gamers earn through winnings in sponsored tournaments and personal sponsorships. Regular practice of your chosen game, adroitness and excellent reflexes can help you stay ahead.
Games Designer
A game designer is the creative brain responsible for designing the whole universe of any game. The job profile includes incorporating easy-to-use gaming features and creating a user-friendly, engaging interface.
Games Developer
A game developer codes every single step of a game such that the levels are executed flawlessly while keeping the user engaged. A strong base in programming is the primary requirement for this role.
Games Animator
Each character in a game is brought to life and appears visually appealing owing to the efforts of a game animator. Ever since VR became the norm in gaming, animators have had the additional responsibility of making each element of the game life-like.
Recommended for you: How to Start a Career in Coding
Sound Engineer
What is a game minus the sound effects? And who designs what audio will play where and how? It is the job of a Sound or Audio engineer who plans and executes the entire sound layout of a game.
Script Writer/ Narrator, Interpreter, and Translator
Each game runs on a script developed by a scriptwriter or narrator. Since games have a global audience, there is the need to interpret and translate the drama of each game and the instructions, etc., into different languages where these find a market.
Game Tester Jobs
The game tester scrutinizes a game for any flaws that may have crept in in the interface or any glitches that crop up while playing. Perhaps one of the crucial roles in the gaming industry, a tester ensures that a perfect product reaches the users.
Currently there are many video game tester jobs available in the market. Video game testers can work for various video game development studios like Electronic Arts (EA), Nintendo, Sony, or any independent game publishers.
Game Coach or Reviewer
A coach and a reviewer know the technicalities of a game inside out, including the regular updates and bug fixes. While a coach trains professional gamers for enhanced performance in international tournaments, a reviewer analyses games for general users/audiences and aids in promoting or trashing a game.
8 Best International Institutes for Career in Gaming
If you are interested in starting your career in gaming with the best international schools for gaming then here is the list for you.
- DigiPen Institute of Technology, Redmond, Washington
- University of Southern California
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Carnegie Mellon University
- The Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy
- Southern Methodist University
- Michigan State University
Top Game Designing Colleges/Gaming/Animation Institutes in India
Want to learn all about game designing and animation technology? These are some of the best options you can check.
- Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC)
- Arena Animation
- Zee Institute of Creative Arts
- ICAT Design and Media college
- iPixio Animation College, Bangalore
Also Read: Science, Arts, or Commerce – Which Stream is Best After 10th?
Gaming Salary: Good Enough to Pay Your Bills?
The growth trends of the gaming industry indicate that it is a lucrative field. Nevertheless, like in almost any other profession, higher skills and experience will get you fatter paychecks.
The average salary of a game developer is INR 5 LPA, while for a game designer it is INR 6 LPA. A game tester and sound engineer on an average can draw INR 2.4 LPA and INR INR 3.6 LPA, respectively.
Starting a career as a gamer, your average earning can be INR 2.5 LPA. In global tournaments, the standard yearly salary ranges between $50,000 – $75,000. This is further topped up with match earnings, sponsorships, etc.
Courses to Help You Find Your Feet in Gaming Jobs
For gaming jobs, you may not require any formal education except for an in-depth understanding of the mechanics of the chosen game and mastery of the game-specific skills.
However, for non-gaming roles in the industry, there are specialized courses like game art and design, computer science and game development, and game programming that will act as a springboard for your career.
To enter the engineering domain of games as a Game Developer or Programmer, you will need technical know-how and a logical mind. Academic qualifications such as MTech/BTech-IT, BCA /MCA, with expertise in languages like C++, Java, Dev Ops, and technologies such as AR and AI, will ease your job.
As a Game Designer, you will have to be artistic with strong visualization skills and a sound understanding of gaming genres and platforms. A professional qualification in game design will push you forth.
You require clear color concepts, a skilled hand at drawing, and strong visualization to work in the game art domain. A qualification in animation and VFX soon after your senior secondary can help you get started.
In the Testing domain, you will need a sound understanding of gaming genres and technicalities besides having the logic to spot potential errors and bugs. Technical qualifications like BTech, BCA, etc., are prerequisites to become a Games Tester. Additional Quality certification will enhance your employability.
Conclusion
Not considered anymore as just a stress-relieving activity or a means to socialize while staying indoors. Neither can it be trashed as wastage of time. Gaming has become the livelihood for many, and the industry has grown to open up a plethora of job opportunities for creative and technical people. It is now time for you to decide whether you would like to pick up gaming as a job and be a part of the dynamic and lucrative commercial gaming industry.
