Life As a Video Game Designer
Video Game Designer Example Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.
Life As a Video Game Designer
- Create gameplay test plans for internal and external test groups.
- Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
- Consult with multiple stakeholders to define requirements and implement online features.
- Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
- Create gameplay prototypes for presentation to creative and technical staff and management.
- Prepare two-dimensional concept layouts or three-dimensional mock-ups.
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Skills Needed to be a Video Game Designer
Video Game Designers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Programming: Writing computer programs for various purposes.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Other Video Game Designer Job Titles
- World Designer
- Video Game Programmer
- Video Game Developer
- Video Game Designer
- Game Designer/Creative Director
Job Outlook for Video Game Designers
In the United States, there were 287,200 jobs for Video Game Designer in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 26,600 new jobs for Video Game Designer by 2026. The BLS estimates 22,400 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Video Game Designer are Washington, Utah, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maryland, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Video Game Designers Make A Lot Of Money?
Video Game Designers make between $47,350 and $144,820 a year.

Video Game Designers who work in District of Columbia, Maryland, or New Hampshire, make the highest salaries.
How much do Video Game Designers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $87,060 |
Alaska | $98,830 |
Arizona | $85,010 |
Arkansas | $73,670 |
California | $103,270 |
Colorado | $102,470 |
Connecticut | $100,340 |
District of Columbia | $117,540 |
Florida | $78,900 |
Georgia | $90,140 |
Hawaii | $89,960 |
Idaho | $80,610 |
Indiana | $79,310 |
Iowa | $78,810 |
Kansas | $79,300 |
Kentucky | $79,420 |
Louisiana | $66,600 |
Maine | $79,790 |
Maryland | $113,330 |
Massachusetts | $92,110 |
Michigan | $76,400 |
Minnesota | $81,650 |
Mississippi | $81,280 |
Missouri | $82,610 |
Montana | $68,430 |
Nebraska | $86,230 |
Nevada | $72,610 |
New Hampshire | $112,440 |
New Jersey | $99,210 |
New Mexico | $79,540 |
New York | $90,750 |
North Carolina | $88,650 |
North Dakota | $70,730 |
Ohio | $82,440 |
Oklahoma | $78,490 |
Oregon | $79,610 |
Pennsylvania | $87,040 |
Rhode Island | $81,290 |
South Carolina | $92,100 |
South Dakota | $81,250 |
Tennessee | $74,000 |
Texas | $90,290 |
Utah | $76,890 |
Vermont | $72,220 |
Virginia | $105,270 |
Washington | $91,620 |
West Virginia | $83,660 |
Wisconsin | $74,600 |
Wyoming | $75,780 |
What Tools & Technology do Video Game Designers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Video Game Designers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- JavaScript
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Python
- MySQL
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Structured query language SQL
- Linux
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Extensible markup language XML
- PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
- C
- Practical extraction and reporting language Perl
- Blackboard
How to Become a Video Game Designer
What kind of Video Game Designer requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Video Game Designer?

Where do Video Game Designers Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Video Game Designers employed by various industries.

References:
Image Credit: Intel Free Press via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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