Many game developers get into the industry out of a love of gaming. Learn about the role games play in the metaverse and gaming opportunities for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR) in Meta's What Is the Metaverse? course. You can develop niche skills based on the type of system (console, computer, or mobile), game type (simulation, adventure, role-playing, strategy, etc.), or a specific game element (in-game systems, level design, user interface, environment, etc). In addition to deciding what type of developer you might want to be, you might also choose to specialize. Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzardĭevelops mostly self-funded indie games as an individual or small group Game Freak (develops Pokémon for Nintendo but is not fully owned by Nintendo)ĭevelops and publishes their own games or develops games for other game publishers Naughty Dog (Sony), Retro Studios (Nintendo), Obsidian Entertainment (Xbox Game Studios)ĭevelops games exclusively for a console (but is not fully owned by the platform or console) What path you choose to pursue will depend on where you are in your career, what elements of game development you’re interested in, and how much creative control you want over the final product.ĭevelops games internally for a single platform or console In this industry, you’ll typically work in one of four types of roles: first, second, or third-party developers, or independent (indie) developers. Port games or elements from one system to another Review existing code and recommend improvements These are some of the day-to-day tasks you may perform in this role:Ĭollaborate with designers, producers, artists, and quality analysts At an indie publisher, you may have a hand in multiple processes in a game’s lifecycle. At bigger game companies, you’re more likely to have a more specialized role working on a specific element of the game. The type of work you do as a game developer will vary depending on the size of the company you work for and your specialization. Game developers take the game designers' designs, storyboards, and ideas and use them as blueprints to bring the game to life as something gamers can actually play.

Game developers typically play a role in several elements of game development, including visuals, artificial intelligence, user interface, and game logic. If you love video games and enjoy working with computers, a career in video game development can be immensely rewarding. They do this by coding visual elements, programming features, and testing iterations until a game is ready for market. Video game developers help transform games from a concept to a playable reality.

Game coder