Five Things You Didn’t Know About the Gaming Industry

 

One of the most commonly misunderstood fields is the gaming industry. Many people think they know what to expect when moving into video game development, and yet they frequently over estimate what they will be paid, and underestimate how much work they will have to do. That’s not to say it’s a bad job, but for anyone considering a career in game testing or development, here are five things you probably didn’t know.

1. Game Testers Work in House – You won’t get to sit at home and play whatever game arrived in your mailbox each week. Some testers are permitted at home time when needed but most of the time, especially when deadlines loom, you’ll be at the office testing on proprietary testing consoles and PCs.
   
2. You Don’t Need a College Degree – You don’t need to have a college degree to be a game developer. In fact, if you have the skills needed and can prove your expertise, most game developers would prefer someone with real world experience over education alone. It allows you to jump into your new role faster. That said, education can definitely help you stand out and will immediately show that you have the knowledge needed. In getting interviews, a college degree is a big help.
   
3. Many Developers Hire for the Long Term – Despite what you’ve heard, developers don’t hire and throw away programmers from week to week. What happens is most developers are operated by a larger publisher. If a game doesn’t do well or if the publisher consolidates its holdings, the developer may be disbanded and you’ll need to find a new team. But, as far as the developer is concerned, having the same people working together from project to project is ideal.
   
4. Almost Any Skill Can Be Useful – Yes, programming skills are a huge plus in this industry, but they are not the only way in. Good writers are in high demand, as are multilingual workers, artists, and people with project management experience. Game development involves hundreds of skilled workers with diverse backgrounds. If you can provide a unique skillset, you will be valuable.
   
5. You Don’t Need Prior Game Development Experience – You need some form of experience, but working in the game industry isn’t necessary to land a job. Frequently, people with little or no experience start in the game testing department and work their way up to other, higher paying positions.

If you’re interested in getting into game development, know that there are a lot of opportunities for people of all skillsets, experience levels and ages. It’s a vast industry with a lot of potential. Be persistent, be patient, and most of all, show them how much you’ll enjoy your new job – trust me, it may not happen overnight, but you will land a job eventually. 

Are you ready to make a hefty income from playing video games five days a week? Check out Beta Gaming Testers today to learn what companies are looking for and how you can stand out among everyone. CLICK HERE