What Skills Do You Need to Be a

Video Game Developer?

Skill: Love Video Games

What it is: So this is more of a

passion than a skill, but if you want to get a job as a video game designer, you have to love playing video games.

Skill: Love Video Games

Why you need it: Hiring managers want to

know that you’re big into the world of gaming—knowing about the latest games, consoles, trends and what constitutes a good video game.

Sources:http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2000/Summer/art01.pdfhttp://www.adigitaldreamer.com/articles/becomeavideogamedesigner.htmhttp://www.itcareerfinder.com/it-careers/video-game-designer.html

Skill: Technical Aptitude

What it is: Playing video games and

designing them are wholly different things. You’ll want to get some schooling (a degree is a good start toward finding a job) and have an interest in math, software and computer languages.

Skill: Technical Aptitude

Why you need it: This is the backbone of game

development. Creating a video game is more than coming up with ideas, characters and storylines—it takes plenty of code writing and programming.

Sources:http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2011/fall/art01.pdf

Skill: Problem Solving

What it is: There are many components

that go into video game creation, and they don’t always go smoothly. The ability to overcome challenges, obstacles and unforeseen issues is a key attribute for a video game developer.

Skill: Problem Solving

Why you need it: In a word: bugs. No video

game is without a glitch or two, and problems are common at every stage of development. To become a successful video game developer, you need to be flexible and have a knack for solving puzzles.

Sources:http://work.chron.com/qualifications-video-game-designer-5484.htmlhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100726114353AAfJoRP

Skill: Time Management

What it is: Staying on top of things and

prioritizing tasks is vital in any profession, but more so in video game development, a field that moves fast and often requires long hours.

Skill: Time Management

Why you need it: The video game industry

works at a fast pace. Development teams are often faced with hard deadlines and many unknowns as a product is being created.

Sources:http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-10-23-game-devs-when-does-crunch-cross-the-linehttp://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2011/fall/art01.pdfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_development#CITEREFBethke2003

Skill: Creativity

What it is: When it comes to crafting a

new video game, creativity means more than inventing characters, stories and cool explosions. Creativity also means overcoming technical hurdles and finding solutions to bugs or issues with gameplay.

Skill: Creativity Why you need it: Video game development

blends technical know-how and creativity. Having a nimble mind in both aspects of game creation is an important attribute. Developing new ideas and coming up with ways to capture consumers’ attention is critical.

Sources:http://www.itcareerfinder.com/it-careers/video-game-designer.html

Skill: Communication

What it is: As a new video game is being

created, the development team works together to define problems and find solutions.

Skill: Communication

Why you need it: Game development is a

collaborative process, involving designers, programmers and artists. A team needs to be able to communicate ideas, challenges and pitfalls as the work progresses.

Sources:http://www.itcareerfinder.com/it-careers/video-game-designer.htmlhttp://www.gamedegree.com/careers_skills.asp

Want to Find Out More?

For more information about Minnesota School of Business’ game and application development program, call 1-877-655-7676 or contact admissions.