subject: Get That High-Paying Job As Video Game Designer [print this page] Get That High-Paying Job As Video Game Designer
Video game design, as a profession, is fast becoming a serious business. It may sound like it's too good to be true but looking back 30 years ago nobody would have thought this simple game named Pong would become a multi-billion dollar business that it is today. The industry has grown tremendously and has become complicated at the same time as more and more students, whether in an online program or a regular school now take various types of classes to pursue a career in video game design.
The prospects of becoming an established video game designer entail a mix of degrees. At the very least, it would be a combination of a computer science degree and a business related degree, going hand in hand, because a good designer has to come up with an exciting idea and concepts that can readily be turned into games. Once it's there, he or she has to decide on what would be the best way to reach customers. It could be played in a console offline, a portable gaming device or online. From there a team of programmers, animation professionals and marketing professionals will come up with the final package to be delivered in the market. That is on the business side.
A 2006 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that about 66% or 2/3 of American households play video games or computer games. The same report estimated job demand in this industry would scale to a whopping 30% by 2018. Calling the career as hot is actually a bit of understatement. Another proof that the gaming business has become a serious business is the salary. Entry level jobs at gaming companies estimates a salary starting at $37,000 and could go to over $60,000 for the experienced ones. Not counting fringe benefits like insurance, profit shares, investment package and retirement, the total compensation can shoot up into the $100,000 figure.
Others are reluctantly pointing to the current recession as a major cause that fueled the growth of the gaming industry. With the current influx of gaming consoles like Sony's PlayStation, Microsoft's X-Box and the rebirth of Nintendo, game rentals available at companies like Netflix and Blockbuster video further advanced the growth of the gaming business. Another newcomer to watch is the Apple iPad which is expected by some analyst to start a new trend in gaming and personal computing. But at this point, it would be too early to tell.
Affording a full college education is very expensive these days. For those aspiring for a career in video gaming, there are several institutions ready to address the growing demand. As this is a profession that involves computer science, it is eligible for a Pell and State grant as well S-STEM scholarship from the National Science Foundation. Even companies like Microsoft have developed their own financial aid program to help deserved students. You can surely find as much information through search engines like Yahoo, Google or the financial aid officer of your local college, to get further information on financial aid for your education.
