What Is a Game Developer (and How to Become One)?

A game developer helps transform games from a concept to a playable reality. They do this by coding visual elements and features, and testing iterations until a game is ready for market. If you love video games and enjoy working with computers, a career in video game development can be immensely rewarding. Learn more about career path opportunities, demand, and daily responsibilities in the following article.

If you're working toward a career in game development, you can learn key skills like prototyping, 3D modeling, and game design in as little as two months by enrolling in Michigan State University's Game Design and Development with Unity Specialization. By the end, you'll have created your own original game and earned a shareable certificate for your resume.

What is the definition of a video game developer?

Creating a video game often involves a team of designers, artists, software developers, quality assurance testers, and production professionals. Game developers typically contribute to visual design elements, general user interface, and game logic. They 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 development tasks and responsibilities

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. At bigger game companies, you’re more likely to have a more specialized role working on a specific game element. At an indie publisher, you may have a hand in multiple processes in a game’s lifecycle. These are some of the day-to-day tasks you may perform in this role:

• Develop new ideas for game design

• Translate visual ideas into code

• Prototype, iterate, and polish gameplay

• Collaborate with designers, producers, artists, and quality analysts

• Monitor game stability across platforms

• Review existing code and recommend improvements

• Port games or elements from one system to another

Video game developer vs. video game designer

Developers and designers are two careers that work together to create video games, but they have very different day-to-day responsibilities. While a video game developer focuses on the coding and software necessary to support the game and make it work, a designer creates the visual elements or aesthetics of the game. While the two roles are different, they aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s common for game developers to work on design aspects, but it's also the other way around. 

Game developer salary

Game developers in the United States make an average annual salary of $91,251 [1]. This number represents base pay and doesn’t include additional pay like bonuses, commission, or profit-sharing. Glassdoor reports this additional pay averages $14,753, bringing the total average salary of a game developer to $105,852 [1]. Learn more about salary ranges and the factors that can influence your pay by checking out the article Video Game Developer Salary: Your 2025 Guide.

Video game developer jobs

In this industry, you’ll typically work in one of four types of roles: first, second, or third-party developers or independent (indie) developers. The path you choose 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.

Specializations

In addition to deciding what type of developer you might want to be, you might also choose to specialize. 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). 

Is game development a good career?

According to Statista, the video game industry's projected market value is $103.80 billion by 2027 [2]. Given these statistics, it’s little wonder that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 17 percent growth rate for game and other software developers between 2023 and 2033 [3]. Many game developers get into the industry out of a love of gaming. More than 190 million people in the United States play video games, according to the Entertainment Software Association [2]. While working in video game development can be challenging, it can also be rewarding to take part in creating something you’re passionate about (and that your potential customers are passionate about as well). 

How to become a game developer

Video game development is typically seen as a highly coveted career, especially for those with an established love of video games. Let’s take a look at some of the educational recommendations and skills you can build that could make you more competitive in your job search.

Educational requirements

Many game development and publishing companies look for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field. Some universities have started offering game design and interactive entertainment degrees or minors that are more specifically targeted toward the video game industry. With the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of London, for instance, you can specialize in cutting-edge topics like virtual reality, games development, or 3D graphics and animation. 

While a degree isn’t always necessary, it can help you build the foundational technical skills necessary for success as a software developer. 

Game developer skills

Having the right technical skills on your resume can open up opportunities for work as a game developer. Two common skills you’ll find on job listings are experience with game development engines and the ability to code (often in C# or C++).

• Unity: A cross-platform game engine that allows you to develop 2-D and 3-D games. Unity is particularly popular for indie and mobile games. It’s free for students and for personal use, so you can start creating games (and gaining experience) before you get hired.

• Unreal Engine: Initially developed for first-person shooters, Unreal has grown into a 3-D creation platform used for games across a range of platforms. Unreal uses C++ as its programming language.

• C# (pronounced C-sharp): This programming language frequently used for game development and mobile applications, particularly with the Unity engine.

• C++: This general-purpose programming language often used to develop not only games but also operating systems and applications as well.

• Video content and animation: Zippia reports that 48.4 percent of game designers add “video content” as a skill on their resumes, and animation appears on 30 percent of resumes [4].

Game development portfolio

As you develop your own games, add them to your portfolio. This shows potential employers what you’re capable of doing and can help you stand out from other candidates. Gaining experience as a game developer can help your resume stand out from other potential applicants. Internships and entry-level programmer experience are good places to start, but you can also work on independent projects or contribute to open-source projects to round out your portfolio. Contributing to projects independently or with an open-source team can effectively hone your programming skills and showcase your talent to potential employers. 

Tips for getting a game development job

If you have a passion for games and enjoy blending technology and creativity, there are some steps you can take to help you get established in the gaming industry. While you’re still building skills, you could become a play tester to help debug code. Quality assurance (QA) testers systematically test games for any flaws or bugs. This entry-level role can be a good way to gain experience (and get established) in the gaming industry. As you learn, you could also become a junior or associate-level developer. 

Start with simple games or small game behaviors

Start developing your skills right away by building games. Start with something small and basic, like creating a simple behavior or keyboard movement mechanic in C#, and work your way toward more complex projects.

Attend game industry events

As with many industries, effective networking can help you find opportunities you might not otherwise know about. Attend game industry events where you can meet other developers and learn about various game development studios. One particularly good option that welcomes career seekers is the Game Development Conference (GDC).

Read more: What Is Networking? How to Grow Your Network

How long does it take to become a game developer?

There’s more than one path toward a career in video games. The amount of time it takes you to get that first developer job will depend on several factors, including your current programming skills, game development experience, and education level. While there will always be something new to learn in the world of game development, it’s possible to build proficiency in tools like Unity or C# in as little as a few months.‎

Other video game careers

Many different elements (and people) go into making a video game. If you’re interested in creating games, consider these roles as well. Note that some may fall under the umbrella of game development.

• Game artists create the 2-D and 3-D images used to render graphics within a game.

• Animators use specialized software to make characters, settings, props, and other objects come to life.

• Writers create in-game scripts and dialogs, as well as write marketing materials and technical documentation for a game.

• Audio engineers edit and mix soundtracks for games that might include background music, voice-over recordings, and sound effects.

• Producers serve as project managers, overseeing the production process from conception to completion.

• Video game designers conceptualize game characters, settings, storyline, and gameplay, then work with developers and game programmers to translate these ideas into code.

• Game testers identify bugs in a game and report these findings to developers.

Start your game development career

You can start developing your own game for your game developer portfolio today with Michigan State University's Game Design and Development with Unity Specialization. You'll practice working with industry-standard tools and gain core skills like 3D modeling and prototyping.