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Author: Jason W. Bay

Jason W. Bay is a three-decade game industry professional, credited on dozens of video games since 1995. He's held diverse roles in the game industry including Tester, Game Designer, Technical Director, Product Manager, and Director of Studio Operations, and has been a featured speaker at international game developer conferences. He's currently a Senior Product Manager at Amazon Game Studios in Seattle, WA.

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Blake, who asks, “I want to become a game tester, but I am not sure if I have the right qualifications. So I was wondering, are there any special requirements for doing this job? Also, I’m 16 years old. How old do you have to be to get this job, and how much do you get paid for your work?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The basic requirements and pay of a video game tester
  • Which skills are most important to getting a testing job
  • My favorite resource for learning how to test games

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Paulo, who asks, “In terms of the gaming industry, the topic that matters to me the most is video game localization. I’m a Brazilian translator and I would love to translate games as well. I don’t know if you have already written anything about that, but I would love to know more if possible.”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The difference between game translation and game localization
  • Some of the biggest challenges of localization
  • How you can get started as a video game localizer

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Mihai, who asks, “Is it better to be a freelancer or an employee in the game industry? I’ve read some articles about this but they didn’t offer me enough information to actually make a definitive decision.”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The difference between an employee and a freelancer
  • The pros and cons of being a freelancer, and how it affects your financial stability
  • The best way to successfully start a career as a freelancer

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Ramo, who asks, “I am currently an airman in the navy, but when I get out I would like to fulfill my dream of becoming a sound producer for a video game company. I would like to know what schools could I attend, and what people I should I connect with?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Various educational options for audio engineering and production
  • Why career networking is critical to your future audio career
  • The best way to grow your career network rapidly, so it will be there when you need it

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Josh J. who asks, “I have only recently started learning how to code games, I’m starting with Game Maker Studio. However, I know I’m not ready to put the ideas I have in my head into code yet, I just have not learned enough yet. I am a decent writer however (if I do say so myself). And it’s my stories and imagination which I want to put into games most. Is it possible to write the story, plot, script etc of a game and sell it to studios?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The 3 different sources where game teams get their stories
  • Why games and game stories are often developed hand-in-hand
  • How you can get your foot in the door as a game writer

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from John Paul who asks, “I was wondering a few things. 1: Do you get paid more for being at a company, say 10 years versus 2 or 3? And 2: If you work for a bigger company are you more likely to make more? 3: How many years of schooling do you have to go to for most companies to hire you?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why salary is an important consideration when selecting a career
  • The 4 major factors that determine how much you’ll make in your game job
  • How project bonuses actually work, and why they’re not quite what they seem

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Gabor G. who asks, “I found a lot of useful information about game testing in this post. And now all I need is a CV or Resume. And that is the part where I need a little help. I have almost no experience in CV writing and I don’t find any useable example or template on the Web.”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The best way to get past the hardest part of writing your resume or CV
  • How to write your personal Summary (not an Objective!)
  • The #1 mistake most people make when writing their work history, and how to avoid it

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Ahkanu who asks, “I’ve come upon a lot of upsetting articles about the game testing jobs that are out there. They state how badly people get treated at work, are shown low respect, and have their contracts terminated or not extended for unacceptable reasons. How many of these negative views of the business are true, and can you give me an honest answer about the bad side of the life of a game tester?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why some game testing jobs are great, and why others are kinda terrible
  • How you can specifically avoid the drawbacks that other testers have to deal with every day
  • Why game testing is a rewarding job and a great way to start your career in games

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A game programmer commits code from a pleasant, grassy field
When you work remotely, you could commit code from a grassy field and no one would ever know.

Gene Walters had his dream job: programming graphics and special effects for video games. What could be better?

Well, how about this: Programming graphics for video games… from home? No frustrating morning commute. No clatter and distraction of a hectic game studio. No need to slip out of your comfy pajamas. Doesn’t that sound even more perfect than perfect?

When Gene made the leap from an in-studio programmer to an at-home programmer, it was the solution to many problems – but it also caused new ones he didn’t expect. We’re speaking with him today to learn how he launched his at-home video game career, how he wrangles the ups and downs of remote employment… and why he might give it all up, if given the chance. Read more »

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Eziel D. who asks, “I had to take a test to get a job as a game tester for one of the famous game developers. Currently, I’m waiting for a call for an interview. I want to ask you, what should I do to prepare for the interview call?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why the phone interview is critical to your success in getting the job
  • The top 3 things you should do to prepare for a successful phone interview
  • Why your cell phone is actually your worst enemy when interviewing

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