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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 Lance, who asks, “It sounds like game writing and game designing are very similar. I was looking to become a game designer due to the fact that I was able to make the story but it seems like that’s what game writers do. Is it realistic to think that I can make the plot and story by being a game designer or should I consider switching to game writer?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • What a video game writer does at their job
  • How you can start learning video game writing
  • Why you should also learn game design to be a successful game writer

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This is one of more than 30 interviews with professional game developers. For more, visit Which game job is right for you?.
Jason Van Beveren, Video Game Community Manager
Jason Van Beveren is “part storyteller, part relationship manager, and part analyst.”

It’s All About Community

The game industry is evolving. As video games have changed over time from solitary experiences into live, “always on” worlds with millions of players, engaged communities of players have grown around them.

And game studios have responded by creating new teams of specialists to manage and nurture all those players – both inside and outside of the games themselves. These specialists are called Community Managers.

Jason Van Beveren is a professional Video Game Community Manager. He combines his love of the video game industry, with years of experience to help game companies turn even the most casual fans into empowered, enthusiastic brand evangelists. We talk with him today about what a Community Manager does, what it takes to succeed in that job, and how you can get started. Read more »

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Mark O., who asks, “I’m wondering, in game development, which is the highest paying job, and how much experience would I need? And what would I have to study in college to get on my way to this job?”

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Which video game jobs have the highest annual salaries
  • Which game jobs require a college education, and which ones are more flexible
  • Why one of the game jobs is the easiest way to start out

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Shravan, who asks, Is it difficult to get a job at a video game company?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why some game jobs are harder to get than others
  • What factors cause certain jobs to be contract-only vs. full-time
  • How you can use the above info to choose your game career wisely

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This is one of more than 30 interviews with professional game developers. For more, visit Which game job is right for you?.
Eric Jordan, video game advocate and game studio CEO
Eric Jordan believes that “young people are the future of our industry,” and is working hard to turn that vision into reality.

Eric Jordan is the CEO of Codename Entertainment, an independent game studio in Victoria, B.C., Canada. He’s a vocal advocate in support of video games and the video game industry as a whole, and even delivered an official TEDx talk titled “Video games are f**king awesome.”

You heard that right: F**king awesome.

We’re speaking with Eric today about what it’s like to run a game studio, why he thinks a career in video games is a great option for young people, and how you can get started with your own career making games.Read more »

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from John, who wants to know, How can I get an internship at a video game development studio? Do you have any advice for me?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • All about game dev internship: What it is, how it works, and why you should care
  • How to find the best internships – even the ones that aren’t advertised to the public
  • Three key tips for landing an internship, even in the face of intense competition

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Arun, who wants to know, Is it possible to do game testing while learning programming languages and securing a degree? If the answer is yes, then how can I get started?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The specific steps I took to get promoted from a Game Tester to a Game Programmer
  • Why many people start their game development careers in the QA department
  • The best way to learn game testing and get a job, even if you don’t have a college degree

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, our question is from Mark H. who asks, What are the best job websites to post my video game resume?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why posting your resume to a job board isn’t enough (not even close!)
  • What exactly happens when you post your resume or CV, and why it’s bound to disappoint you
  • How to change from a passive job search to an active search
  • My top 3 recommendations for the best websites for video game jobs

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This is one of more than 30 interviews with professional game developers. For more, visit Which game job is right for you?.
Nicole Tanner, Video Game Journalist Editor Writer
“If you can build a solid relationship with an editor, it can be invaluable in helping to establish yourself.”

Nicole Tanner has spent over 15 years writing, editing and podcasting for video games and video game publications. She graduated in 1999 with a degree in Journalism, and has since worked at top game-industry and game-review publications such as IGN, The Sims Official Magazine, GameNow, MacLife, and Pixelkin.

In addition to writing and editing articles about games, Nicole has also contributed directly at video game studios. She has been the Director of PR & Marketing for Foundation 9 Entertainment – a company that ran several game studios around the world – and was a Game Writer in charge of story development for all of the games at KIXEYE.

We’re speaking with Nicole today to find out what it’s like to be a games journalist, and what skills and talents it takes to succeed in this exciting and challenging career path. Read more »

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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Grzegorz N., who wants to know, How can a video game developer stay healthy while working all day in front of a computer?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How you can avoid the dreaded “freshman 15”
  • Why your computer workstation setup is a key to staying healthy
  • Why the most impactful thing you can do to stay fit happens when you’re away from your desk
  • Bonus: My favorite and most successful ways to stay fit while working a desk job

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