How is computer science used in video games?
In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Chris B., who’s wondering how a computer science degree would be used in the video game industry?
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why a computer science (CS) degree is helpful for a job in game design
- How a CS degree could help you get one of the highest-paying jobs in the game industry
- How a CS degree can provide critical job security when times get tough
Hello and welcome to the Game Industry Career Guide podcast, Episode 6. I am Jason W. Bay from gamingcareerindustryguide.com. And this is the podcast where I answer your questions about getting a job and growing your career making video games.
Today’s question comes from reader Chris B. who is wondering whether he needs a computer science degree to get a job in games. Chris asks, “How beneficial do you think a computer science degree would be to a video game design career and in the game industry in general?”
Chris, this is an excellent question, because many people in the video game industry do have computer science or computer-related technical degrees. Is that required, or is it helpful?
I think that if you are interested in getting a computer science degree, then you should absolutely do that. There are at least three very good reasons why it can be super helpful for your career.
Computer science and game design
First, when you get a computer science degree, you’ll learn how to do computer programming. And knowing how to program will help you as a game designer. Game designers are often required to use scripting languages which are similar to programming languages to create the game’s levels, missions, and other player interactions.
I talk a bit more about game design and scripting languages in Episode 1 so check out Episode 1 of this podcast.
Computer science and game programming
Secondly, getting a computer science degree will open the door for you to become a game programmer if you wanted to do that. Game programming is a really fun job if you like programming, but it also has the highest salary in the gaming industry.
Game programmer salaries start at about $40,000 a year for entry level jobs, and they can grow to over $120,000 a year. It’s a very big salary. Very few jobs in a game industry pay more than game programming pays.
If you want more details about the average salaries and all of the various games jobs, check out the developer salary articles on the game industry career guide website. I’ll link to them in the show notes.
Computer science as a safety net
The third reason that it’s a good plan to get a computer science degree is this: If you have trouble getting into the game industry for any reason, or if the game industry is having a rough patch around the time that you graduate and there are just aren’t many jobs available right away, a computer science degree will allow you to more easily get jobs outside of the game industry.
There could be opportunities in game-related industries such as serious games, or medical, or industrial, or training, or simulation. You could probably get a job as a programmer making business software, creating desktop applications or mobile applications, and you could probably get a job as a web developer.
So to answer to Chris’s question about how beneficial would a computer science degree be in the game industry, in short, having a computer science degree is definitely better than not having a degree for either a job in design or game programming.
It will make it easier to get a job in games, and it will likely result in a higher salary throughout your care. And it creates more job opportunities for you to choose from both inside and outside of the game industry.
That wraps up today’s episode. Thanks to Chris for the question and thank you for listening.
Did you like what heard? please tell your friends about this podcast or take a few seconds to leave me a review on iTunes. It will help others aspiring game developers to find the show.
For more information and inspiration on getting and growing your job making video games, please visit gameindustrycareerguide.com. Thanks again, and I will see you next week right here on the Game Industry Career Guide podcast.
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I want to have a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and when I’m 32-35 in between I want to earn my Master’s degree so I can fully prepare myself to be a Game Designer?.
That’s awesome! 🙂
Do video game programmer’s use any HTML in their coding process?
No, HTML is mostly for building websites. Game programmers typically use C++ or C#.
So I have just moved up from Junior High School to Senior High School, and I am facing a major problem.
I thought of taking TVL Computer Programming to help me with coding. However, I wanted to take Computer Science to increase my understanding in coding, and I cannot do that since Computer Science is in STEM. Should I stay with TVL Computer Programming and take my chances in Information Technology, or should I go with taking the STEM Track? Please answer as soon as possible, it would be a great help!
Hi Ivan, since you want to become a game programmer, then any program that teaches you how to program computers would be good. You should do some research to find out a few things, 1) which program offers the most programming courses; 2) does either program allow you to get experience coding video games or realtime 3D systems; 3) locate your school’s “outcomes disclosures” information (usually on their website, or from a guidance counselor), and find out how many of their graduates go on to get jobs in video games, or at least get programming jobs.
I’m majoring computer engineering. I wonder if this major would land me jobs for game developing??
If your curriculum includes a lot of computer programming and other software development material, then yes, you should be able to apply for game programming jobs. I’d recommend building a programming portfolio, and trying to get an internship.
I’m currently doing BSc In Computer Science degree… So what are the qualifications that I need to pursue my dream as a video game programmer or else developer… I need some guidance… Please help me. I thank you in advance..😄
Hi Smeet, since you’re learning how to program in school, the next step is to start doing some game programming so you can a) learn about game engines (you can start with these free game development tools), and b) start building your game programming portfolio (here are some demo ideas for your portfolio).
i want to become a game developer and software engineer .so plz tell me
which course i do IT course OR CS course
plz tell me.
Hi Kunal, it’s far more common to pursue CS to get a job as a game developer, because CS degrees usually require much more programming than IT degrees.
Hi, im planning on taking computer science for college and currently in senior high school in the STEM strand. Im asking if its possible to have a future career in either animation or game design with a BSCS..
Hi Ella, typically CS graduates go into game programming, or sometimes game design. But it won’t help you with animation. For animation, you’d want to do an art-focused degree, there are even schools that have game animation degrees (or art degrees with emphasis on game animation).
I have a question.
Can an Electronic communication Engineer have a equal shot to be in game industry.
If yes how and if no then why?
Please do reply i really need some answer.
Hi Mehul, it will depend on which game job you’re interested in, and whether you have some skills in that area. For example if you want to be a game programmer, you’ll need to have some experience programming in school or as a hobbyist. Take a look at the various job families in the game industry, and see if your electronic communication engineering experience/skills seem to be a match for any of them.
Is it possible to get a job as a game developer with a computer science degree? How do I make this happen when in our STEM strand they do not teach us coding or programming, only math and sciences..
Hi Alice, you’ll definitely need to know how to do computer programming in order to get a job as a game programmer. But you may be able to teach yourself (many coders in the game industry are self-taught), or you could take some programming classes as elective (if your school allows electives).
Hey, its Simon, I want to take BSCS in college but is it possible to take a minor in fine arts? Like hitting two birds with one stone. I want toto be a game developer in the future, so learning coding and programming is needed but I want to be able to enhance my art skills at the same time. Last question, which is better BSCS or BSIT AGD ? Thank you so much…
If you also like art and can do both degrees successfully, then go for it! As far as BSCS or BSIT, I’m not familiar with those degrees in your area, but in general you should go for whichever track teaches you more computer programming.
Hello, I’m currently a junior in high school and was planning on getting my masters in Computer Programming to be able to work in Video Game programming and development but the school I was looking at only offers Bachelors for Computer Science. Is it worth going to a different school to earn a Bachelors? If so I may transfer if I decide that this is truly the career path for me.
Hi Dana, couple of things: 1) Most game programming jobs only require a bachelor’s degree, and 2) most game programmers have a computer science degree — you’ll do a ton of programming in comp sci. So a bachelor’s degree in computer science would be a good path to becoming a game developer.
how or in which ways is computer science used in gaming
A computer science degree is most helpful if you want to be come a game programmer, because you will learn computer programming, architecture, math, and other skills you’ll need as a game programmer.
I want to be a gaming engineer. So, is it mandatory for me to get a degree in b-tech computer science in gaming or can I pursue b-tech in any other field of computer science like cloud computing or mainframe computing etc. and then I can switch to gaming.
A b-tech in any field that teaches a lot of computer programming will be good for a career as a game developer. If possible, try to do game-related school projects or spare-time projects whenever you can, so you can build a programming portfolio to show to employers when you graduate.
Do I get a cookie if I become a computer programmer?
Hello I recently finish my Associates degree in Graphic Arts However I plan on getting my Bs in computer Science I wanted to create my own video game and also be my own creative director so I can identify how I want each and every character in my game to look So my question is if I get my degree computer science will I be able to have complete control on how characters should look and also how will I get my game notice for the market I’ve took marking in Graphic Arts but clearly don’t understand how will the process be with making a game and putting it on the market for everyone to buy
Hi Clarence — First, congratulations on completing your associate’s degree! That’s an accomplishment to be proud of.
It’s important to understand that the video game industry is a collaborative, team-based industry. It’s nearly impossible to accomplish big things as a lone game developer — there are certainly indie games created by solo developers, but it’s difficult. If you really want to bring your ideas to life, I recommend finding a group of people and getting them excited about your vision, so they will help you bring it to life together as a team. But they will also have ideas of their own, and the game will be better if you include those ideas, too.
I had completed my bachelor degree in computer science so what should I choose to take next step to become a gaming programmer or developer? Please guide me in best way.
Hi Daniel, congratulations on completing your bachelor’s degree! That’s an awesome accomplishment. From here, you can start applying to game programming jobs right away, even before you learn game programming. In the meantime, download one of the popular commercial game engines (like Unreal Engine or Unity) and start going through the online tutorials. Super exciting!
Hi Jason! I want to pursue a degree in gaming, and in the University that I’m going to offers BSIT with spec in Animation and Game Development, and BSCS with spec in Software Engineering. As far as I’ve researched,computer science and programming is very close to game development, but I want to know which is the best choice for a career in getting development. Thank u and godspeed.
Hi Xavier! If your goal is to become a game programmer, then either path should be a good option — just be sure to do as much game-centered programming as you can during your degree programs (and in your spare time, if any). Every school is different, but the tradeoffs between the two are likely to be: BSIT will be more game-specific, but less “generally” applicable if you ever want to work outside the game industry; BSCS will be more applicable to programming jobs in many fields, but you’ll have to put more effort into doing game projects so you’ll have a good portfolio/CV of game projects when you graduate.
How do I do computer science as a kid?
Hi Jase, a good way to start would be to learn a programming language, and/or start experimenting with “game builder” software. Check out this article on how to learn video game programming. Have fun!
Hey Jason,
I noticed in an earlier comment, you said game programmers typically use the C++ and C# languages. I’m in a Computer Science class in college, but we’re learning Java and Python whereas one of my friends is in a class for the C languages. How common are Java and Python in the gaming industry as opposed to the C languages? And would you recommend also learning the C languages on top of Java and Python or do you think it would be difficult to keep track of and distinguish between all those different languages? (I’m also learning HTML and CSS on my own, which I know are more for web development than gaming, but that would just mean I would be trying to learn and keep track of 6 different programming languages simultaneously.)
Hi David, once you learn the fundamental concepts of programming in one language, you’ll find that it’s pretty easy to learn other languages. So it’s fine to learn your fundamentals with Java or Python, you can learn C++ (or other languages) later on as needed.
Hello,
I’m majoring in computer science. I have taken courses such as:
1- Programming with Java
2- Data Structures
3- Computer Systems with C
4- Functional Programming with JavaScript
5- Discrete Math
6- Introduction to Probability
Which of these core courses do I have to master to become a video game programmer? Which of them will I need in reality? As many people do, I am having a hard time understanding data structures. Do you have any recommendations about that so that I can improve my skills on that subject?
Hi Ahmad, all of those courses will be helpful for a career as a game programmer. The most important ones in your list are C programming, and data structures. As you said, many people struggle with data structures at first, because there’s a lot to learn and a lot of new concepts for you. But it’s worth the effort – you will be using it almost every day as a game programmer. I promise you that after a while, you will become comfortable and it won’t seem hard anymore. Hang in there, it’s worth it!