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By Posted in Networking 2 Comments
Jason W. Bay at the GDC Expo in San Francisco, CA
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is my personal favorite industry event each year.

In the early days of video games — back in the 1970s — the game industry wasn’t really an “industry” at all. It was just a few companies with a few employees, and everybody seemed to know everybody else. But the popularity of games quickly grew, first through the “arcade boom,” and then driven by the rise of home computers and game consoles.

Now, video games are a $100 billion industry that employs tens of thousands of workers in diverse fields like art, programming, design, production, and audio. With all those people and all that technology, it’s far more difficult for game developers to keep up with each other — let alone keep up with the latest industry developments.

That’s why, each year, various industry groups host special events to bring game developers together from across the world. Some events are general-purpose for any and all game developers, while others focus on specific sub-fields within game development. What they have in common is that each offers a chance for attendees to collaborate, network, hunt for jobs, and share knowledge — all while having fun with their peers and celebrating an amazing industry. Read more »

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By Posted in Careers, Tools No Comments

After four years of research and over a year of writing, editing, and re-writing, I’m thrilled to announce that my new book Start Your Video Game Career is finally complete, and available for purchase!

Start Your Video Game Career, by Jason W. Bay

Click here to buy Start Your Video Game Career now!

This book is a big deal for me personally, since it’s the most in-depth book I’ve ever written. More importantly, I think it will be a powerful tool for you, because it’s packed full of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration to help you start your own successful career in the video game industry. Read more »

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By Posted in Tools 30 Comments
With books, you're less likely to drop your phone in the toilet.
With books, you’re less likely to drop your phone in the toilet.
Image: Indi Samarajiva/Flickr

It’s easy to get started with game development, thanks to a variety of pre-made game engines that help you create basic games quickly. But to make anything substantial – not to mention anything unique or ground-breaking – you’ll need to invest time and effort into your programming skills.

For learning a deep topic like game programming, nothing beats a book. You can throw it in your bag and read it anywhere – on the bus, at school, on your lunch break, on the toil… well, you get the idea.

The game programming books listed below are some of the best available, and they come highly recommended by professional game programmers like Brandon Fogerty, David Galloway, Dan Posluns, Brian Gish, and Yours Truly – me. Start at the top, and build your coding chops as you work through the list.

Note: For younger children, see the list of coding books for kids.
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By Posted in Applying, Careers, Interviewing, Networking 3 Comments

video-game-job-search

Contents

So you’ve worked hard for months – maybe years – learning how to make games. You’ve got serious game dev skills under your belt, and whether you went to school or you’re self-taught, it’s finally time to start looking for a full-time job making games.

Congratulations, because all that hard work is about to pay off. You’re soooo close to becoming a professional game developer. (That’s got a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? “Professional game developer.”)

The only thing standing between you and a job making games, is writing a good resume. And building a portfolio. And applying for jobs… and doing all those interviews… Well, okay, I guess you’ve still got some work to do.

But you’re in luck, because what you see before you is the Internet’s most comprehensive guide to mastering your video game industry job search. The opportunities are out there, and I’m here to help you find them and make them yours.

You can thank me later, once you’ve been hired and your dream has become a reality at long last. Until then, check out the articles below to help you on your way.

Note: Also be sure to bookmark the Game Development Terms Glossary.
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By Posted in Applying 91 Comments
Once you open your mind, there’s no telling where your video game career might take you.
This article is part of our Video Game Job Hunt Guide. Read the full guide to learn how to write a strong resume, build a winning portfolio, ace your job interviews and more.

If you’re looking for a new job making video games, I hope you’re thinking seriously about which cities around the world to include in your search.

Why? Because although there are over 2,000 game development studios around the world, not all cities are created equal. Some stand clearly apart from the rest when it comes to game development. They’re known as “game development hotbeds” because they contain more game dev studios – and more game jobs – than any others.

 

Wherever you happen to live right now, you’ll want to consider moving to a video game development hotbed. In fact, the city where you find your next job might be the most important decision you make in your entire career. Here’s why. Read more »

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By Posted in Podcast 10 Comments

Welcome to the Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, where I answer your questions about getting a job, and building your career making video games.

You can listen to the podcasts from this page, or you can subscribe using the links below:

If you like the show, please return the favor by leaving me a review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the show rank higher in search, so more people can find it. Thank you so much for listening!

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By Posted in Careers 3 Comments

How much are Game Developers paid? There are many jobs on a video game development team, and “game developer” can refer to any of them: programmers, artists, designers, audio engineers, and more. Game developers are paid well above national average income levels, but some are paid more than others. It depends on job title, years of experience, region, and other job-specific factors discussed below.

The following graphs show average game developer pay, and each section includes links to learn more. The data is pulled from several authoritative sources (see endnote for references), and is updated every 6 months.
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By Posted in Schools 1 Comment
Which "traditional" universities actually offer video game degrees?
Which video game school is right for you?

Choosing a college or university can be a lot of work, and it can feel like a big commitment. That’s because it is!

The top video game design schools in the country are ranked and listed below. But just because they’re ranked best by Princeton Review, that’s not a guarantee they’re the best for you. Before you decide on a video game school, use the information on this page to research your options.Read more »

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By Posted in Careers 7 Comments
eBook: How to make games that don't suck
Don’t you wish it was this easy?

It’s easy to dream up an idea for a new game. Nearly everyone seems to have at least one great game design they’d love to bring into the world, given the chance.

But game design isn’t a single skill set. To become a good game designer, you’ll need to build a variety of skills such as cinematic storytelling, interaction design, level design, game engines, and more. Not to mention, learning all about the business of the video game industry.

That’s why I asked some of today’s top game designers for their must-read books for learning game design. Jenova Chen (Journey, Flower), Hal Milton (Marvel: Avengers Alliance) and Kelly Toyama (Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines) are industry titans, and you’ll find their all-time best books for learning game design below. At first, some may not seem to be about game design at all. That’s because the game design skill set is bigger than just learning game engines. Trust the experts: dig in and find out why.Read more »

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By Posted in Careers, Tools 14 Comments

The Internet is full of info about the game industry. But only a handful of resources cut through the noise to offer current, practical information to help you get a job and grow your career in games. And they’ll save you a lot of time and effort along the way.

The resources below are the cream of the crop, and come recommended by top game schools and industry professionals. And – bonus! – most of them are absolutely free. Enjoy!

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