Video games are a booming industry. They are also very fun and a passion for many people. Because of this, more individuals are looking to turn their gaming hobby into a career. Here are four different paths to get you making money from video game development.
Get a Traditional Job in Game Development
The first and simplest way to make money in video game development is to get a traditional job at a video game company. Major studios, such as Rockstar Games, Blizzard Entertainment, and Electronic Arts, as well as smaller studios, employ full-time developers to work on their games. The main advantages to this approach are getting to work on the biggest upcoming games while being paid a regular salary. However, these jobs usually require an extensive resume and a background or degree in game design.
Develop Your Own Game
The availability of game design engines to independent developers, such as Unity, RPGMaker, and Godot, as well as digital storefronts like Steam, have made it easier than ever for individuals to create and publish their own video games. A focus on community, marketing, and monetization after creation can result in independent developers making significant amounts of money. There are many tools and services like Xsolla that can help you transition from a crowdfunding platform to a personalized online store.
Work as a Freelancer
If you don’t want to develop your own game, you can become a freelancer to do work on other people’s games. Not everyone is a programmer, but games need more than just coding to make an impact. Writers write engaging storylines that pull players in. Composers create beautiful music to add emotional weight to the game. Artists create concept art and digital animations that make the visuals come alive. Because so many people are eager to make their own games, freelancers can build a career out of working on games, one project at a time.
Become a Producer
Not everyone is artistic or creative enough to make their own games, but they may be good businesspeople who know what the gaming community wants. You can make good money as a video game producer where you select, produce and market promising games from independent developers. For this career approach to be effective, you must be good at securing capital to get games made as well as having a good eye for what will sell. A studio could be very successful operating this way.
Although the gaming industry can be very competitive, it is also growing in leaps and bounds. There are more opportunities than ever before to make money in game development, with several different approaches that all have their advantages and disadvantages. One of them is certain to be the right option for an aspiring developer.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She recommends using a platform like Xsolla to launch games. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
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