Do you enjoy playing video games on your PC or console?
Have you ever thought of creating a video game that other gamers could enjoy?
According to a report, in 2020 global revenues from PC gaming and mobile gaming was $37 B and $77 B. Forecast from experts suggest that revenue from this industry will have an annual growth rate of 8.17% from 2022 to 2026. It will be safe to say that the video game industry is a lucrative industry. It is extremely rewarding if you genuinely want to become a video game creator.
In this article, we will share with you five ways in which you can break into the gaming industry, generate value for the community, and get rewarded.
Let’s jump right in.
Play video games
You need to obtain an objective understanding of the video game industry and the first thing you need to do is put in the hours. The more you play the more you will understand the different aspects of the game. For instance, a lot of games are popular for the story, others are popular for the experience. It means that you might need to spend a lot of time on a particular game to explore everything that the creators had to offer.
This doesn’t mean that you should only play the games you like. You have also to play games that you won’t play, generally speaking. There is a lot of learning you can do from different games that will help you understand why gamers enjoy it in the first place. For example, DOTA 2 and GTA V are both great, but for different reasons.
Maintain a schedule and clock in the hours. Thanks to video streaming services like Twitch and YouTube, you can watch hours of gameplay to learn more aspects that you might have missed.
After that, you need to have an overall comprehension of how video games are created and what makes them so valuable. Learning game design is one way to do it.
Learn game design
Every professional was once a student. In order to truly break into the gaming industry, you will need to go through a steep but interesting learning curve. Mathematics, physics, statistics, psychology, and art are some of the fields of study that benefit game designers. Fortunately, there are a lot of community colleges and online universities that will help you learn the ropes of game design with less financial investment.
The right amount of knowledge in all of the fields will assist you to concoct the perfect formula for a balanced gaming experience. For example, a game with a great plot but bad characters is never going to reach the top. Even if you might not use the knowledge from all of the fields of study, you will need an abstract understanding while working in the development team.
After you have learnt the necessary skills, it is important to showcase them to the world. Game Jams are a great way to put yourself on the global map.
Compete in game jams
Game jams are make-a-thons for game developers. Game jams are contests in which developers create a game within a time limit. Testing your skills on the ground in a stressful and competitive environment will be beneficial to you to improve them. Not to mention the opportunity to meet and collaborate with professionals from all levels from different parts of the world should not be missed.
These contests could last for a couple of days or much longer than that. There are industry experts, mentors, and professionals who are involved in hosting and judging the show. Rewards for the winners of game jams include cash prizes, goodies, internships, and job offers as well. Keep an eye on the upcoming game jams where you can give it all and show your skills to the world.
One of the great ways to compete in these events with teams. You can build your game development team by networking with industry leaders and game publishers.
Where to find them? Gaming conventions. Which gaming conventions? Keep reading.
Attend conferences and conventions
Conferences and conventions are a great way to network with like-minded individuals. Gamers, game publishers, and developers get together all over the world in these events to share ideas and celebrate achievements. Here is a list of conferences and conventions that you should keep an eye on.
- The Game Developers Conference (GDC): This convention is as official as it gets. For 2022, it is on March 21-25, San Francisco, CA. The Game Developers Conference holds award ceremonies, exhibitions, tournaments, and more. Sponsored by big names like Microsoft, Unity, and AWS, this conference should be on your must-attend list.
- The Penny Arcade Expo (PAX): This convention unites gamers and developers. Gaming tournaments, keynote speakers, and gaming parties are some of the many things this gaming cultural event has to offer. For 2022, it is on April 21-24, Boston, MA.
- The Eurogamer Expo (EGX): This convention, the biggest one in Europe, promises industry insiders and a great chance for gamers and developers to interact with each other. A lot of eSports events take place in EGX. For 2022, EGX is scheduled to be on September 22-25, London, UK.
Apart from learning from and networking with gamers, industry experts, game publishers, and keynote speakers, these conventions are a greatly enjoyable experience.
Becoming a creator is a proven way to break into the gaming industry and establish the credibility of your skillset. Let’s take a look at how it can help you.
Create video games
Showcasing your previous achievements will stang you apart from other applicants for the position of a game developer. You can leverage the free game engines like Unity, Godot, and Corona to get started and create simple games. There are free 3D modeling software like Blender and Autodesk Tinkercad that you can use to design in-game assets. Your thought process while creating the game, the community is forged, and the experience gamers shared while exploring it will give you wisdom like no other.
Creating and publishing a video game all by yourself is a respectable achievement in the gaming industry. If building a complete game is hard, try creating mods for existing games like GTA V or Minecraft. Popular video game publisher CD Projekt has hired mod makers to work on Cyberpunk 2077!
Wrapping up
Joining the video game industry is both exciting and rewarding at the same time. You will get a chance to showcase your skills as a creator by adding value to an eternally growing community. We hope that the points above have helped you gain an overview of the actions you need to take to break into the video game industry and translate the unique ideas in your mind to a spectacular creation on a gaming monitor.
Happy creating!
