Video game developers help turn ideas into games that can be played. They do this by coding visual elements, and programming features, and trying versions until the game is ready to be sold. If you like playing video games and working with computers, developing video games can be a very satisfying job. Meanwhile, in this article, you will learn everything you need to know about video game development, the salary, courses, and differences(vs) between a game developer and a video game developer.
Game Developer
A Game developer usually works on several parts of making a game, such as the graphics, the AI, the user interface, and the game logic. A Game developer takes the plans, storyboards, and ideas of the game designers and uses them as models to make the game something that players can actually play.
Salary Game Developer
As of July 13, 2023, a Game Developer in the United States makes an average of $115,155 a year.
If you need an easy way to figure out how much that is, it comes out to about $55.36 an hour. This equals $2,214 per week or $9,596 per month.
There have been yearly incomes as high as $180,000 and as low as $50,500, but most Game Developer salaries are between $89,000 (25th percentile) and $148,000 (75th percentile), with the highest earners (90th percentile) in the United States making $171,500 per year. The average pay range for a Game Developer is very wide (up to $59,000), which suggests that there may be many ways to move up and make more money depending on skill level, area, and number of years of experience.
Based on recent job posts on online job platforms like ZipRecruiter, there are a lot of Game Developer jobs in Dallas, TX, and the nearby area. A Game Developer in your area makes an average of $117,644 per year, which is $1 more than the average pay of $115,155 per year across the country. In terms of pay for Game Developers, Texas comes in at number 41 out of all 50 states.
ZipRecruiter looks at its database of millions of current jobs posted locally all over the U.S. every day to find the most exact range of annual salaries for Game Developer jobs.
Video Game Developer
A video game developer is a computer program worker who focuses on video game development, which is the process of making video games and the fields that go with it. A video game developer can be anyone from a single person who does everything to a big company with many employees who work in different fields, such as programmers, designers, artists, etc. Most businesses that make games get money and help with marketing from video game publishers. Self-funded developers are called independent or “indie” developers, and most of the games they make are also called “indie.”
A developer might focus on a certain game engine or video game platform, like Nintendo’s Switch, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S, or Sony’s PlayStation 5, or they might make games for more than one system, like PCs and mobile devices. Some video game makers only make certain kinds of games, like first-person shooters or role-playing games. Some focus on moving games from one system to another or changing games from one language to another.
Read Also: GAME DESIGNER SALARY: How Much Do Video Game Designer Make?
Courses for Game Developers
#1. A Short Training about the Game Development Business
Graphic of a hand creating a video game from the Game Design. Foundations: Ideas, Core Loops, and Goals.
The amount of time needed is 1 hour and 32 minutes.
This is one of the best short courses for people who be successful as game developer but don’t know where to start. It is led by an award-winning game designer and goes over the basics of how to get into the industry, how to come up with game ideas and loops, and how to turn vague ideas into designs that teams can use to make games.
#2. A Guide for People Who Have Never Made Games Before
Light up Xbox video game controller on a dark surface.
Time commitment: 10 hours.
This introductory course doesn’t require any knowledge of code, and it focuses on the basic ideas behind games. Students learn about the fundamentals of gaming and how those fundamentals affect how people play games.
#3. A Lesson for Beginners in Javascript and phaser.js
A green graphic of a gaming controller.
Time commitment: 6 weeks.
This course is great for people who are just starting out because it teaches them how to make games from scratch. Students learn to code in JavaScript and use the Phaser.js library to add visual effects and put the whole game together. At the end of the course, students will have finished three games.
#4. A Course for Learning C++ and Git for Both Newbies and Professionals
An over-the-shoulder view of a person wearing headphones taking a gaming development course on a Mac desktop.
Time commitment: 31 hours.
This course is for newbies, developers, and experienced coders who want to learn something new.
Students learn everything from C++ and Git to code methods and best practices, as well as problem-solving skills that can be used in other situations and vector math for figuring out how games work and how physics works.
#5. A Two-Course Program That Teaches C, Python, Javascript, SQL, CSS, and HTML
Computer screen showing a video game coding program.
Time commitment: 6 months.
This two-course program is meant to give students a broad idea of computer science, programming, and software development, as well as the skills they need to feel comfortable with the basics of game design and creation.
Students can learn about things like abstraction, algorithms, data structures, isolation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development. Students also discover how to use programs like C, Python, JavaScript, SQL, CSS, and HTML. They also learn the basic rules for making things in 2D and 3D. If you are studying to become a video game developer, this is one of the best programming courses to learn from.
#6. A Four-Course Training for New Programmers in C#
Two people are taking an online course in Game Development while looking at a computer.
The time needed is 7 months.
This specialization is great for newbies because it has four lessons and a final project. It doesn’t matter if you’ve programmed before or not. Students learn to code in C# and then use those skills to make games in Unity.
Each course has exercises that teach students about C# and Unity. These exercises range from 10 to 20 per course to several bigger C# console apps, Unity prototypes, and two full games. In the final “capstone” course, students use Unity and C# to make their own game ideas come to life. It is recommended that a game developer take all four courses for optimal skill development.
Read Also: WEB DEVELOPER: Duties, Skills, Salary, Courses & Software
Game Developer vs Software Developer
Most of the time, a software developer makes more than a game developer. The base salary for a software developer runs from $50,000 to $104,000, with a typical salary of $71,508 while(vs) the base salary for a game developer runs from $36,000 to $94,000, with a median of $64,530 per year.
What are other disparities (vs) between a Game Developer and Software Developer?
#1. Software Developers
Software developers make programs that can be used on computers. Most of the time, they start by meeting with users and talking about what kind of tools they need. The programmer will then make an app that meets these needs and meets the customer’s standards for security and speed. After they’ve made the software, they’ll write the code and test it to make sure it works well.
Since they work closely with other professionals, software programmers need to be able to work well with others. They also talk to customers and computer suppliers a lot, so they need to be able to explain scientific ideas in a way that people outside of the field can understand.
Software developers know how to use many different kinds of computer languages, such as C++, Python, Java, PHP, and Javascript. They also know how to use Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, among other running systems.
You need a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science, information technology, or a similar area to become a software developer. You also need to have done work that is important.
#2. Game Developers
Game Developers make new games or help improve games that are already out there. They make the setting, characters, and plot of the game.
To keep up with the latest technology, game developers often make changes to their games. They also have to fix bugs and flaws. Some game developers spend most of their time fixing bugs in the software they make.
Game Developers are used to using software to make games, including software that works with 3-D systems. You might also need to know how to code in languages like C++, C#, and Java.
To become a game developer, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer programming or a related area. Employers usually want to see a collection of a game developer’s work before they hire them.
Read Also: SOFTWARE DEVELOPER SALARY: What They Make in 2023
Do Game Developers Get Paid?
In the United States, the average salary of a game developer is $91,009. Game developer salaries range between $64,000 and $127,000 annually on average. The typical hourly rate for game developers is $43.75. The salary of a game developer is affected by location, education, and experience.
Who Gets Paid More Game Designer or Developer?
Despite dealing with various aspects of the field, these two professions have one thing in common: they pay extremely well. According to CareerExplorer, a game developer’s average annual salary is approximately $100,000. The figure for game designers is $90,000 per year.
What GPA Do You Need to Be a Game Developer?
The Bachelor of Arts in Game Design program requires at least 129-semester credits and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. The program is typically divided into eight semesters of fifteen weeks each, for a total of four academic years.
Reference
GAME DESIGNER SALARY: How Much Do Video Game Designer Make?
