You need to know that video games are not only fun but are something where you can be able to turn your passion into a career by getting into video game designing or into the video game development field but if you don’t know How to Get a Degree in Video Game Design then this in-depth guide is for you.
Also, it is one of the best moves for a career and video games play a particular role in terms of shaping the culture. In the whole world, there are more than 2 billion gamers and the video game industry is developing more and more and it is estimated that the market of video games is reaching $300 billion by the year 2025.
How to Get a Degree in Video Game Design?
If you want to turn your love and passion for video games into the best career by which you can earn lots of money then you need to begin your career with a game design degree. So, you need to read this article to get to know about what is video game design and how to find the best game design college and video game internships and career options, and what degree for video game design is required for the future as a videogame designer.
What Are the Differences Between Video Game Design and Video Game Development?
Basically, video game design is one of the processes of creating a blueprint for a particular video game like if you plan to create or build a house then you didn’t start constructing the house without getting an idea about which type of house you want to build or what materials you want to use to build your house. Similar to house, video game design mainly focuses on a huge variety of components such as creating ideas and tips to create the story and to developing the story as per the characters and designing the games and the rules, and also creating the objectives of the game.
Also Read: What Height Should A Gaming Desk Be? Perfect Guide
When you create the design of a video game then you are required to create the actual game. This is the type where you need to study the development of video games or this is the time when video game development study takes place.
Think that if the designing of the video game is the blueprint of the game then the actual construction of the game is video game development. Video game development mainly focuses on the skills of coding and also programming and in this process, you need to mainly focus on creativity and art.
How Much Can You Earn in a Career as a Video Game Designer or Video Game Developer?
At the time of creating a video game for a living might be fun and rewarding as well. Also, it is important for you to get to know about the long-term earning process as a career in video game designing and development. Also, the payout in this career depends upon the area of game designing on which you are focused. Like, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for the multimedia article and animator in the industry of video games is $72,520 in the year 2018.
If we talk about entry-level jobs, the average earning as a video-game designer is between $50,831 to $80,000. On the other hand, the video game developer is able to earn on an average between $51,683 to $79,000. By having 4 to 6 years of working experience, you can be able to earn as much as $129,000 by working as a video game designer.
How to Study Video Game Design in the US
Before making a decision about where to apply in the US or what to select mainly, you need to get to know the major aspects of developing a video game as per your interest. Creating a video game from beginning to end is one of the tough processes and it also includes the artists, animators, designers, producers, and also writers, and programmers to create the concept of the game and to complete the creation of the game. Also, if you are pursuing your career in the field of video game design and development, you will be responsible to create fun in the game and also it is really hard.
Decide On a Career Path
You need to know that many video game designer and development jobs are divided into three different career paths:
- Video Game Designer – mainly focuses on the theory and design of the video game. Also, the designers of video games mainly developed by the rough outlines of the gameplay mechanics and also having the storylines and it will also ensure about the concepts which get followed by the team.
- Game Artists – are completely responsible for the visual elements of the game like the storyboard’s development and also the drawing of the character and drawing of background as well. If you are one of the creative ones and love to enjoy visual art then it is one of the suitable roles for you.
- Game Developer – is one of the roles which is technical and also creative as well and game developers are completely responsible for the functions of the game. If you are in a big video game development then you will study the subjects like computer science and also software engineering and also be able to get to know about the programming languages like C++ and Java as well.
As an international student, your career path which you select will be helpful for you to decide about what to search for in the university degree program and also what skills are needed to succeed in the industry of video game and also what are the requirements which were preferred by the employers.
Understand Which Degree Programs Are Required
If we talk about the career in video game designing, there are no fixed criteria of education like there is no such degree or certification which is needed. Also, if you want to apply to a big studio which is having some of the limitation vacancies then you need to have a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in video game design which is beneficial for you.
There are lots of universities which have tie-up with the big companies of game development and it will be helpful for you if you are looking to get an internship in video game designing. Also, there are lots of people who want to know how long does it take to get a degree in video game design. We will tell you that it will completely depend upon the university program. Usually, it takes approx. 2 to 3 years to get a degree but some universities provide a 4 years program in this field.
To be a multimedia designer or an animator in video game designing, you are required to have a degree of bachelors in computer graphics, art and also in some of the related subjects and also you need to have a strong portfolio to show your talent. For example, a video game developer requires knowledge related to several programming languages. Also, if you are having a bachelor’s degree in computer science or software development then it will give you a similar skillset.
Lots of universities and schools provide a degree program in video game designing and also development in terms of training the students for jobs in the world of video game industries. Also, they include the subjects such as programming, animation, and also art to provide education and also practical experience in the field of designing games.
Look Into the Courses That You Will Be Studying
You may be surprised about which subject to take at the time of planning to study video game designing in the United States. Also, it will completely depend upon your career option, video game design and development requires technical and art knowledge.
Below, we are sharing some of the best examples of the classes which you may take at the time of studying video game development and design. If you want to know about what degree do you need for video game design then you must read the details which we are sharing below.
- C++ and Java
- Sound Design
- Computer Graphics Programming
- 2D Animation
- Digital Illustration
- Graphic Design
- Special/Visual Effects
- 3D Art and Animation
- Creative Writing
- History of Games
- Applied Game Physics
Select a University Program
Lots of universities use a unique way to design their curriculum for video game design and also it is really important for you to do proper research and get to know about what’s good for you. If you want to know that where I get a degree in video game design then read this section very carefully.
Like, the University of Central Florida divided its programs into several tracks which are productions, programming, and art. This will allow you to simply select any course as per your interest in the process of game development. If you are pursuing a bachelor’s of science in games then it will cover both of the fields means Arts and technical for the requirement of in the field of design in a video game. Also, on the other side, elective courses mainly focus on game art, game production, and also technical art as well.
You need to do proper research about every video game design and development degree program in a proper manner and also look closely at how they approach. If you are not sure about which university program to select then a Shoreligth advisor will be helpful for you.
If you are an international student, then studying video game design in the United States needs the particular skills, networks, and also experience of the real world for a good career in the gaming industry. Best of luck with your step towards the adventurous and great future towards game design. We hope that you are clear about the process of how to get a degree in video game design and also get to know about how long does it take to get a bachelor’s degree in video game design.
If you gather all the useful information then do share this article with your friends who are looking to pursue their career as a video game designer.