Game Developer
Kaihanga Tākaro
Alternative titles for this job
Game developers write, design, program, animate and test games for computers, gaming consoles, tablets and mobile phones.
Pay
New game developers usually earn
$60K-$80K per year
Experienced game developers usually earn
$80K-$100K per year
Source: NZ Game Developers Assn, 2022.
Job opportunities
Vocational PathwaysPay
Pay for game developers varies depending on experience and skills.
- Junior game developers with up to three years' experience usually earn between $60,000 and $80,000 a year.
- Intermediate game developers with three to seven years' experience usually earn between $80,000 and $100,000.
- Senior game developers with more than seven years' experience can earn more than $100,000.
Source: New Zealand Game Developers Association, July 2022.
- PAYE.net.nz website - use this calculator to convert pay and salary information
- Employment New Zealand website - information about minimum wage rates
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)
What you will do
Game developers may do some or all of the following:
- create games based on their own or other people's ideas
- develop plots and characters
- produce preliminary storyboards, character biographies, storylines and features
- write detailed design documentation to explain how the game should look and function
- write the computer code that creates the game
- source and add additional graphics, sound effects and digital images
- animate characters and other content
- create test versions, and identify and correct any errors.
Most game developers specialise in a particular aspect of game design.
Skills and knowledge
Game developers need to have knowledge of some or all of the following:
- gaming and game platforms such as computers, gaming consoles, tablets and mobile phones
- game design
- game players' behaviour and psychology
- computer systems, processes and languages (such as C++, or C#, or Javascript)
- game engines such as Unity or Unreal
- video graphic design
- 2D and 3D art and animation software.
Working conditions
Game developers:
- work regular business hours
- work in offices or studios and usually need to meet deadlines.
What's the job really like?
Luba Miteva
Games Tester
Luba Miteva gets paid for what others do in their leisure time – playing video games.
Luba is one of nine game software testers working for Wellington developers Sidhe. "I feel pretty lucky; some days I have to pinch myself."
Spotting the bugs and making sure the game works
But testing a game involves more than just playing it. Luba ensures all the games' features and graphics are doing exactly what they're designed to do.
"You need an eye for detail. Some bugs are big and easily spotted, but others are harder to see.
"We are usually working off a test plan and checking one particular thing at a time. There’s internal tracking software that we use and every time you find something wrong, or not where it’s supposed to be, you have to log the faults consistently and clearly."
It’s a great job but there are deadlines to meet
Luba, who has a Diploma in Software Development, loves her job, though it often involves working late. "Everything we do is on a really tight schedule so some weeks there are crazy amounts of overtime. But I don’t mind because it’s an awesome job."
Entry requirements
To become a game developer it is essential to have experience of video and computer games.
Game programmers usually need a degree
To become a game programmer, you usually need a Bachelor's degree in computer science, software development or engineering.
Many university degrees have papers specialising in game programming or interaction design, and opportunities to make a game as a project.
Game artists and designers need to showcase their work
To become a game artist or designer you need a portfolio of your work or a showreel of games you have built (including online or board games). Some knowledge of programming is also an advantage.
Employers may also prefer you to have a degree or diploma in:
- 2D or 3D animation
- media design
- game art and development.
Secondary education
A tertiary entrance qualification is needed to enter further training.
Technical subjects to become a game programmer
Useful subjects for game programmers are maths, physics and digital technologies.
Creative subjects to become a game artist
Useful subjects for game artists are art history, visual arts, and design and visual communication.
Personal requirements
Game developers need to be:
- creative and artistic
- methodical and accurate
- patient and adaptable
- able to work well under pressure
- good at analysis
- skilled in planning, organising and problem solving
- good at oral and written communication.
Useful experience
Useful experience for game developers includes:
- creating board or online games
- writing computer code to create games, software or websites
- art or design work
- experience recording or editing film
- playing computer and video games.
Physical requirements
Game developers spend a lot of time using computers and gaming consoles, so they need to know how to use computer equipment properly to avoid occupational overuse syndrome (OOS).
Find out more about training
- Engineering New Zealand
- (04) 473 9444 - hello@engineeringnz.org - www.engineeringnz.org
- IT Professionals
- 0800 252 255 - info@itp.nz - www.itp.nz
- New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA)
- info@nzgda.com - https://nzgda.com
- NZ Tech
- 09 4750204 - info@nztech.org.nz - www.nztech.org.nz
What are the chances of getting a job?
Game developer job opportunities increasing rapidly
For those with experience, chances of getting a job as a game developer are good due to:
- the size of the games industry in New Zealand, which is worth $100 million a year in export revenue
- rapid growth in games development
- lack of skilled game developers in New Zealand – in 2017, 42% of games studios reported that skill shortages were limiting their growth
- forecasted international growth in demand for games including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) games, which incorporate online and real-world environments
- the rapid growth of e-sports (playing competitive professional video games in teams online, and in person at large venues).
Strong demand puts game developers on skill shortage list
About 600 game developers worked in New Zealand in 2017, but this isn't enough to meet demand. Game programmers, artists and designers are the most in demand.
As a result, a number of game developer-related jobs appear on Immigration New Zealand's long-term skill shortage list. This means the government is actively encouraging skilled game developers in these categories from overseas to work in New Zealand.
Game developer-related jobs on the long-term skill shortage list include:
- multimedia specialist
- software engineer
- software tester
- developer programmer
- software and applications programmer NEC.
Specialist qualifications, a portfolio and networking improve job chances
Your chances of getting a game developer job as a new graduate are best if you have a specialist game development qualification, as competition is high.
The New Zealand Games Development Association (NZGDA) recommends you:
- investigate tertiary courses and how many of their graduates work in the industry
- build up a portfolio with paid or voluntary work
- check the NZGDA website for job vacancies
- network by attending the New Zealand Game Developers Conference, game developer meetups and Play by Play.
- New Zealand Games Development Association website - events for games developers
- Play by Play website - information about the international games festival held yearly in New Zealand
Types of employers varied
New Zealand has about 30 game development companies, with staff numbers ranging from fewer than five, to 100 or more.
About one third of game development employees are game programmers, 28% are game artists, and 10% are game designers.
Game developers may be employed on a fixed-term contract or permanently. Some game developers are self-employed.
Sources
- Immigration New Zealand, 'Long Term Skill Shortage List', 27 May 2019, (www.immigration.govt.nz).
- New Zealand Game Developers Association, 'Make Games in New Zealand - We're Growing and Hiring', accessed May 2018 (www.nzgda.com).
- New Zealand Game Developers Association, 'NZ Game Development hits $100 M - New Zealand Game Development Industry Survey', 2017, accessed May 2018, (https://nzgda.com).
- Statistia, 'Value of global video games market from 2011 to 2020 in billions of US dollars', accessed May 2018, (www.statistia.com).
- Vermeulen, M, Chairperson, New Zealand Games Development Association, www.careers.govt.nz interview, May 2018.
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)
Progression and specialisations
Game developers may progress to set up their own game development or software business, or move into management roles.
Game developers usually work in one of three areas – game programming, game art design or game design. Within these areas, they may specialise in a particular aspect.
Game programmers may specialise in:
- tools programming – building special sub-programs within a game engine, to help it run better or faster
- game play programming – developing a game's strategy, logic, mechanics, and feel
- artificial intelligence (AI) programming – making game characters learn logically and behave like humans
Game art designers may specialise in:
- 2D and 3D art and animation – creating the illusion of movement and depth of vision
- art direction – giving overall direction for the visual style and mood of the game
Game designers may specialise in:
- creating the content, rules and way players interact with a game
Game developers may also specialise in:
- digital sound – using computer software to create the game sounds and music
- physics programming – ensuring game elements and characters follow real-life rules of physics
- visual effects – adding special effects like explosions or fires
- testing – playing games to make sure they work properly, or testing the software
- studio management – overseeing staff and other resources to ensure games are delivered on time and to budget
- production and development – a management role, making sure tasks are completed, negotiating contracts, hiring staff, and controlling finances.
Game developers design, build and test games
Last updated 28 September 2022