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Games Developer

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Primary Secondary Post-16

Imagine making your very own video game that people all over the world can play. That is what a Games Developer does. They are like magic builders who create fun and exciting digital worlds. They use special computer languages, called code, to tell the computer what to do, like making characters move, solving puzzles, or designing amazing levels. It is a job where you get to use your imagination every day to invent new games or help build parts of big games that teams of people work on. You could be making games for phones, computers, or big game consoles like a PlayStation or Xbox. A Games Developer does lots of different things. Sometimes they are designing how the game looks and feels, sometimes they are making sure all the parts of the game work together properly, and sometimes they are fixing any problems to make sure the game is super fun to play. It is a bit like being a storyteller, an artist, and a puzzle-solver all rolled into one. You work with a team of other clever people who all help to bring the game to life, from the artists who draw the characters to the writers who create the stories. Every game you play started with an idea from a Games Developer.

Games Developer

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📊 Statistics

Average Starting Salary

If you are just beginning your adventure as a games developer in the UK, you might expect to earn around 25000 pounds a year. This can grow a lot as you get more experienced.

Experienced Salary

For games developers who have lots of experience and skill, they could earn between 45000 and 70000 pounds a year, or even more for very senior roles.

Number of Jobs

The UK games industry is very busy and exciting. There are thousands of jobs in games development across the UK. It is a growing industry with lots of opportunities for creative people.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Video Game Designer

Imagine new games and how they should look and feel. You decide what happens in the game, the rules, and the characters.

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Game Programmer

You write the special instructions (code) that tell the computer how to make the game work. You make the characters move and the buttons do things.

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Character Artist for Games

You draw and create all the amazing characters and creatures that live in the video game world. You make sure they look cool and fun.

Sparking Your Imagination

Play and Explore Games

Play lots of different types of games on computers, phones, or consoles. Think about what you like and what makes them fun.

When you play games, pay attention to how they work. What makes a game easy or hard? What characters do you like? What special moves can they do? Thinking about these things now will help you create your own amazing games later!

Draw Your Own Ideas

Grab some paper and crayons! Draw your own game characters, levels, and even imagine how your game would be played.

Before games are made on computers, they often start as drawings and ideas on paper. You can sketch out your hero, baddies, special power-ups, and even map out a level. This helps you plan your game world.

Try Simple Coding Fun

Start with easy coding games online! There are lots of fun websites where you can drag and drop blocks to make characters move.

Websites like Scratch or Code Combat are brilliant places to start learning how to code without having to type lots of complicated words. You can make characters jump, collect things, and move around, which is a great first step to understanding how games are programmed.

Building Your Skills

Join a School Club

See if your school has a computer club, coding club, or even a games club. It's a great way to learn with friends.

Many schools offer clubs where you can explore computers and technology. These clubs can teach you more about coding, digital art, or even game design in a fun, friendly environment. You might even meet other kids who love games as much as you do!

Learn Computer Skills

Get good at using computers for more than just playing games. Learn how to draw digitally or make simple animations.

Understanding how to use different computer programmes is super helpful. You could try free drawing programmes to create digital art for your game characters, or even simple animation tools to see how things move on screen. The more you know about computers, the better!

Watch How-To Videos

Ask a grown-up to help you find videos online about how games are made. You can learn lots from watching experts!

There are many fantastic videos on platforms like YouTube that show how people design characters, build levels, and even write the code for games. Watching these can give you a peek behind the scenes and inspire you to try making your own game elements.

Making Your Own Games

Use Simple Game Makers

Try special programmes that help you make your own games without needing to be an expert coder yet. Like Roblox Studio!

Tools like Roblox Studio or Game Maker allow you to create your own games using easier methods. You can design worlds, characters, and rules for your game. It's like having your own game-making toy box!

Share Your Creations

Show your games to your family and friends! Ask them what they think and how you could make them even better.

Getting feedback from others is a really important part of being a games developer. When people play your game, they can tell you what they enjoyed, what was confusing, or what they think could be added. This helps you make your games more fun for everyone!

Keep Learning and Practising

Games development is a journey! Keep trying new things, learning more code, and never stop being creative.

The world of games development is always changing, with new tools and ideas appearing all the time. The best developers are always learning and trying out new things. The more you practise designing and building, the better you will become at bringing your game ideas to life!

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🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Games Developer. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

🎓 View Apprenticeships

Career Progressions

This page showcases various career options and the pathways to reach them. Each career listed here shares transferable skills and knowledge, making it easier for individuals to transition between them.

Your current career is highlighted to help you see how it fits into the broader landscape of potential career choices. By clicking on any career, you can learn more about it, including the training and education required to pursue it.

Remember, progressing in your career often involves further learning and training. This page provides insights into future career options as well as those that can lead up to your current one.

These career progression decisions are informed by comparing the skills and knowledge needed for different occupations, along with data on how people move between them. Explore the possibilities and discover the exciting journey ahead in your career!

Sample Qualifications

A Games Developer is directly responsible for designing, coding, and creating computer games. This title perfectly encapsulates the core duties and expertise required for the role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role

University

You could do a foundation degree or degree in:

  • computer games design
  • computer games development
  • computer science
  • interactive media
  • mathematics

If you'd like a job that includes game design as well as programming, you could do a foundation degree or degree in a subject like animation or graphic design.

You may have an advantage when you look for work if you do a degree that includes a work placement.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

College

You could do a college course before moving on to a higher level qualification. It may help you to get a trainee position with a development company.

Courses include:

  • computing
  • creative media and games development
  • T Level in Digital Software Development

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Higher Apprenticeship to get into this career, such as:

  • Software Developer Level 4
  • Junior VFX Artist or Assistant Technical Director Level 4
  • Game Programmer Level 7 - postgraduate level

Foundation apprenticeship

You may be able to start in a junior or assistant developer role by doing a Software and Data Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship.

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You could start with a company as a games tester if you play a lot of games.

You'll usually need a computing qualification or some relevant work experience. Employers will also be interested in your talent and creative ideas.

More Information

Career tips

You can create a portfolio of work or online demo to highlight your skills to potential employers.

You can get information on how to start creating your own games from Into Games.

You can also search for games companies and educational institutions, offering courses in digital gaming, on the UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) games map.

Further information

You can get more advice about working in games development from ScreenSkills and Into Games.

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