Game dev vacancies

Professions in the field of game development and IT, and salaries of specialists

The market for computer technology and content for PCs and wearable devices is now simply torn from the available assortment. Today you can see a real race of iron for games against the game content itself. Developers do not have time to release the next top long-awaited game, as all sorts of Intel and Nvidia immediately give out their Core i9 and GTX 1080TI, the power of which is simply impossible to overclock to the limit, because there is no application so resource-hungry yet.

It's a good thing that the world of hardware is making significant strides in developing the best technologies for the next few years. Thanks to this, gamers from all over the world enjoy top graphics and maximum FPS in popular games. If you have ever thought about devoting your life to the IT field, you probably have questions about studies, salary and final specialization. Unfortunately, there are quite a few educational institutions in Russia and Ukraine that can give you that 100% base for working in the world of technology. Of course, the popular professions of various web designers and programmers can be mastered at the university. But game development, and in particular, all advanced technologies will have to be taught either independently or abroad.

The list of professions in the field of IT and development is quite large. You may even get confused when choosing your key direction. After all, even an ordinary 3D artist can find application in drawing graphics, software engineering, or even developing technologies like VR. The salaries of IT specialists are considered among the highest after politicians. But, to be frankly honest, the salaries of civil servants rarely have a transparent reputation, unlike developers and programmers. Therefore, comparing the official figures for the annual profit of computer scientists, they can be safely put in first place, paired with several other professions.

Some successful developers reach such heights that they soon find their names on Forbes lists. This is another proof that being a smart specialist, in this area you can achieve not only a good reputation, but also make good money for a comfortable pension. To start earning, you don’t even have to graduate from the IT departments of prestigious universities. A degree in education is rarely a key factor in getting a job. It is enough to show all your capabilities in a high-quality portfolio, which you will form based on your own knowledge. Some companies also require work experience. But, if you are a high-level professional, then they can turn a blind eye to his absence.

Professions in game development

Gamers around the world spend hours of their time and millions of dollars every year to reach the top 10 in the ranking of the best players in the virtual environment. One game can be played by one person, a small team or a whole company. Each individually acts as a gear in the clockwork that creates the final game product. If you are seriously thinking about linking your career with game development, then we have prepared for you a list of the main specializations and income in this area.

The first and most responsible? specialization in the field of game development - game designer. His responsibilities include creating the concept of the game. Simply put, he must independently think through the rough scenario, design intent, game mechanics and gameplay. This specialty can be equated with God (no offense to believers). Indeed, being in this position you will have to create the same world, only virtual. Becoming a game designer is not easy. To do this, you need to have an understanding of all stages of game development, from the script to programming and promotion. The annual salary of a game designer in Russia exceeds 1 million rubles, while abroad you can earn a minimum of $100,000 depending on the company you work for.

An equally responsible and quite popular profession in the IT world is a programmer. The team of game programmers is responsible for the most important thing - the stability of the application. No design and scenarios are able to influence the assessment of the final product so much as the smoothness of work and the absence of failures, errors and bugs. In addition, the programmer is responsible for the mechanics and characteristics of the game, as well as working with the code and architecture. Dreaming about this job, you should understand that good programmers spend a lot of time not on wasting a fee, but on improving their skills. Mastering new technologies is an integral part of this profession. So, be prepared to study, study and study again. The programmer's fee depends on the complexity of the project and the generosity of the company. But, a smart specialist in this field will always be a wealthy person abroad. In Russia, programmers can earn an average of 70-150 thousand rubles a month.

If your soul asks for creativity, then the profession of an artist in game development will suit you like nothing else. Your task will be to work with the graphic elements of the application. These include: animation, textures, character design, architectural visualization, and 3D and 2D graphics components. Having no idea about color, design, visualization, working with graphic editors and engines, the doors to this profession are closed to you. When choosing to specialize as an artist, you must be a creative person to the core, and nothing else. The salary of the artist is directly regulated by his duties. For example, 3D visualization will be somewhat more profitable than working with character design. But, it all depends on the company in which you will be employed. The average monthly income of an artist is 50-100 thousand rubles in Russia, and about $10-30 thousand abroad.

For those who like to have fun in level editors and think through various obstacle courses, there is an excellent vacancy for a level designer. It is these people who embody the ideas of the screenwriter or game designer in the passage of the game. On your shoulders will be the mission of level planning, from texture design to story locations. Simply put, it is you who will be responsible for the development of game levels and the balance of the difficulty of passing through the various stages. For this profession, it will be useful to know several programming languages, because you have to edit levels using various libraries, and not intuitive editors for schoolchildren (no offense to the younger generation). As a portfolio, and for self-study, you can just start by creating levels through these very intuitive level editors. Lvl-designers earn up to 150 thousand rubles in Russia, and at least three times more - abroad.

You can start earning right here now if you like to look for flaws and criticize various gaming products. The position of a tester will not bring you hundreds of thousands of monthly income. However, depending on the generosity of the company, you can noticeably add several hundred or even thousands of dollars to your piggy bank for a single test. Your duties will include finding all sorts of errors in the game. Usually, companies pay testers not for the time spent, but for the number of bugs they find. Therefore, the amount of your income will depend solely on you. It is simply ridiculous to imagine the specialty of a tester in any university, because it simply does not exist. In Russia, testers are not in demand, so learn a foreign language and cooperate with foreign companies.

The organization of an advertising campaign and holding mass events related to the final game product lies with the PR director. This position can be called in different ways. The main essence remains unchanged. You will be responsible for promoting the finished game, organizing various forums and representing your company at various exhibitions and world conferences. You do not need to know the intricacies of programming for successful work. It is enough to understand the game at a professional level from the point of view of developers and gamers in order to speak about it as accurately as possible. You can work in this specialty after receiving a journalistic education. It is desirable to have all the personal qualities that are inherent in journalists. The average income from this position varies between 50-100 thousand rubles in Russia, as well as $ 15-35 thousand abroad.

A top manager can manage all departments of the company and be the right hand of the CEO. It is this person who should monitor the work of each gear in the clockwork. The vacancy is very responsible, because your duties will include not only employee control, but also the distribution of tasks, planning the timing and stages of development, financial responsibility for each sector of the company and encouraging the team. In this profession, without leadership inclinations, nowhere. At the university, you are unlikely to learn all the intricacies of working in this specialty. You will have to study on your own. And only when you understand that you can manage a large development mechanism, then you can safely apply for this position. The salary of a top manager in game development in Russia starts from 130-150 thousand rubles. Foreign companies are ready to pay good specialists $25-40 thousand.

We have listed the main areas of activity in game development and the amount of remuneration for the efforts of professionals. Of course, the real list of vacancies can exceed a hundred. For example, a company can have completely different positions of programmers, where someone is responsible for the code, and someone is entrusted with the development of artificial intelligence and interaction mechanics. Each department has its own chief, to whom he attributes the prefix 'leading' to his position. It turns out that in the sector of development of graphic elements, several animators, as well as specialists in 2D / 3D graphics and textures, can work separately. The lead artist in this case will monitor the work of the entire department, followed by a top manager. Many who want to work in the field of programming are really confused with the choice of the final profession. Some people manage to combine several specializations in themselves, thereby earning more money.

Developing games is an insanely exciting experience. To list absolutely all the possibilities in this area is simply unrealistic. Plunging into the creation of a virtual world, comes the realization that you are making the content that someone is waiting for. There may be several thousand waiting for it, because you are creating something narrow and not very 'loud' for gaming. Or maybe there are many more waiting. Millions or thousands of downloads for your game, it doesn't matter. The main thing is the proper quality of the final product and your self-satisfaction with the process. Do what you like. Fill up the virtual world of gaming with new cool games and success will not be long in coming.