How to Build a Career in Gaming: Courses, Eligibility, Jobs, Salary

A career in gaming requires a mix of technical skills, creativity and passion for interactive entertainment, making it one of the very exciting and dynamic field.

Mostly people take gaming, just like a hobby, but it is more than that….. one can also make their career in gaming & earns a lot through this industry.

A career in gaming is not just about playing a video game, infact this industry is now worth a multi-billion-dollar. As a gaming enthusiast, one can explore diverse career opportunities in game development, design, esports, game marketing and content creation.

With the rapid growth of global gaming market, there is a rising demand for skilled professionals who can can design and develop games, create gaming content, engage audience, and manage esports events. In recent years, tremendous growth has been seen in the India’s gaming industry, thereby now it has turned into a serious profession for a passionate individuals.

In this article, we will explore career path in gaming, courses, eligibility and job opportunities in this field.

What is Gaming?

Gaming is an activity to play electronic games using gaming consoles, computers, tablets, mobile phones or any other medium. A person who is into gaming is often termed as a “Gamer or Hardcore Gamer”.

Gaming is a highly competitive sector where professionals are needed who have a good balance of creativity, fun and technology. The most important skills required in this field are creativity and passion.

With the advancement in technology and the growth of e-games have finally taken the centre stage. Thus, if video games excites you and you believes you have the skills and passion to be a part of this thriving industry, there are numerous career opportunities waiting for you, from game development and design to esports and content creation.

Career Scope in Gaming

Candidates can go in the technical roles like a game designer, game developer by pursuing UG or diploma courses in Computer Science, Animation and Game Designing.

For candidates who are highly skilled in playing games, can work as a content creator or streamer.

To become a game developer, candidates can pursue B.Tech in computer science engineering or any other related disciplin. Candidates who are good in designing can pursue courses related to Gaming graphics and animation.

With advancements in science and technology, the gaming industry is evolving with the latest innovations. Researchers and game developers are entering a new era of digital gaming, incorporating brain-boosting elements to enhance user experience and engagement.

Types of Gaming

Gaming is a vast field, it can be categorized into various types based on platform, audience and gameplay:

Platform Based Game

• PC Gaming
• Mobile Gaming
• Console Gaming
• Virtual Reality (VR) Gaming
• Cloud Gaming
• Augmented Reality (AR) Gaming

Gameplay Genre Based

• Adventure Games
• Action Games
• Simulation Games
• Puzzle & Casual Games

Based on Player Interaction

• Single Player Games
• Multiplayer Games
• Esports

Gaming Courses

To make a career in the Gaming sector, candidates have to pursue courses to gain the necessary skills in game development, design, animation, and esports.

Let’s talk about the courses in this field.

In India, there are many top game design institutions and colleges which offer several game design courses from certificate level to masters level. Some most popular courses are listed below:

Also Check: Courses after 12th

Certificate & Diploma Courses

• Certificate in Gaming
• Certificate course in Game Art & Design
• Diploma in Production Gaming
• Diploma in Game Design and Integration
• Diploma in Animation, Gaming and Special Effect
• Diploma in Game Design (DGD)
• Diploma in Game Development
• Diploma in Game Programming
• Advanced Diploma in Game Art & 3D Game Content Creation
• Advance Diploma in Game Programming
• Advance Diploma in Game Design and Development Application

Bachelor Courses

• B.Sc. in Gaming
• B.Des in Game Design
• B.Tech in Computer Science
• Bachelors in Media Animation & Design (BMAD)
• B.Sc. Animation & Gaming
• Bachelor of Science in Animation Game Design and Development
• Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) – Computer Science and Game Development
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Animation & Computer Graphics
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Digital Filmmaking & Animation
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Graphics, Animation & Gaming

Master Courses

• Integrated M.Sc. in Multimedia & Animation with Game Art & Design
• M.Sc. in Gaming
• Master of Science (M.Sc) in Game Design and Development
• Master of Science (M.Sc) in Multimedia and Animation

Not sure what to do after 12th 

You may also check: Learn trending courses After 12th Science

Educational Requirements

For admissions in diploma courses, you must have cleared 10+2 or equivalent exam with any stream from any recognized board. Some colleges prefer minimum 60% marks criteria for providing admissions in diploma courses.

If you are seeking for admission in certificate courses, you should have passed 10^th standard from any recognized board.

Students who have successfully completed higher secondary/ 12^th class from any recognized board are eligible to apply for undergraduate courses.

Some of the technical courses like B.Sc, B.Tech require candidates to pass 10+2 with PCM subjects.

For admission in postgraduate courses, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in the related discipline or branch.

Admission Process

For admission in game design or gaming courses, firstly you have to meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by the institution or college where you are seeking for admission.

The admission in the diploma or undergraduate course is done on the basis of entrance exams conducted at national or university level. Some of the popular exams are CUET UG and JEE Main.

Some private colleges or universities offer admission to students on the basis of merit list of qualifying exam.

Top Colleges in India

Some best colleges to pursue courses in this field are:

• VIT University, Vellore – B.Tech in Gaming Technology
• UPES, Dehradun – B.Tech CSE in Graphics and Gaming
• Galgotias University – B.Tech in Gaming Technology
• MIT Institute of Design, Pune – B.Des in Game Design
• IIFA Multimedia, Bangalore – Diploma in Game Art & Design
• MAAC (Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics) – Game Development & Animation Courses
• Arena Animation – Certificate & Diploma in Game Development
• Bharti Vidyapeeth University, Pune
• Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematic (MAAC), Mumbai
• Zee Institute of Creative Arts, Bangalore
• iPixio Animation College, Bangalore
• Animaster Academy – College for excellence in Animation, Bangalore
• Academy of Animation and Gaming, Noida

Career & Jobs

“Gaming is an exciting and a fun career with lots of job opportunities”.

Candidates passionate about gaming have numerous job opportunities available both in India and abroad. Over the last decade, India has emerged as a hub for game development and animation services, offering highly competitive rates compared to other outsourcing regions.

Candidates can work with Game development companies, media houses, VFX studious, esports organizations/ teams and also as a freelancer or content creator with various popular streaming platforms like Youtube, Twitch, Discord etc.

Profesionals with skills in designing and game development are hired by mobile and cloud gaming companies like Tencent Games, Gameloft, Zynga, Oculus (Meta) etc.

Benefits of Gaming Courses:

These courses can be beneficial for those who are seeking a career in the field of gaming like:

• You can also work as a video game designer, board game designer, independent game developer and many others.
• Gaming courses make you more marketable to employers as they need candidates with a good knowledge of current gaming technologies.

Job Profiles

Some of the popular job profiles for game developers are:

• Game Designer
• Character Animator
• Art Designer
• Freelance Game Developer
• Script Writer
• Game Tester
• Game Modeller
• Level Designer
• Game Quality Assurance Tester
• Interactive Media Designer
• Gameplay Programmer
• Art Designer
• Level Scripter

Top Recruiters

• Microsoft Xbox Game Studios
• Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Bandai Namco
• Supercell
• Tencent Games
• Gameloft
• Zynga
• Supercell
• Google Stadia
• Nazara Technologies

Salary

“This field rewards young and creative professionals with high salary packages”.

In India, the average salary of a video game designer is around Rs. 7 to 10 lakhs per annum depending on the working organization, experience and skills.

A video game designer in the USA, could earn an average salary in the range $80-100k per annum.

The top 1 percent of the Game designer, developer and streamer make an average of more than $100k per annum.

Books & Study Materials

Here we have listed some best books which will help you throughout your studies:

• Artificial Intelligence for Games by Ian Millington and John Funge
• The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell
• Level Up!: The Guide To Great Video Game Design by Scot Rogers
• Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory
• Game Theory: An Introduction by Steve Tadelis

For further queries related to Career In Gaming, feel free to ask us by commenting below.