Video Game Design Is No Longer Child's Play
What's more, this $12.5 billion only represents the U.S. China, Korea, Japan, and Western Europe also offer booming markets for those looking for a video game design job.
Explaining the Growth in Video Game Design
Consoles like the new Sony Play Station 3 (which sold nearly 500,000 units in December) help explain the recent surge in gaming activity, but they only provide a piece of the puzzle. We must turn to online gaming to complete the picture.Take the popular subscription-based game World of Warcraft. It currently has a whopping 8 million subscribers (3 million in China alone) who pay roughly $5-$15 a month. This alone accounts for roughly $1 billion in yearly subscription fees. And remember that only a small portion of the world has broadband access. As high-speed internet becomes more pervasive, you can expect the gaming industry to spread its reach into even more homes around the world.
Pursing a Video Game Design Job
Now that you understand how lucrative a video game design job can be, it's time to explore the steps you need to take in order to secure employment. And �no,� extensive gaming experience in your parent's basement won't cut it. Today's games involve such sophisticated graphics, stories, characters, and special effects, you'll definitely need formal schooling.Fortunately, you can earn a video game design degree in a relatively short amount of time if you apply yourself and stick with it. An associate degree is often sufficient, but for long-term career growth, a bachelor or higher is recommended. Some schools actually provide degrees in video game design, while others offer computer science training with video game specialties.
Just think� in a matter of months, you can prove your mom, high school guidance counselor, and gym coach 100% wrong about the career potential of video games.
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