Jobs for gamers are in high demand. The video game industry needs professionals who can design and develop new video games for consoles, mobile phones, and desktop computers. Dedicated gaming enthusiasts and experts can benefit from this demand and put their skills to use by applying for different gaming jobs.
Continue reading to find out about the best jobs for gamers and the top companies that hire gamers. We’ll also provide you with tips to help you get started with a successful career in the video game industry.
What Is a Gamer?
A gamer is anyone who has a passion for video games. A hardcore gamer differs from a casual gamer in that they typically play more hours per day and develop a higher skill level. The in-depth knowledge serious gamers acquire can help them find the best jobs for gamers.
Who Are the Highest-Paid Gamers?
Top-paid gamers can earn a lucrative salary through tournaments, video game streaming, and sponsorship deals. The highest-paid gamers take part in the world’s biggest gaming tournaments, such as the Fortnite World Cup, The International, and the League of Legends World Championship.
The prize pool for these tournaments can go as high as 40 million dollars, meaning the highest-paid professional gamer can make millions of dollars every year. Continue reading for more information on some of the highest-paid pro gamers.
- Johan Sundstein. Going by the username “N0tail”, Johan Sundstein has earned more than seven million dollars in his 12 years as a professional gamer. This Danish gamer started playing Dota 2 at the age of 15, and he earned over $7,000 from Dota 2 by the time he was 17. In 2019, he won over three million dollars at The International 2019 with the Dota 2 team, OG.
- Jesse Vainikka. Jesse Vainikka is a Finnish Dota 2 player, with the username “JerAx”. Jesse Vainikka has been a competitive gamer for nine years, and in that time has earned nearly six and a half million dollars. Jesse is also part of the OG team.
- Anatha Pham. With the username “ana”, this Australian professional gamer is also a Dota 2 player. Anatha has only been gaming competitively for five years, and in that time she has already earned six million dollars. She earned her first prize money at the age of 16, making $33,297 from Dota 2. Like Johan Sundstein and Jesse Vainikka, Anatha is also part of the OG team.
What Jobs Are Available to Gamers?
The video game industry generates millions of dollars every year and offers opportunities to work on either the technical or creative side of game development. Depending on the particular company and your interests, there are plenty of jobs for gamers in the industry.
Some of the more creative jobs include video game designers, animators, and artists. Other jobs in gaming are more technical, such as software developers, market research analysts, quality assurance testers, and video game developers.
What Careers Are in the Gaming Industry?
There are a variety of careers in the gaming industry, ranging from creative to technical game careers. If you are interested in creative video game careers, there are several options. Video game designers come up with new ideas for games and work on the design features of a game throughout the entire process. This is one of the most sought-after careers in gaming.
Another creative career in gaming is content writing. Content writers work for gaming organizations and companies to help inform readers about upcoming video game projects. Content writers use a variety of resources from fun blog posts to formal policy papers to inform, educate, and engage these readers.
Technical video gaming careers, such as developers, content managers, and software engineers will rely on skills such as coding and detailed research. However, these jobs also require you to have a creative outlook and mind.
For example, a video game developer will work closely with designers to not only come up with design ideas for video games but to write code and develop these ideas. Similarly, graphic designers must have specific technical schools and be able to use a variety of graphic design tools. But graphic design is also a creative job by nature.
Some video game careers are purely technical based, such as IT project managers and digital media content managers. These jobs can be found across a variety of industries and require technical knowledge as well as soft skills suitable for managerial roles.
Companies That Hire Gamers
Professional gamers can find a variety of jobs at gaming companies. These companies range from global multi-million corporations to independent game studios. Here are some of the best jobs for gamers at top-rated companies:
- Epic Games. This American company is a leader in 3D engine technology. Epic Games developed Fortnite, as well as Unreal Tournament and Gears of War.
- Nintendo of America. Nintendo is a Japanese-based company that develops specialized software and hardware for video games and card games. This company produces video game consoles, and some of its most famous games are Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, and The Legend of Zelda.
- Electronic Arts. This company distributes and develops video games. One of its subsidiaries, EA Sports, is responsible for the popular FIFA and Madden NFL game franchises. Other franchises include Need for Speed and The Sims.
- Sony. This Japanese company has produced five consoles since 1994, the most famous being the PlayStation 2. Sony develops some of the best video games in the world and it is considered one of the best video games companies to work for.
- Lionbridge. This US company offers game localization and translation technology services for major brands through its global communications platform using machine intelligence.
Top Highest-Paying Gaming Jobs: 10 Best Jobs for Gamers
| Job Title | Average Salary | Top 10% Salary |
| Game Designer | $130,000 | $400,000 |
| Quality Assurance Tester | $110,140 | $170,100 |
| Game Developer | $101,644 | $167,000 |
| Programmer | $93,000 | $146,050 |
| Video Game Producer | $69,226 | $117,000 |
| Game Artist | $69,194 | $143,000 |
| Game Tester | $63,676 | $113,999 |
| Audio Engineer | $51,774 | $94,499 |
| Game Animator | $51,259 | $103,500 |
| Professional Gamer | $41,300 | $51,000 |
The best jobs for gamers offer a high starting salary and flexible career opportunities. The duties vary from role to role, but if you’re a serious gamer, there are several high-paying jobs for gamers that will appeal to you. Read on to discover more detailed descriptions of these gaming jobs.
Game Designer
Video game designers develop the plots, scenarios, and characters of a video game. Game designer jobs come with a lot of responsibilities and collaboration. Game designers must work with a team of designers and developers who are responsible for bringing the game to life. Designers must possess knowledge of the game production process and video game systems.
Designing the visual aspects of a video game is one of the top priorities of a video game designer. This makes the game design industry a highly lucrative career option. Video game design salaries are some of the best in the industry with the top earners bringing home $400,000 a year.
Game designer salary: $130,000
Quality Assurance Tester
Quality assurance testers play games like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite, to find errors before they are released to the public. They identify problems and report bugs to the development team. These bugs may include glitches in the code, visual bugs, or inconsistencies in gameplay. If you are looking for game QA tester jobs, you need expert coding, technical, and soft skills. Furthermore, a professional technical portfolio is a must.
You can enroll in a bootcamp and easily land entry-level video game QA tester jobs. However, if you want more lucrative work, such as upper-level quality assurance game tester jobs, you should consider a Bachelor’s Degree in Quality Assurance.
Quality assurance tester salary: $110,140
Game Developer
Video game developers use different programming languages to write the code behind video games. The code has to be optimized for consoles, PCs, or mobile devices. Jobs in game development require creative and technical skillsets as developers must work with the design team and use their problem-solving skills to turn ideas into reality.
Your video game developer salary may depend on a number of factors such as location, years of experience, and education. The top 10 percent of game developers can earn $167,000 per year.
Game developer salary: $101,644
Programmer
Video game programmer jobs require an expert level of coding knowledge. Programmers help ensure a seamless gaming experience across consoles, smartphones, and mobile devices. They make sure that objects within the game interact properly with each other and iron out any bugs found by quality assurance testers.
Coding bootcamps are an ideal way for gamers to earn a high video game programmer salary. Bootcamps offer short intensive programs that teach in-demand skills, vital for the competitive video game industry. There are a variety of free coding bootcamps available to gamers interested in this career path.
Programmer salary: $93,000
Video Game Producer
Producers are the link between game developers and company executives. Therefore, video game producer jobs are a vital cog in the gaming industry. They are in charge of the administrative side of a video game release. Producers create budgets, schedule meetings, and ensure the game is released on schedule. Video game producers must have strong communication skills.
While the top earners can get a six-figure income, the average video game producer salary is not as high as the more technical jobs in the gaming industry. However, video game producer jobs are available to people with degrees in a wide range of subjects, such as business, computer science, design, or digital media.
Video game producer salary: $69,226
Game Artist
Game artist jobs focus on the aesthetics, game art, character design, and visual style of video games. A technical artist creates memorable characters, environments, and objects using various techniques such as freehand drawing. Some video game artist jobs also involve designing the game’s promotional material, manuals, and packaging, as well as creating the games’ concept art during the development phase.
Game artist salary: $69,194
Game Tester
Game tester jobs are often used by gamers as an entry point into the gaming industry. Game testers must play video games with close attention to detail, testing games for bugs and reporting them to the design and development team. Game testing jobs also require testers to ensure that game instructions and tutorials are clear and sensible. If you have a passion for gaming, this is the ideal job for you.
Game tester salary: $63,676
Audio Engineer
Audio engineers look after the sound design of video games. This includes creating sound effects, ambient noise, voiceovers, and background music. Video game audio engineer jobs require creativity, technical skills, and audio experience. Audio engineers must not only create the required sounds for the games, but they should also have the correct training to record, edit, and mix these sounds into the game.
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Audio engineer salary: $51,774
Game Animator
Game animators bring physical components such as characters, scenery, surface textures, and objects to life by creating visuals and producing special effects. Their goal is to create digitally realistic graphics with physics that appear natural to bring games to life.
Depending on the company they work for and the content they produce, game animator jobs may be divided into 3D game animator jobs and 2D game animator jobs. This allows animators to focus on their preferred area of specialization.
Game animator salary: $51,259
Professional Gamer
Professional video gamers compete in tournaments for cash prizes. While tournament prizes can be lucrative, professional gamer jobs are often short-lived careers, so it’s best to diversify your options and develop technical skills as well as playing skills. Furthermore, only a very small percentage of professional gamers compete at the highest level which makes it an extremely difficult career to depend on and sustain.
Professional gamer salary: $41,300
Jobs for Gamers Without Degree
| Job Title | Average Salary | Top 10% Salary |
| Computer Support Specialist | $57,910 | $102,419 |
| Gaming Community Manager | $55,807 | $83,512 |
| Video Game Streamer | $54,091 | $137,500 |
| Game Journalist | $48,370 | $120,590 |
| Sales Representative | $29,180 | $55,940 |
While the best jobs for gamers may require a degree, there are plenty of gaming jobs available without a degree. For example, resources such as free bootcamps and online tutorial videos can help you learn the fundamentals of coding. Gamers can also use learned knowledge from gaming to start a career without the need for a degree. Continue reading for details on the best jobs for gamers without a degree.
Computer Support Specialist
Computer support specialist jobs are ideal for gamers. Depending on your role, you may deal directly with users or maintain a company’s computer networks. Responsibilities include analyzing and troubleshooting network problems, network support, and setting up computer systems. This is an ideal job for gamers who have built their own computers and are experienced with computer networking.
Computer support specialist salary: $57,910
Game Community Manager
Game community manager jobs are ideal for gamers without a degree, as they require knowledge of the video game industry and good networking skills. Game community managers attend events, look after social media, and set up live streams to develop the community around a video game. If you stream video games, then transitioning into a game community manager role would be an ideal way to increase your earnings.
Game community manager salary: $55,807
Video Game Streamer
Streaming jobs are becoming more common with the advancement of technology. All you need is a high-speed internet connection and a computer to start streaming. As a gamer, you can easily use streaming services such as Twitch and YouTube to set up free accounts and stream your video game sessions.
While it is possible to make a good career as a video game streamer, it requires time and effort. You will need to spend a lot of time building a fanbase and developing a certain number of subscribers before you start making money. However, this is one of the best jobs for gamers who have other commitments and want to make some additional income by simply playing their games.
Video game streamer: $54,091
Game Journalist
Experienced gamers will have in-depth knowledge of video games. Some gamers may also have a strong network and social media presence. Pursuing game journalist jobs is an ideal way to turn this knowledge into a lucrative career.
Gamers can use their game experience to start a blog to review and critique video games and the industry. Alternatively, they can apply to established gaming journals and magazines as technical writers.
Game journalist salary: $48,370
Sales Representative
Sales representative jobs are easy to get without a degree. As a gamer, you can look for sales jobs in a video game store. Being an experienced gamer will give you the knowledge needed to help customers choose the right video game or console and help them troubleshoot any issues they may face.
Sales representative salary: $29,180
Tips for Finding Success as a Gamer
The best jobs for gamers allow you to work in a field related to your favorite hobby. If you want to find success as a gamer, you should consider the tips that we present below. If you do follow these tips, you’ll put yourself in a good position to land a job at a video game company.
- Be creative. Creativity is fundamental in the video game industry. You need to have critical thinking skills and an open mind to solve problems you may face in the development cycle of a game. Most jobs for gamers will require working with or being part of a creative team.
- Stay updated. Keeping up to date with new console or gaming platform releases will help you stay on the cutting edge of the industry and gain practice with the latest technologies.
- Industry trends. Stay up to date on the latest industry trends to predict any shifts in the industry. This will put you in a position to succeed by giving you a head start.
- Networking. Connect to a professional network in the gaming industry. It always helps to know people in the industry as you try to find a job.
- Keep learning. Always keep learning. Researching games and the technical processes behind them will help improve your playing skills and your game development skills.
Jobs for Gamers Outlook
The video game industry is growing continuously. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that arts and design careers will grow by four percent between 2020 and 2030. That is why we can assure you that this is an industry that you should not hesitate to join.
If you are interested in finding the best jobs for gamers, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t pursue one of them. There is a wide variety of games jobs to consider from game design to game development to game marketing.
Best Jobs for Gamers FAQ
Video gamers make an average of $56,464 per year, according to Glassdoor. Gamers can use streaming services such as Twitch and YouTube to make money as a gamer. They can also win prize money at tournaments or acquire sponsorship if they have enough popularity.
Yes, the gaming industry has become a highly lucrative industry, so developing a career in this industry is a good option if you feel a special interest in video games and want to study something related, such as designing or programming. Furthermore, there are a number of different types of jobs available to gamers.
Dedicated gamers make money by winning video game tournaments, getting sponsorships from companies or individuals, hosting live streams on different platforms, and making on-demand videos. Of course, they can also pursue one of the best jobs for gamers mentioned above.
Yes, the gaming industry pays quite well compared to other industries. The highest-paying video game jobs are designers, quality assurance testers, and developers. They earn between $101,000 and $130,000 per year.
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