Computer Games Designer

Computer games designers devise new computer games and define the way the game is played and the ‘game experience’. They develop:

• the rules of the game
• the setting
• story and characters
• props, such as weapons and vehicles
• different ways the game may be played.

It is part of their job to convince other members of the team to develop a game. They work with programmers, artists, animators, producers and audio engineers to turn their original vision into a working game.

Games designers work around 35 hours a week, but they may need to work longer hours as deadlines approach. They work in offices and spend long periods sitting at a desk using a computer or attending meetings.

Salaries may range from around €24,000 to €70,000 a year.

A computer games designer should:

• be creative, imaginative and original
• know a number of software packages
• understand the market and target audience for computer games
• have problem-solving skills
• enjoy IT and playing computer games.

Ireland is a significant player within the gaming industry and is home to some of the top gaming companies in the world such as Blizzard Activision, Zynga and Sony Computer Entertainment, as well as home grown gaming companies such as DIGIT and Demonware.

There are no set requirements, but most games designers are graduates. Most degree subjects are acceptable. Employers look for people with previous experience in the games industry – for instance as a games tester – and strong portfolios of relevant work