Game development: a fulfilling, lucrative profession

Two decades ago, the fickle nature of success in the entertainment industry made it difficult to seek and sustain a career. Careers in the mainstream entertainment industry in India still had a wider scope of opportunities. However, working full-time in gaming was for those willing to gamble on the unknown and not surprisingly, viewed with suspicion.

Back then, India had a handful of companies attempting to brave it in the world of game development. Revenues were minuscule, future outcomes were uncertain, and what a ‘job’ in this industry meant was undefined.

Today, the online gaming industry in India is witnessing incredible growth rates. Estimated at USD 1.89 billion in 2020, the market is expected to reach USD 4.01 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 16.22%

In comparison, the global gaming industry was valued at USD 173.7 billion in 2020 and expected to reach a value of USD 314.4 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 9.64%.

This higher rate of growth, in addition to a potentially huge Indian market, shows that gaming in India is off to a solid start.

At its heart, building a game is about building fun. Irrespective of what role one plays in a team, the core objective is about creating an immersive and engaging experience for the game player.

There is no better way to deconstruct fun than by experiencing it. It is little surprise then that playing a lot of games in this career is not only encouraged but also considered more of a requirement. It is this experience that game developers strive to replicate in their games.

Creativity and persistence to overcome challenges are needed to maintain uniqueness in your game while connecting to what game players want. Much like proficiency in sport or on a musical instrument, the journey of building good games starts with discipline and practice. Constant practice unlocks creative potential and instinct to craft experiences that reach out to huge audiences.

So, what are the avenues available to get into game development?

Building a good game requires a multifaceted team.

Depending on the type of game, a team may need engineers for building and managing backend and frontend, artists, modelers, and animators to create art, game designers to design worlds and gameplay, UX designers to create an immersive experience, product managers and analysts to analyse player behaviour and devise strategies, producers and QA to manage the team, represent players and to uphold the quality of the game.

Though certain disciplines like engineering and art benefit from a background in software engineering and fine art, prior academic exposure to game development is not a requirement for getting into gaming.

The industry has historically embraced people from all walks of life. Skills can be acquired, but passion and a genuine love for creating games are difficult to cultivate. If you are serious about games, then gaming can be a serious career option for you.

(The author is a general manager at a leading Indian game development company)