Online Game Design Degrees: How to Get Into the Game
Posted by Dan on June 4th, 2009
Let me start by asking a question. What current entertainment industry is poised to grow to a 65 billion dollar business by 2012? If you said, “movies”, you would be wrong. It is not digital music downloads either. It’s video games. Video games have come a long way since PONG, introduced the world to digital entertainment. Video games are big business all around the world. Led by the ultra successful, Nintendo Wii, video games now serve as the leading source of home entertainment for more than 50 million people worldwide.
In the troubling economic environment, video games have continued to grow in revenue despite some games costing more than $70! As the industry continues to grow, game development companies will look to grow their employee base. Earning your online game design degree from an accredited college today can lead to a very rewarding and lucrative career in the near future for this industry. Named by Yahoo!, as one of the fastest and most secure jobs in America, game design, is becoming one of the hottest college degrees across the US. Cracking into the game industry is often the most difficult step in this career process. Many of today’s top game designers will admit to starting on the bottom as a game tester. We feel this is a tremendous first step into understanding if a career in video games suits you. Working in the game industry demands time and dedication from all of its members. Often work weeks will exceed 60 hours and weekend hours are typically mandatory near the final stages of game development. Due to the demanding schedule, continuing your education at a traditional college setting would be almost impossible. Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Game Design from Westwood College Online while continuing to work as a game tester or intern, is a fantastic opportunity to achieve the education requirements necessary for landing a position in game design. The flexiblity of an online game design degree allows students to attend classroom lectures, read assignments, and complete college projects at their own pace. An online degree program is a perfect compliment to a working adult’s hectic schedule.
While working in the game industry can be intimidating due to its erratic schedule and demanding nature, the rewards are well worth the sacrifices. Game designers salary often start at $70,000, which is almost $15,000 more than the average bachelor’s degree starting salary nationwide. Talented and motivated game designers can establish a respected name for themselves within a company and the gaming audience. When this occurs, salary’s easily pass into the 6 digit range. Game designers also benefit from the commercial success of their products. Video game companies often provide incentive bonuses to all members of the team based on the number of copies a game sells and how well it is received by the gaming public.
By enrolling in an online game design program, students prepare themselves for a growing career field that shows no signs of slowing down. If you are creative, motivated, talented, and dedicated, a career in game design may provide a lifetime of career and creative successes.
