Games Design

Graduates of our Games Design course are well-prepared for a variety of roles within the video game industry. Below are some potential career paths and average starting salaries in the UK:

1. Game Designer: Create the concepts, rules, characters, and overall design of video games, ensuring the game is fun, balanced, and engaging. Average Starting Salary: £25,000-£35,000.
2. Level Designer: Design and create the levels or stages within a game, focussing on player experience, challenge, and story progression. Average Starting Salary: £23,000 - £35,000
3. Gameplay Programmer: Implement game mechanics, physics, and other gameplay features through coding, ensuring smooth gameplay and functionality. Average Starting Salary: £30,000 - £40,000
4. 3D Artist: Design and create 3D models, environments, characters, and assets for video games, ensuring visual consistency and quality. Average Starting Salary: £22,000-£35,000.
5. User Interface (UI) Designer: Design the game’s interface and menus to ensure a seamless, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing user experience. Average Starting Salary: £25,000 - £38,000
6. Narrative Designer: Develop the storyline, dialogue, and character arcs for games, working closely with writers and designers to create compelling game narratives. Average Starting Salary: £24,000-£35,000.
7. QA (Quality Assurance) Tester: Test games during development to identify bugs, glitches, and gameplay issues, ensuring a polished final product. Average Starting Salary: £20,000 - £30,000
8. Game Producer: Manage the game development process, coordinating teams, schedules, and budgets to ensure successful delivery of the game on time and within budget. Average Starting Salary: £35,000 - £50,000
9. VR/AR Developer: Design and develop virtual and augmented reality experiences for games, using the latest technologies to create immersive environments. Average Starting Salary: £30,000 - £45,000
10. Indie Game Developer: Create independent games from concept to completion, often working on smaller teams and exploring creative freedom. Salary: variable, depending on the success and sales of the games produced.

The salaries mentioned represent an industry estimate and are just the starting salaries, which can grow exponentially based on experience, skillset, and industry. 

1. Creative Freedom Games design allows you to express your creativity by building worlds, characters, and stories that engage and entertain players.
2. High Demand for Game Designers The gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors globally, and there is increasing demand for skilled game designers, developers, and artists. 
3. Strong Earning Potential Careers in the gaming industry, particularly in roles such as game design, programming, and production, offer competitive salaries. 
4. Diverse Career Paths The skills you gain in game design are transferable across various industries, including animation, film, virtual reality, and education.
5. Hands-On Learning and Collaboration Game design programmes emphasise practical learning, where you’ll work on real-world projects and collaborate with other students to develop games. 
6. Cutting-Edge Technology The gaming industry is at the forefront of technological innovation, and by studying games design, you’ll gain expertise in the latest software, engines, and tools such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and 3D modelling programmes. Staying updated with these technologies gives you a competitive edge in the industry.
7. Global Industry The video game industry is a global market, with opportunities to work for companies around the world. 
8. Opportunity for Entrepreneurship If you dream of creating your own games, studying game design gives you the knowledge and skills to start your own indie game studio or freelance as a designer or developer. 
9. Blending Creativity and Technology Games design is a unique field that blends artistic creativity with technical proficiency. 
10. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Game design requires you to think critically and solve complex problems, whether it’s optimising gameplay mechanics or debugging code. 
11. Building a PortfolioThroughout your studies, you’ll create a portfolio of game projects, showcasing your skills in design, programming, and art. 
12. Innovation and CreativityThe gaming industry is constantly evolving with new trends, platforms, and technologies. 
13. Contribution to Entertainment and Culture Games are a major part of modern entertainment and culture, and as a game designer, you’ll have the chance to contribute to an industry that entertains, educates, and engages millions of people worldwide.