Why Studying Game Design is (Largely) a Waste of Time

Presumably, it’s not enough to just get a job as a video game designer. You probably want to be a successful game developer. 

Maybe you even climb to the point where you’re directing your own eager minions what game we’re all making. To ascend to the rarefied summits of game design, you figure you’d better have the right skills. Naturally then, you want to study all the game design theory you can lay your hands on, right?

Wrong – because overall success in game development relies on skills outside of game design.

Leveling Up as a Video Game Designer, Part I

Even if you don’t have ruthless Gordon Gecko-esque ambition, you probably want to get ahead in your game designer job – or at least get a pay raise.

But if you want to get ahead as a video game designer, you need to understand the expectation for a professional at different levels. A wise man once said, fake it until you make it. But you can’t fake it until you know what “it” actually is. Part I of this series explores the expectations around different seniority levels for a video game designer.

How to Get a Game Designer Job Today

It's the first question every would-be game developer asks - how do I break in and get that game designer job?

Is the secret going to the right video game design schools? Hobnobbing at industry networking events? Getting incriminating photos of the Creative Director from his holiday in Thailand?

Well, all those methods can work. But if I'm the guy sitting on the other side of the hiring desk, I'll tell you exactly how you stand out from the crowd and get my attention.