Occupations/15-1255.01
Video Game Designers
Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.
Usually a four-year bachelor’s degree.
AI automation risk
61%
Mixed exposure
Human characteristics
55%
Balanced human and task mix
Task orientation
55%
Mixed exposure
A day in this job
- Task
Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
- Task
Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
- Task
Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
These are core tasks from O*NET. The wording didn’t clearly split routine from human, so they are listed without that label.
Core tasks
- 01Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
- 02Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
- 03Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
- 04Solicit, obtain, and integrate feedback from design and technical staff into original game design.
- 05Conduct regular design reviews throughout the game development process.
- 06Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks3.40
- Degree of automation1.79
- Time sitting4.84
- Originality (ability)4.00
- Conflict situations2.80
- Hands-on objects/tools3.85
- Outdoors / weather1.15
- Disease exposure1.00
- Decision freedom3.95
Top abilities
- Fluency of Ideas4.12
- Written Comprehension4.00
- Originality4.00
- Near Vision4.00
- Written Expression3.88
- Oral Comprehension3.88
- Information Ordering3.88
- Problem Sensitivity3.75
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension3.75
- Active Listening3.88
- Writing3.25
- Speaking3.12
- Mathematics2.88
- Science1.38
- Critical Thinking3.75
- Active Learning3.50
- Learning Strategies2.88
- Monitoring3.12
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 93 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stanford University Stanford, CA · Private nonprofit | Computer Science 11.0701 | $62,400 | 4% | 96% | 1 yr $147,858 2 yr $136,499 Bachelor's · CIP 11.07 |
University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA · Public | Computer and Information Sciences, General 11.0101 | $15,200 | 24% | 87% | 1 yr $109,429 2 yr $110,878 Bachelor's · CIP 11.01 |
University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA · Public | Computer and Information Sciences, General 11.0101 | $14,800 | 11% | 93% | 1 yr $109,392 2 yr $120,462 Bachelor's · CIP 11.01 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI · Public | Computer and Information Sciences, General 11.0101 | $17,700 | 18% | 93% | 1 yr $101,903 2 yr $94,281 Bachelor's · CIP 11.01 |
University of St Thomas St. Paul, MN · Private nonprofit | Computer and Information Sciences, General 11.0101 | $50,200 | 77% | 82% | 1 yr $84,021 2 yr $88,527 Master's · CIP 11.01 |
St Olaf College Northfield, MN · Private nonprofit | Computer Science 11.0701 | $56,400 | 56% | 88% | 1 yr $76,930 2 yr $76,460 Bachelor's · CIP 11.07 |
Carleton College Northfield, MN · Private nonprofit | Computer Science 11.0701 | $65,400 | 17% | 94% | 1 yr $74,576 2 yr $76,460 Bachelor's · CIP 11.07 |
Macalester College St. Paul, MN · Private nonprofit | Computer and Information Sciences, General 11.0101 | $64,700 | 28% | 92% | 1 yr $71,015 2 yr $71,575 Bachelor's · CIP 11.01 |
Northeastern University Boston, MA · Private nonprofit | Information Science/Studies 11.0401 | $63,200 | 7% | 91% | 1 yr $71,015 2 yr $76,460 Bachelor's · CIP 11.04 |
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA · Public | Computer and Information Sciences, General 11.0101 | $15,200 | 57% | 86% | 1 yr $70,942 2 yr $68,104 Bachelor's · CIP 11.01 |
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public | Computer and Information Sciences, General 11.0101 | $10,000 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $70,806 2 yr $68,499 Bachelor's · CIP 11.01 |
St Catherine University St. Paul, MN · Private nonprofit | Computer Science 11.0701 | $47,500 | 76% | 71% | 1 yr $68,666 2 yr $68,778 Bachelor's · CIP 11.07 |