How much do game designers make?

How Much Do Video Game Designers Make a Year?

• Answer:

  Video game design holds a great deal of appeal for fans who dream of one day creating the very games they play on their computers. Designers develop the graphics for games, write the coding that creates it, and flesh out the storyline and characters that the players experience when they boot it up. For those with a passion for the medium, it can be an extremely rewarding position. General Designers Basic video game designers come up with the concepts for specific games, flesh out game play, and detail the obstacles and challenges the players will face along the way. General designers receive salaries ranging from $46,000 per year to $70,000 per year according to Animation Arena. Lead designers enjoy a boost in salary from around $80,000 per year to about $180,000 per year. Artists Video game artists include both concept artists, who create pen-and-ink drawings that inspire the other designers, and animators, who bring the 3D models to life on the computer screen. They provide a game with its sense of atmosphere and the physical "look" that gamers see. Rookies in the business with just a few years' worth of experience can expect to earn from between $40,000 to $45,000 a year, according to Animation Arena. Those salaries can jump to $60,000 or more the more experienced you are, and lead artist salaries top out in the $200,000 range. Programmers Programmers develop the graphics engines, the coding required to make the gaming world function (for instance, by telling enemies when to shoot at you and when to duck), and the various interfaces necessary for the game's universe to function. Like most jobs, salary depends on experience and on the particular company who has hired you. First-year programmers make about $50,000 a year, which goes up to about $88,000 a year after six years of experience, according to Animation Arena. Lead programmers and technical directors, who oversee groups of programmers, can expect to make more--anywhere from $55,000 a year to almost $200,000, depending upon the company. Producers Video game producers oversee entire chunks of the creation process. They are expected to keep the designers on task and ensure that the project doesn't run over budget. They often oversee numerous different departments, and must be familiar with the workings of every part of the process when attempting to address any problems or issues which arise. Producers start off at about $60,000 per year according to Animation Arena, and can advance as high as $200,000 a year if they accumulate enough experience.