As you begin embarking on your pursuits for higher education, what majors have you
considered? Business? Accounting? Computers? Or how about more complex fields such as
law or medicine which require additional years of schooling? 

Well, if you have a passion for these things then you should go where your heart leads
you. But if you're taking these types of majors simply because it seems like the right
thing to do, perhaps you should consider a different course of action: majoring in
something you TRULY enjoy... something you could do hours on end without feeling like you
are working at all. And if you are like many people, this 'something' would be playing
video games. 

That's right! You can actually get a job creating and/or playing video games. Below is a
list of some of the careers available for those with a video game degree. 

1) Video Game Tester 

This is a position in which you truly would get paid for playing video games. According
to Doug Doine, a game tester for Electronic Arts, as a game tester you would "go over
different components of a game and look for things that just don't make sense." You would
also "break the game," meaning you would "do things a normal user would do and
inadvertently see something go wrong." 

Doug Doine further adds that video game testing is a good place to start for young people
who want to "break into the industry." To get such a position in it is best to have a
"passion for gaming" and some educational background. Doug himself has a degree. 

2) Programmer 

According to Gameinformer Magazine, video game programmers are the "heart and soul" of the
industry. They are the ones responsible for creating the code necessary for getting video
games to function. And contrary to popular belief, their jobs aren't always easy. Video
game programming often involves creating complex functions and algorithms often times more
challenging than programs created in Corporate America. Thus a talent for mathematics
along with a more analytically-inclined brain are absolute essentials. 

Indeed, game programming may not be the appropriate course for everyone seeking a video
game career, but if you were deciding to go into the computer field anyway, which job
would be more enjoyable... coding the next Halo, or working on a boring, hum-drum piece of
no-name software? 

3) Animator 

Animators are responsible for coordinating the movement of video game characters. 
Accomplishing requires more than drawing something on a piece of paper, which according to
Alex Drouin, an established game animator, occurs after a lot of "brainstorming, chilling,
playing, planning and testing" with the programmer. But when the busy work is done, the
video game animator will finally get a chance to do what he or she does best... animate. 
Alex Drouin says the thing he liked best about his job was "being able to come |there|
late in the morning, sit behind |his| computer, put on a great CD, and then create crazy
animation that will end up in a game that will be seen all around the world by gamers." 
Now, wouldn't it be nice if you could get a job like that? With a video game degree it is
certainly possible! 

4) Sound Designer 

Sound designers are responsible for creating the music and sound effects of video games. 
Video game music is created either from digital sources or real-life orchestration. As
video game consoles become more advanced, many sound designers favor the latter when
deciding on what type of music they want in the games they are working on. Creating
appropriate sound effects, on the other hand, sometimes requires more creative
experimentation. 

To be successful at video game sound designing it is best to: 1) have an interest in both
music and sound, 2) possess knowledge of recording technology and 3) be familiar with the
types of music and sound used in today's most popular video games. A video game degree
will help develop these talents and skills. 

5) According to Gameinformer Magazine, a producer "functions as the glue that holds a
development team together, seeing to a variety of organizational tasks ranging from
budgeting and planning to input on the direction of the game itself." 

A good producer must possess superior management and accounting skills. This is because
not only does a producer have to work with people on a regular basis trying to get them to
meet deadlines, but they are also responsible for the budget of the video game project. 
Not knowing how to best spend money, (a skill acquired through accounting and economics),
could result in financial failure. 

Indeed, producers have a lot on their shoulders, but it is still a suitable option for
non-technical persons who desire to get into the game industry. 

6) Game Designer 

Video game designers are responsible for creating the 'experience' of a particular game. 
Evan Wells, a video game designer, sums it up by saying "the main tasks of the designer is
to make sure the game is fun." 

Wells further adds that game designers are responsible for macro and micro level design. 
Macro level design involves "figuring out the core mechanics of the game; the variety of
level looks, power-ups, etc." Micro-design involves creating the "actual levels and the
moment-to-moment gameplay within those levels... the enemies, the objects, and the
particular way you encounter those enemies and objects." 

Good game designers should obviously have an interest in video games along with some
drawing and programming skills. 

7) PR Manager 

If you would like to explore the marketing side of the video game industry, then consider
becoming a PR manager. PR managers are responsible for promoting video games. And
according to Natalie Salmon, a PR manager for Midway, part of this process involves
"learning about the game that is going to be announced." So this boils down at some point
having to play the video game. Isn't that what you wanted to do anyway? 

8) Fields not relating to video games 

Each of the career paths discussed above are fields that are not limited to the video game
industry. If you decide that you don't want to use your video game degree to find a job
related to video games, you can always use it to market yourself for other types of jobs. 
Of course, you may want to take a class or two to get a certification to help further
establish yourself in the latest technology, but this is recommended for anyone pursuing
an IT career. Bottom line, a video game degree, (just like any other computer-related
degree), WILL lay the foundation you need to teach you the basics for programming,
testing, animation, software development and other skills that are pertinent to the
business world.