Annual Salary
£25,000 to £70,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Computer game developers create video games for phones, tablets, PCs and consoles.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; occasionally
There will be
2.4% more Computer games developer jobs in 2027.
In your day-to-day tasks you could:
You could work in a creative studio or in an office.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a foundation degree or degree in:
If you'd like a job that includes game design as well as programming, you could do a foundation degree or degree in a subject like animation or graphic design.
You may have an advantage when you look for work if you do a degree that includes a work placement.
You'll usually need:
You could do a college course before a higher level qualification. It might help you to get a trainee position with a company.
Courses you could take include:
You may need:
You could do one of the following Higher Apprenticeships to get started in this role:
You'll usually need:
You could start as a games tester if you play a lot of games.
You'll usually need an IT qualification or some relevant work experience. Employers will be interested in your talent and creativity.
You may also find it helps to have A levels or a diploma in relevant subjects like computing or media production.
You can create a portfolio of work or online demo to highlight your skills to potential employers.
You can get information on how to start creating your own games from Into Games.
You can get more advice about working in games development from ScreenSkills and Into Games.
With experience you could become a senior developer, producer or technical director.
You could increase your income a lot if you develop a successful game on your own.
You'll need: