A typical game production cycle can last anywhere from six months to two years, and it takes a diverse team of designers, producers, and managers to maintain the integrity of the project throughout development.

Many people begin their careers in this field as a Junior Designer, where they’ll work alongside a Game Designer to develop the look, feel, and concept of a game during pre-production, as well as write supporting documentation that will act as the blueprint for the entire project.

In addition to designers, there are also various production roles that are integral to the development process. Since the artists and programmers that create those assets make up the foundation of any game project, many producers focus directly on their needs and the group dynamics of the team. An Associate Producer, for instance, is responsible for the human resource needs of the staff, and helps mediate communication and conflict between the artists, programmers, designers and producers.

The Project Lead also works closely with these departments, as the head of scheduling for a game’s development cycle. They’ll set and facilitate such completion milestones as alpha, beta, and gold, as well as the manufacturing timeline for the physical media.

There are also many opportunities on the business end of a game studio. Business Manager and Project Manager are just two of the collaborative roles one could explore, overseeing the financial resources needed to create a game and working to see that it gets completed on time and under budget.

There are also managers needed to oversee the production facility itself, like the Studio Director, who maintains and manages the studio space – handling such day-to-day business responsibilities as incoming projects, public relations, marketing, and client relations.

Potential Careers

• Assistant Producer
• Associate Producer
• Development Director
• Development Manager
• Junior Designer
• Localization Producer
• Project Lead
• Project Manager
• Q/A Lead
• Studio Director