How to Make a Career in Online Gaming?

Has anyone ever thought or wondered about building a career in gaming? Did it ever strike you that you can be a professional gamer and can make money out of it? Well if you haven’t, you’ll be surprised to know that it is very much possible! In this blog, we will be guiding you all on how to make a career in online gaming. You all will be surprised to know that online gaming is the new rapidly rising industry in the era of digitalisation. It is not only one of the fastest-growing segments in India but also becoming a career option for a vast number of talented youth from around the country and worldwide, belonging to different backgrounds altogether. So if you want to pursue a career in the online gaming industry, here’s everything you need to know.

Also Read: Let the Gamer Inside You Kickstart a Career in Gaming!

Is Gaming a Good Career Option?

Is it good to invest in online gaming and make a career out of it? Well, we all know that the future belongs to digitalisation. Soon more and more opportunities will be making their way for online platforms. Also, we all know the fact that over the years, the popularity and the market for video games have always increased and are touching new heights. The constant and continuous improvements in technology and the growth of e-games have finally taken the centre stage. Thus, if video games excite you and you think that you can be in the industry of online gaming then you should keep reading our blog.

Careers and Job opportunities in the Gaming Industry

Online gaming has a huge potential and new opportunities both on the technical/design side as well as on the business side.  Here are a few options and careers to think of related to online gaming:

Game Designer

Every game that gets introduced In the market goes through the architectural process of a Game Designer. The main objective of a Game Designer is to dedicate their skills on constructing the entire virtual universe of a particular game. From taking the lead in big picture designs to gaming visuals, a Game Designer is in charge of the entire general framework an planning of a quality game.

Game Developer

With an obligatory sense of advanced technological knowledge, a Game Developer is someone who is in charge of all the coding while developing a game. It is necessary that the Developer is articulate with high level computer knowledge and codes proficiently in the required programming language. Most of the time, the quality of the game depends on the coding ability of the developer as it determines the performance of the software.

Sound Designer and Audio Engineer

The quality of sound is one of the most crucial elements of a game. Although it hardly gets the required recognition as sound gets lost in between the graphics and visuals, a quality game can become insignificant without a good sound structure. Hence, sound designers and audio engineers are highly on demand in the gaming industry. By profession, they are in in-charge of the entire audio content including the dramatic gun shots and background music that you get to listen while playing a game.

Gaming Critic

A highly intense, but at the same time, one of the most fun job in the gaming industry is of a Gaming Critic. Their main tasks is to play games for a living while reviewing them professionally. Gaming critics works as both in-house critics for big companies and freelancers with personal blogs and YouTube channels.

Game Actor or Host

If you think you are interested in being part of your favourite game without any in-depth technological knowledge then this is the profession for you. A Game Actor is someone who has audio roles as characters in games. While there are many online events that happens in the gaming industry, a host is one of the most significant person in such events as they are crucial in hosting the entire gaming experience.

We have only scratched the surface of the opportunities that are available in the rising game industry. There are other equally significant career paths in this sector such as:

• Gaming Software developers 
• Game programmer 
• Animators
• Graphic artist 
• Game testers 
• Customer care specialistshttps
• Technical support assistance
• Marketing managers and analysts
•  Scriptwriter 
•  Youtuber/vlogger/blogger
•  Professional gamer/Trainer

Must Read: Gaming Courses

Best Gaming Courses available Abroad 

Do you wish to kickstart your gaming career but thinking of getting a degree or qualification first to be a professional! What is better than pursuing Graduation or Masters programs specialised in video gaming and animations from renowned Universities abroad. You will not only get quality education in your opted field but will also get a great amount of exposure and career opportunities. Here is the list of best universities abroad that are offering specialised courses in video gaming.

Universities/Colleges	Country	Programs/Courses offered	Duration
City, University of London	United Kingdom	M.Sc in computer science with game technology Graduate Diploma in computer games technology	4 years  9 months
University of South Wales	United Kingdom	M.A. in animations	1 year
The University of the West of England	United Kingdom	M.Sc in commercial games development  M.A. in virtual reality	1 year 1 year
Teesside University	United Kingdom	M.A. in 3D games and arts M.A. in animations	1 year 1 year
Trinity College Dublin	Ireland	M.Sc in interactive digital media	1 year
Aalto University	Finland	M.A. in game design and productions	2 years
IT University of Copenhagen	Denmark	M.Sc in Games	2 years
Full Sail University	USA	M.Sc in game design  M.Sc in game design (online)	1 year  1 year
University of Bremen	Germany	M.Sc digital media	2 years
University of Michigan	USA	PGC in game design	1 year

Courses Available in India 

If you don’t wish to go abroad but still wish to pursue courses related to video gaming development, animations and a lot more then don’t worry because Leverage Edu has got your back in everything. The table given below will show you the list of colleges or Universities that are offering graduate programs and courses specialised in online or video gaming.

Universities/Colleges	City	Programs/Courses offered	Duration
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies	Dehradun	B.Tech in Graphics and Gaming	4 years
Graphic Era	Dehradun	B.Sc in animation and gaming	3 years
iCAT Design and Media College	Bangalore	Bachelors’ in game art and design  M.Sc in game technology  PGD game development	3 years  2 years  1 year
Zee Institute of Creative Arts	Coimbatore	Certification in Gaming	10 days
International Academy of Computer Graphics	Hyderabad	M.A. in multimedia  Diploma in Animation	2 years  1 year
Era University	Lucknow	B.Sc in game design and development  PGD in game design and development	3 years 1 year
SGT University	Gurgaon	B.Tech in animation and game design	4 years
IIFA Multimedia	Bangalore	B.Sc in game design and development Diploma in game designing	3 years  16 months
Gujrat University	Ahmedabad	M.Sc in game design mobile and desktop	2 years
SAGE University	Indore	B.Tech CSE (Virtual Reality and Game Development)	4 years

Also Read: Game Designing Courses After 12th

Establishing a Career in Online Gaming

Technology and time both have a drastic impact on our lives. Earlier when developing a video game only required 4 to 5 people at maximum, nowadays it is taking over 100+ people and professionals to develop and launch one single game. All of this is because of changes in technology, new technologies and innovations in the industry, new demands of gamers in the market and due to more such factors. What’s interesting is the fact that not only big-name video game networking and developer companies are earning all the money, surprisingly the gamers in the industry too are making tons of money. But the question is, how come the gamers can earn money?

1. First and foremost requirement is to get a good grip of the video gaming or online gaming industry.
2. Pursuing higher education programs like and diploma courses that are specialised in game designing, game development, animations etc. 
3. Keep practising and keep pace with new online games that are coming in the market. 
4. Showcase your talent on an online platform like YouTube, Google, Twitch, Facebook Gaming and other such platforms and earn money through Adsense. 
5. Start making online videos/blogs/vlogs on online gaming and start engaging with the public. This will help you in getting in touch with Online Game developing companies and to be in their PR list.
6. Start reviewing games for the people on your channel and make demo videos for upcoming games. The motive is to be vocal and put out yourself and your skill.
7. Keep on participating in multiple esports tournaments and competitions to gain exposure and polish your skills.
8. Try establishing contacts with other established online gamers, YouTubers, game developers and game networking companies. Try to work under them to get inside industry knowledge and gain perks. 
9. Try hands-on various online certified games if not wanting to pursue full-fledged Bachelors’ or Masters’ Programs. One can always learn online and self teach himself/herself. Here are some recommendations for you guys- 

Course Name	Provider	Mode	Duration
Game Design and Development by University of Michigan	Coursera	Online	6 months
Computer science for game development by Harvard University	HarvardX,edX	Online	6 months
Esports by University of California Irvine	Coursera	Online	3 months
Esports management capstone project  by University of California Irvine	Coursera	Online	3 weeks
Game Developers and Esports organisations  by University of California Irvine	Coursera	Online	2 weeks

10. Last but not least it to be patient as it will take time to be established and to be recognised by others in the field of online gaming. 

Fun Fact- do you know the names of the top 5 Online Game Developing companies? No! Check this out then-Epic Games, Rockstar Games, Mojang, EA Sports and Take- two Interactive.

With this, we end our blog on, ‘How To Make a Career In Online Gaming’. We hope that you all must have liked it. Planning to become an expert in online gaming? We are sure that you will be soon! We at Leverage Edu are constantly trying to guide you towards the right path to your dreams. Book your appointment with our experts who will guide you to reach your dream university. Hurry up!