Now worth an estimated £3.86billion, the UK's gaming industry is a resounding success with many game careers available for keen video game enthusiasts to pursue

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UK gaming industry trends and statistics

Figures published by the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) revealed the UK to be the fifth largest video gaming market in the world in 2018, with the money made from both physical and digital games higher than video and music combined.

Games such as Grand Theft Auto V, Batman: Arkham Knight and Monument Valley have proved to be global hits for UK gaming companies, of which there are currently 2,261, according to Ukie, a trade body representing the industry.

They also found that digital and online, and mobile gaming combined accounts for over £3billion of total software sales, with virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) among the fastest-developing technologies - especially following the success of Sony's PlayStation Virtual Reality (PSVR) headset, which is becoming more affordable for casual gamers.

Jobs in the gaming industry

Market intelligence company Newzoo reported that as many as 37.3 million people in the UK play video games. It's therefore no surprise that this entertainment form is becoming an increasingly popular career choice, with lots of different technical and creative roles available for those with a passion for gaming.

To get started, you'll need to decide what type of game industry job you're interested in. Here are the three most common roles on offer:

• Game artist - Your job is to create concept art, storyboards, and designs for packaging and marketing materials. You'll need technical ability to master specialist software packages and tools such as ZBrush, Maya, Photoshop, 3DS Max, Substance Painter and Mudbox. Discover what else is needed to be a game artist.
• Game designer - A senior role that involves coming up with original ideas for games and overseeing the creative process. This could be across a number of platforms, including mobile, console and VR/AR. Game design requires a mix of technical and creative skills to develop and test your creations as you may need to work with a range of programming languages and software packages including C#, C++ and Python. Explore how to start your career as a game designer.
• Game developer/Game programmer - You're responsible for taking the ideas of the designers and writing the code required to build a playable game. It's vital that you're able to understand and follow instructions to bring the creative vision to life. You'll typically work in a team headed by a lead programmer. A knowledge of game programming languages and specialisation in a particular platform, such as PC, mobile or consoles, would aid your progression. You could focus on an area of programming such as AI, audio, controls and interface, game physics or 3D engine development. Learn more about how to be a game developer or software or applications developer. If you're interested in coding games, see IT courses.

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Other creative and technical specialists

• Animator - Collaborating with teams of artists, designers and programmers, you'll be responsible for animating the characters and other elements of the in-game environment in a way that matches the overall visual style. You'll require artistic ability and knowledge of technical computer packages such as Maya and 3DS Max. You'll also need to bear in mind the technical strengths and limitations of the game's graphics engine and the platform it's being developed for. Find out how to become an animator.
• Audio engineer - Music, sound effects and character voices all play a key role in immersing players in the game world. You'll work with producers and designers to create and mix the soundtrack. A technical understanding of audio recording equipment and software is essential, but you should also be creative and imaginative as your responsibilities may extend to composing music, producing sound effects, and auditioning actors for voice roles. This is similar to being a sound technician in the broadcasting and film industries.
• IT technical support officer - Technical support officers link video game publishers to their audience. You'll be the point of contact for gamers who have issues with the product. Communication skills are essential as you'll need to listen to customer complaints and questions, understand them and resolve them in a professional manner - whether by phone, email or replying to forum posts. Get more information about working as an IT technical support officer.
• QA tester - Software testers, or quality assurance (QA) testers, ensure that the product is ready for release. This involves playing the game in various scenarios and on different hardware configurations to check for bugs, inconsistencies and any other faults. You'll need to be able to work methodically, concentrate for long periods and have a great attention to detail. Patience is vital as you'll replay sections of the game repeatedly in your search for anything that needs fixing or improving. You'll also have to communicate your findings and suggest solutions. Explore the role of a software tester.

Non-technical roles

If you want to work in the video game industry but aren't interested in technical IT jobs, there are still lots of options. These include:

• Game producer - As well as overseeing the game's development, you'll also be responsible for project management from a business and financial perspective.
• Translator - To localise scripts, in-game text and documentation for sale in international markets. Find out more about becoming a translator.
• Writer - To write scripts, in-game text and instruction manuals. While sometimes known as a narrative designer, you won't typically be heavily involved in the game design process, but will be tasked with creating a story, adding depth to the characters and working within the overall game design structure. Discover how to become a writer.

When the game is finished and ready to be sold to consumers, publishers need people with skills in marketing, advertising and PR as well as sales.

Another alternative - if you're an incredibly skilled player - is to explore the possibility of becoming a professional gamer. The eSports scene continues to grow in popularity, as well as in terms of the money that can be earned.

How to find video game jobs

Job vacancies in the UK game industry are regularly listed on studio websites such as:

While many of the bigger game publishers take on graduates, specific gaming graduate schemes are harder to come by compared to other job sectors. Instead, having gained some form of work experience is crucial for landing an entry level role with the likes of Rockstar Games, Codemasters, Ubisoft and Jagex.

Despite the well-publicised commercial success of larger firms, the majority of employers in the UK gaming industry are small and medium-sized businesses. You can explore this further by making use of Ukie's map of game developers and publishers.

You can also search for vacancies on specialist game industry job websites - for example, GamesJobsDirect and GamesIndustry.biz.

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Breaking into the gaming industry

To boost your chances of success, attend gaming events and join forums to hear about the latest opportunities. Making contacts is key to working in the industry and you'll need to be armed with a portfolio that showcases your talents. To build your experience, offer to test early versions of games and have a go at designing your own game.

Many gaming professionals choose to work on a freelance basis, so you could explore how to go about this by reading the ScreenSkills Freelance Toolkit designed specifically for those working in the screen industries.

Don't despair if you've decided on this career while still at university. Adam Boyne and two of his fellow students from the University of Hull decided to set up their own company after coming up with the idea in their final year.

'When I was looking at universities, I didn't even consider game development as an option,' explains Adam. 'I was always told it was too competitive and that I couldn't get in, but now I'm running my own games company and received funding from the UK Games Fund. It's just about hard work and dedication, but anyone can break into the games industry.'

Adam advises students to first learn how to code, as he only acquired these skills through his degree course. He also took part in a game jam, which revealed to him how much he enjoyed making games. By grasping opportunities at university, this helped him to determine his career path.

Find out more about the skills, qualifications and work experience you need to work in gaming by reading the information provided by UK-based ScreenSkills.

Gaming apprenticeships

As this industry is notoriously tough to break into, gaming apprenticeships offer a structured entry route, combining classroom-based learning with on-the-job training.

There are game developer apprenticeships for those looking to start out in a development position. Gaming apprenticeships are also available for roles such as game tester, visual effects artist, software development technician and animator.

If you can't find any opportunities with the major game publishers, specialist recruitment companies such as Aardvark Swift often advertise apprenticeships in video gaming.

You can search for all available gaming apprenticeships at GOV.UK, while you can read more about other IT apprenticeships.

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