Breaking In

Sure you play games, but have you ever considered making them? Computer and video game development is a fast-growing entertainment field, with a lot to offer you professionally and creatively. Your enthusiasm is crucial, but you'll also need skill and qualifications. Games are as competitive as any entertainment industry, and it's not easy to get that first job. But if you've set your sights on the games biz, we're here to help you build your skills, make informed decisions, and improve your chances of BREAKING IN.

• The first thing you should know is just how diverse a game team is. So we've put together a pretty impressive list of Career Paths, grouped by category.
  

• If you want to know more about the people who make up the industry, we're here for you. Check out our Developer Profiles to get to know some of your future colleagues.
  

• For some useful pointers, take a look at our Resources page. It's got a list of schools that offer industry-related coursework, and lots of other game-development-related goodies so you can dig deeper into whatever fields interest you.

And for those of you who think gaming is just a niche market, read up. Interactive entertainment takes in about $9 billion dollars in the USA alone. Games are expected to surpass film box-office revenues in the next couple of years, making it the fastest growing segment of the entertainment market, and an excellent field for career advancement.

As a game developer, your creative work will have a wide reach. According to the ESA, 60% of all Americans age six and older, or about 145 million people, play computer and video games. And 35% of all Americans identified computer and video games as the most fun entertainment activity. That's more than television (18%) and movies (11%) combined! In what other industry could you have this much fun, challenge yourself, and reach the hearts of countless fans? None. So check out these pages, get yourself educated, and we'll see you soon.