A Game Designer and Developer is a software engineer, programmer, or scientist who designs tests, and maintains video games. A Game Designer and Developer can work as part of a team and has the final say in the layout of the environment present within the game. She/he is an engineer, as well as a designer at the same time.
Personal Competencies
You are good with computers
You like to analyse problems/situations
You like video games
you are comfortable with working in a team
Entry Pathway
1. Complete 10 + 2 in any stream
2. Complete Bachelor’s degree (B.Des.) in Game Design and Animation followed by Master’s degree (M.Des.) in the same discipline
OR Complete Bachelor’s degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Game Design and Animation/Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (B.E.) in Information Technology, followed by Master’s degree (M.Sc./M.E.) in the same discipline
OR Complete a Bachelor’s degree (B.Des.) in any discipline followed by PG Diploma in Game Designing
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment
Where will you study?
This course is offered by the Department of Design. This list of institutes is indicative only
Government Institutes 1. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad 2. National Institute of Design, Bengaluru 3. National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar 4. National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh 5. National Institute of Design, Haryana 6. National Institute of Design Ahmedabad 7. National Institute of Design, Assam 8. National Institute of Design, Madhya Pradesh
Private Institutes (Please check if Institute is affiliated and accredited with UGC and AICTE before applying) 1. Artemisia College of Art and Design, Indore 2. Asian Institute of Design, Bengaluru 3. Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 4. Sharda University, Greater Noida 5. Unitedworld Institute of Design, Ahmedabad 6. Whistling Woods International, Mumbai 7. CG Animation Academy, Pune 8. CMR University School of Science Studies, Bengaluru
*NPTEL - National Programme in Technology Enhanced Learning. It is by the Government of India and offers a variety of courses in an audio - video form.
Fees
The approx. course fee ranges between INR 40,000 - 19,98,000*.
*(The above-mentioned figures are approximate numbers. This will vary from institute to institute)
Scholarships & Loans
SCHOLARSHIPS
• National Scholarship Portal - Visit http://www.scholarships.gov.in. Under this portal there are Central Government schemes offered by different departments, UGC/AICTE Schemes and State Schemes* • Visit http://www.buddy4study.com for details on available scholarships. This is a gateway to scholarships starting from Class XI* • Scholarships are also made available in institutes based on merit*
*(Availability of these scholarships can vary from time to time)
LOANS
• VidyaLakshmi, http://www.vidyalakshmi.co.in, is a portal for students seeking education loan. This portal has been developed under the guidance of the Department of Financial Services, (Ministry of Finance), Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Human Resource Development) and Indian Banks Association (IBA) • Some states have student credit cards with low interest rates, for instance, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, etc. • All banks give education loans
Where will you work?
Places of Work: Game Developing Companies, Production Houses as a VFX Artist
Entrepreneurship: You can set up your own indie game studio
Work Environment: The work timings are typically 5 to 6 days a week for 8 to 9 hours per day. Shift system is applicable.
Opportunities for differently abled exist in this field
Expected Growth Path
Assistant/Junior Game Designer → Senior Game Designer → Design Manager → Design Director
Expected Income
The approx. salary of a Game Designer ranges between INR 16,667 -1,67,000* per month.
Poornima Seetharaman is one of the seminal figures in the Indian gaming industry and has attracted much needed recognition towards women in the gaming industry. She has pursued a BE in information technology from Pillai College of Engineering. She is the co-founder of Pinaka Interactive and has worked in some of the most notable gaming franchises in the world such as Farmville and Bioshock. In 2020, she became the first Indian game designer to achieve global acclaim, when she was inducted into the Women in Games Hall of Fame.*
Game Designer and Developer
NCS Code: NA | DS0091. Complete 10 + 2 in any stream
2. Complete Bachelor’s degree (B.Des.) in Game Design and Animation followed by Master’s degree (M.Des.) in the same discipline
OR Complete Bachelor’s degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Game Design and Animation/Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (B.E.) in Information Technology, followed by Master’s degree (M.Sc./M.E.) in the same discipline
OR Complete a Bachelor’s degree (B.Des.) in any discipline followed by PG Diploma in Game Designing
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment
This course is offered by the Department of Design.
This list of institutes is indicative only
Government Institutes
1. Gujarat University, Ahmedabad
2. National Institute of Design, Bengaluru
3. National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar
4. National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh
5. National Institute of Design, Haryana
6. National Institute of Design Ahmedabad
7. National Institute of Design, Assam
8. National Institute of Design, Madhya Pradesh
Private Institutes
(Please check if Institute is affiliated and accredited with UGC and AICTE before applying)
1. Artemisia College of Art and Design, Indore
2. Asian Institute of Design, Bengaluru
3. Lovely Professional University, Phagwara
4. Sharda University, Greater Noida
5. Unitedworld Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
6. Whistling Woods International, Mumbai
7. CG Animation Academy, Pune
8. CMR University School of Science Studies, Bengaluru
Information on the institute rankings can be found at - https://www.nirfindia.org/2022/Ranking.html
Distance Learning Institute
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
Online courses
• NPTEL* Swayam - course on Board game design https://onlinecourses.swayam2.ac.in/aic20_ed01/preview
•Udemy - https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-game-designer/
*NPTEL - National Programme in Technology Enhanced Learning. It is by the Government of India and offers a variety of courses in an audio - video form.
The approx. course fee ranges between INR 40,000 - 19,98,000*.
*(The above-mentioned figures are approximate numbers. This will vary from institute to institute)
SCHOLARSHIPS
• National Scholarship Portal - Visit http://www.scholarships.gov.in. Under this portal there are Central Government schemes offered by different departments, UGC/AICTE Schemes and State Schemes*
• Visit http://www.buddy4study.com for details on available scholarships. This is a gateway to scholarships starting from Class XI*
• Scholarships are also made available in institutes based on merit*
*(Availability of these scholarships can vary from time to time)
LOANS
• VidyaLakshmi, http://www.vidyalakshmi.co.in, is a portal for students seeking education loan. This portal has been developed under the guidance of the Department of Financial Services, (Ministry of Finance), Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Human Resource Development) and Indian Banks Association (IBA)
• Some states have student credit cards with low interest rates, for instance, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, etc.
• All banks give education loans
Places of Work: Game Developing Companies, Production Houses as a VFX Artist
Entrepreneurship: You can set up your own indie game studio
Work Environment: The work timings are typically 5 to 6 days a week for 8 to 9 hours per day. Shift system is applicable.
Opportunities for differently abled exist in this field
Assistant/Junior Game Designer → Senior Game Designer → Design Manager → Design Director
The approx. salary of a Game Designer ranges between INR 16,667 -1,67,000* per month.
Source: https://www.payscale.com/research/IN/Job=Video_Game_Designer/Salary
*The figures are indicative and subject to change
Experts from the field
Poornima Seetharaman is one of the seminal figures in the Indian gaming industry and has attracted much needed recognition towards women in the gaming industry. She has pursued a BE in information technology from Pillai College of Engineering. She is the co-founder of Pinaka Interactive and has worked in some of the most notable gaming franchises in the world such as Farmville and Bioshock. In 2020, she became the first Indian game designer to achieve global acclaim, when she was inducted into the Women in Games Hall of Fame.*
Source: https://www.republicworld.com/technology-news/gaming/poornima-seetharaman-indian-game-designer-in-global-hall-of-fame.html
*The above information is for training purposes only and will not be used for any commercial gains.
game developer, game creator, game designer