Gamers needed: Top 10 Jobs for Gamers

Top 10 Jobs for Gamers

There are currently more than five million video games in existence. Love gaming and want to make it your life’s work? Discover the best jobs for gamers.

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Shauna Blackmon

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Shauna Blackmon is a journalist and writer specializing in the intersection of technology and humanity. She is also currently finishing her master’s degree in international relations, focusing on future technologies and smart borders….

Updated on April 18, 2023

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Madison Hoehn

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Madison Hoehn has worked as an associate editor for BestColleges, focusing on coding bootcamp rankings and the skilled trades. She is passionate about providing readers with alternatives to a traditional four-year college. She holds a BA in English l. ..

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Monali Mirel Chuatico

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Monali Chuatico is a data engineer at Mission Lane and a data analytics captain at the nonprofit COOP Careers. There, Monali helps new grads and young professionals overcome underemployment by teaching them data analytics tools and mentoring them on …

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By

Shauna Blackmon

Read Full Bio

Writer

Shauna Blackmon is a journalist and writer specializing in the intersection of technology and humanity. She is also currently finishing her master’s degree in international relations, focusing on future technologies and smart borders….

Edited by

Madison Hoehn

Read Full Bio

Editor

Madison Hoehn has worked as an associate editor for BestColleges, focusing on coding bootcamp rankings and the skilled trades. She is passionate about providing readers with alternatives to a traditional four-year college. She holds a BA in English l…

•

Reviewed by

Monali Mirel Chuatico

Read Full Bio

Reviewer

Monali Chuatico is a data engineer at Mission Lane and a data analytics captain at the nonprofit COOP Careers. There, Monali helps new grads and young professionals overcome underemployment by teaching them data analytics tools and mentoring them on …

Updated on April 18, 2023

Learn more about our editorial process

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• More than 276,000 people work in the video game industry in the U.S. alone.
• The industry includes roles in development, marketing, monetization, and more.
• It takes both creative and technical people to make a successful video game.

Back in 1995, there were around 100 million gamers worldwide. If you think that sounds like a big number, wait until you hear that that number has now reached 2.6 billion, according to the 2017 Kleiner Perkins Internet Trends Report.

Gaming is not just for gamer kids anymore, either. According to the same report, the average U.S. gamer is 35 years old. There are more female gamers over 18 than there are male gamers under 18.

Designing and creating video games can be a dream job for artists, programmers, testers, and many more. The video game industry has been steadily increasing since the creation of video games, with no end in sight as technology continues to develop. By 2026, the gaming industry is expected to be worth $321 billion.

What Companies Hire Gamers?

When it comes to game development and creation, there are companies of all types and sizes worldwide. In nearly every part of the world, you can find both giant gaming corporations as well as smaller indie game developers.

While there are gaming companies on every end of the spectrum, some of the largest video game industry employers worldwide include:

Top 10 Jobs for Gamers

Game Developer

Game developers can have a variety of specialties, including design, art, and programming. In addition to various specializations, different game developers might specialize in different types of gameplay devices, such as consoles or mobile.

Smaller studios might have game developers handle a diverse set of roles, while larger companies might specialize more. Throughout the production process of a game, developers will continuously improve versions of a game until it is finally ready for production.

Average Salary: $84,640

Game Designer

Designers fuel the imagination needed to envision the fantastical worlds and plots in video games. Small- to medium-sized teams will work together to create the plot, characters, and gameplay. They work closely with developers to ensure they follow the fine line between pushing the boundaries of novel ideas and design while still being able to produce a deliverable, which may be a storyboard, mockup, or prototype.They often use game engines such as Unity, art software such as Adobe Illustrator, and scripting languages such as Python & C#. However, game designers focus more on concept development, game developers focus more on coding.

Average Salary: $66,470

Marketing Analyst

Marketing analysts are responsible for market research, data analysis, and reporting. They provide key insights into game demographics and how a game company can best reach and appeal to its target audiences. They also identify key trends, establish revenue estimates, and analyze market changes. Their primary responsibility is to create a prediction model on how well the game might sell in order to plan out the release and prospective performance of the game.

Median Salary: $63,920

Video Game Writer

Writers create dialog or written descriptions and storytelling in video games. Sometimes this role can be rather small for genres such as puzzle games, which may only give a few sentences to introduce a player to the basic gameplay. Or, the role can be extensive in genres such as role-playing games, where dialog is key and often quite complex.

Often the level of dialog is dependent on the genre of the game.

Average Salary: $67,500

Animator

An animator is a type of artist who manipulates models to give movement to the characters and scenes. There are a variety of different tools used in animation. Some animators know how to draw, and some do not. Also, some know how to code, and others do not. It is all a matter of what tools the studio uses and what animators are most comfortable with.

Knowing at least a bit of drawing or coding will help make your life as an animator easier, though. Some of the most common languages are HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Other common tools include 3ds Max and After Effects.

Median Salary: $78,790

Video Game Artist

Designers might construct the gameplay, but video game artists bring it to life. They work to create the various styles that will then be woven throughout the entire game and marketing strategy. Should the characters have a creepy undead vibe or be colorful and happy? Ubiquitous styling makes games memorable and helps bring gamers into the game’s world.

Some artists prefer to use more traditional artistic methods such as sketching or freehand drawing, while others might use more modern tools such as ED modeling and motion-capture technology.

Median Salary: $58,840

Game Tester

No matter how many times you go over something, there is always likely to be something you miss. Game testers are the fresh set of eyes that give the final check before the game goes to market. They pay particular attention to any inconsistencies, glitches, or bugs and are responsible for writing up a final report clearing the game. It might seem like they play video games all day for a living, but they play a vital role in ensuring a game comes out right the first time.

Median Salary: $87,550

Professional Gamer

For all of the parents out there who have yelled at their children that playing video games will not help them get a job … well, it turns out that is not always true. Of course, the chances of becoming a video game pro are about the same as playing sports professionally, but some people achieve that goal. These men and women often play full-time and compete in competitions. Those who win can earn lofty prizes or get picked up by sponsors.

Average Salary: $56,130

Programmer

No one gets to see a video game quite like a programmer. Instead of fanciful characters and adventures, programmers see thousands of lines of back-end code. They often work in C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python. Various types of programmers work on a game, often working in various languages and having different specializations and goals. In the end, their job is to make all of these ideas come together and create the backbone for the game.

Median Salary: $93,000

Audio Engineer

Media sound quality has improved immensely over the last few years, in large part to audio engineers and sound technicians. Without that woosh of a lightsaber, the booming sound of a firearm, or even the subtle change of calm background music to something more nerve-wracking to suggest imminent danger, your video game experience would not be as immersive. We often do not notice the work of audio engineers, but they play a vital role in the sound and musicscape that keeps players engaged.

Median Salary: $65,000

Frequently Asked Questions About Video Game Careers

What should I study if I like gaming?

This depends on what part of the video game industry you want to work in. If you want to work in the more technical creation and development of the game, you could get a degree in computer science or video game programming and development.

Or, study interactive media design, sound production, or graphic design if you prefer working more on the creative or artistic side of things. While a university degree is still important for some of these jobs, there are also more and more video game development bootcamps that can help students learn various necessary skills.

What is the highest-paying gaming job?

According to ZipRecruiter, game engineers are some of the highest paid in the industry, with salaries ranging from $92,500 to $189,000. In second place are gameplay engineers, with salaries ranging from $79,500 to $172,500. More than anything, salaries will likely depend more on the size of the video game company, if it is a big-name game or a small indie game, and where the job is located.

How hard is it to get into the gaming industry?

Even though the video game industry is constantly growing, it is still a notoriously competitive sector. There is often the cyclical problem of companies wanting to see potential employees’ portfolios, but few companies are willing to hire those with little experience so they can build their portfolios.

Some recruitment agencies, such as Aardvark Swift, Avatar Games, and Game Recruiter, specialize in the gaming industry. As with many industries, proper networking is also crucial. Keeping up with online discussion boards and going to industry events and gaming conventions can help job seekers make connections and get a leg up on the competition.

Feature Image: Marko Geber / DigitalVision / Getty Images

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Best Jobs for Gamers

Jobs for gamers are in high demand. The video game industry needs professionals who can design and develop new video games for consoles, mobile phones, and desktop computers. Dedicated gaming enthusiasts and experts can benefit from this demand and put their skills to use by applying for different gaming jobs.

Continue reading to find out about the best jobs for gamers and the top companies that hire gamers. We’ll also provide you with tips to help you get started with a successful career in the video game industry.

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What Is a Gamer?

A gamer is anyone who has a passion for video games. A hardcore gamer differs from a casual gamer in that they typically play more hours per day and develop a higher skill level. The in-depth knowledge serious gamers acquire can help them find the best jobs for gamers.

Who Are the Highest-Paid Gamers?

Top-paid gamers can earn a lucrative salary through tournaments, video game streaming, and sponsorship deals. The highest-paid gamers take part in the world’s biggest gaming tournaments, such as the Fortnite World Cup, The International, and the League of Legends World Championship. 

The prize pool for these tournaments can go as high as 40 million dollars, meaning the highest-paid professional gamer can make millions of dollars every year. Continue reading for more information on some of the highest-paid pro gamers.

• Johan Sundstein. Going by the username “N0tail”, Johan Sundstein has earned more than seven million dollars in his 12 years as a professional gamer. This Danish gamer started playing Dota 2 at the age of 15, and he earned over $7,000 from Dota 2 by the time he was 17. In 2019, he won over three million dollars at The International 2019 with the Dota 2 team, OG.
• Jesse Vainikka. Jesse Vainikka is a Finnish Dota 2 player, with the username “JerAx”. Jesse Vainikka has been a competitive gamer for nine years, and in that time has earned nearly six and a half million dollars. Jesse is also part of the OG team.
• Anatha Pham. With the username “ana”, this Australian professional gamer is also a Dota 2 player. Anatha has only been gaming competitively for five years, and in that time she has already earned six million dollars. She earned her first prize money at the age of 16, making $33,297 from Dota 2. Like Johan Sundstein and Jesse Vainikka, Anatha is also part of the OG team. 

What Jobs Are Available to Gamers?

The video game industry generates millions of dollars every year and offers opportunities to work on either the technical or creative side of game development. Depending on the particular company and your interests, there are plenty of jobs for gamers in the industry.

Some of the more creative jobs include video game designers, animators, and artists. Other jobs in gaming are more technical, such as software developers, market research analysts, quality assurance testers, and video game developers.

What Careers Are in the Gaming Industry?

There are a variety of careers in the gaming industry, ranging from creative to technical game careers. If you are interested in creative video game careers, there are several options. Video game designers come up with new ideas for games and work on the design features of a game throughout the entire process. This is one of the most sought-after careers in gaming.

Another creative career in gaming is content writing. Content writers work for gaming organizations and companies to help inform readers about upcoming video game projects. Content writers use a variety of resources from fun blog posts to formal policy papers to inform, educate, and engage these readers.  

Technical video gaming careers, such as developers, content managers, and software engineers will rely on skills such as coding and detailed research. However, these jobs also require you to have a creative outlook and mind.

For example, a video game developer will work closely with designers to not only come up with design ideas for video games but to write code and develop these ideas. Similarly, graphic designers must have specific technical schools and be able to use a variety of graphic design tools. But graphic design is also a creative job by nature.

Some video game careers are purely technical based, such as IT project managers and digital media content managers. These jobs can be found across a variety of industries and require technical knowledge as well as soft skills suitable for managerial roles. 

Companies That Hire Gamers

Professional gamers can find a variety of jobs at gaming companies. These companies range from global multi-million corporations to independent game studios. Here are some of the best jobs for gamers at top-rated companies:

• Epic Games. This American company is a leader in 3D engine technology. Epic Games developed Fortnite, as well as Unreal Tournament and Gears of War.
• Nintendo of America. Nintendo is a Japanese-based company that develops specialized software and hardware for video games and card games. This company produces video game consoles, and some of its most famous games are Super Mario Bros. , Donkey Kong, and The Legend of Zelda. 
• Electronic Arts. This company distributes and develops video games. One of its subsidiaries, EA Sports, is responsible for the popular FIFA and Madden NFL game franchises. Other franchises include Need for Speed and The Sims.
• Sony. This Japanese company has produced five consoles since 1994, the most famous being the PlayStation 2. Sony develops some of the best video games in the world and it is considered one of the best video games companies to work for.
• Lionbridge. This US company offers game localization and translation technology services for major brands through its global communications platform using machine intelligence.

Top Highest-Paying Gaming Jobs: 10 Best Jobs for Gamers

The best jobs for gamers offer a high starting salary and flexible career opportunities. The duties vary from role to role, but if you’re a serious gamer, there are several high-paying jobs for gamers that will appeal to you. Read on to discover more detailed descriptions of these gaming jobs.

Game Designer

Video game designers develop the plots, scenarios, and characters of a video game. Game designer jobs come with a lot of responsibilities and collaboration. Game designers must work with a team of designers and developers who are responsible for bringing the game to life. Designers must possess knowledge of the game production process and video game systems.

Designing the visual aspects of a video game is one of the top priorities of a video game designer. This makes the game design industry a highly lucrative career option. Video game design salaries are some of the best in the industry with the top earners bringing home $400,000 a year. 

Game designer salary: $130,000

Quality Assurance Tester

Quality assurance testers play games like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite, to find errors before they are released to the public. They identify problems and report bugs to the development team. These bugs may include glitches in the code, visual bugs, or inconsistencies in gameplay. If you are looking for game QA tester jobs, you need expert coding, technical, and soft skills. Furthermore, a professional technical portfolio is a must. 

You can enroll in a bootcamp and easily land entry-level video game QA tester jobs. However, if you want more lucrative work, such as upper-level quality assurance game tester jobs, you should consider a Bachelor’s Degree in Quality Assurance.

Quality assurance tester salary: $110,140

Game Developer

Video game developers use different programming languages to write the code behind video games. The code has to be optimized for consoles, PCs, or mobile devices. Jobs in game development require creative and technical skillsets as developers must work with the design team and use their problem-solving skills to turn ideas into reality.

Your video game developer salary may depend on a number of factors such as location, years of experience, and education. The top 10 percent of game developers can earn $167,000 per year.

Game developer salary: $101,644

Programmer

Video game programmer jobs require an expert level of coding knowledge. Programmers help ensure a seamless gaming experience across consoles, smartphones, and mobile devices. They make sure that objects within the game interact properly with each other and iron out any bugs found by quality assurance testers.

Coding bootcamps are an ideal way for gamers to earn a high video game programmer salary. Bootcamps offer short intensive programs that teach in-demand skills, vital for the competitive video game industry. There are a variety of free coding bootcamps available to gamers interested in this career path.

Programmer salary: $93,000

Video Game Producer

Producers are the link between game developers and company executives. Therefore, video game producer jobs are a vital cog in the gaming industry. They are in charge of the administrative side of a video game release. Producers create budgets, schedule meetings, and ensure the game is released on schedule. Video game producers must have strong communication skills.

While the top earners can get a six-figure income, the average video game producer salary is not as high as the more technical jobs in the gaming industry. However, video game producer jobs are available to people with degrees in a wide range of subjects, such as business, computer science, design, or digital media.

Video game producer salary: $69,226

Game Artist

Game artist jobs focus on the aesthetics, game art, character design, and visual style of video games. A technical artist creates memorable characters, environments, and objects using various techniques such as freehand drawing. Some video game artist jobs also involve designing the game’s promotional material, manuals, and packaging, as well as creating the games’ concept art during the development phase.

Game artist salary: $69,194

Game Tester

Game tester jobs are often used by gamers as an entry point into the gaming industry. Game testers must play video games with close attention to detail, testing games for bugs and reporting them to the design and development team. Game testing jobs also require testers to ensure that game instructions and tutorials are clear and sensible. If you have a passion for gaming, this is the ideal job for you.

Game tester salary: $63,676

Audio Engineer

Audio engineers look after the sound design of video games. This includes creating sound effects, ambient noise, voiceovers, and background music. Video game audio engineer jobs require creativity, technical skills, and audio experience. Audio engineers must not only create the required sounds for the games, but they should also have the correct training to record, edit, and mix these sounds into the game.

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Audio engineer salary: $51,774

Game Animator

Game animators bring physical components such as characters, scenery, surface textures, and objects to life by creating visuals and producing special effects. Their goal is to create digitally realistic graphics with physics that appear natural to bring games to life.

Depending on the company they work for and the content they produce, game animator jobs may be divided into 3D game animator jobs and 2D game animator jobs. This allows animators to focus on their preferred area of specialization. 

Game animator salary: $51,259

Professional Gamer

Professional video gamers compete in tournaments for cash prizes. While tournament prizes can be lucrative, professional gamer jobs are often short-lived careers, so it’s best to diversify your options and develop technical skills as well as playing skills. Furthermore, only a very small percentage of professional gamers compete at the highest level which makes it an extremely difficult career to depend on and sustain.

Professional gamer salary: $41,300

Jobs for Gamers Without Degree

While the best jobs for gamers may require a degree, there are plenty of gaming jobs available without a degree. For example, resources such as free bootcamps and online tutorial videos can help you learn the fundamentals of coding. Gamers can also use learned knowledge from gaming to start a career without the need for a degree. Continue reading for details on the best jobs for gamers without a degree.

Computer Support Specialist

Computer support specialist jobs are ideal for gamers. Depending on your role, you may deal directly with users or maintain a company’s computer networks. Responsibilities include analyzing and troubleshooting network problems, network support, and setting up computer systems. This is an ideal job for gamers who have built their own computers and are experienced with computer networking.

Computer support specialist salary: $57,910

Game Community Manager

Game community manager jobs are ideal for gamers without a degree, as they require knowledge of the video game industry and good networking skills. Game community managers attend events, look after social media, and set up live streams to develop the community around a video game. If you stream video games, then transitioning into a game community manager role would be an ideal way to increase your earnings.

Game community manager salary: $55,807

Video Game Streamer

Streaming jobs are becoming more common with the advancement of technology. All you need is a high-speed internet connection and a computer to start streaming. As a gamer, you can easily use streaming services such as Twitch and YouTube to set up free accounts and stream your video game sessions. 

While it is possible to make a good career as a video game streamer, it requires time and effort. You will need to spend a lot of time building a fanbase and developing a certain number of subscribers before you start making money. However, this is one of the best jobs for gamers who have other commitments and want to make some additional income by simply playing their games.

Video game streamer: $54,091

Game Journalist

Experienced gamers will have in-depth knowledge of video games. Some gamers may also have a strong network and social media presence. Pursuing game journalist jobs is an ideal way to turn this knowledge into a lucrative career. 

Gamers can use their game experience to start a blog to review and critique video games and the industry. Alternatively, they can apply to established gaming journals and magazines as technical writers.

Game journalist salary: $48,370

Sales Representative 

Sales representative jobs are easy to get without a degree. As a gamer, you can look for sales jobs in a video game store. Being an experienced gamer will give you the knowledge needed to help customers choose the right video game or console and help them troubleshoot any issues they may face. 

Sales representative salary: $29,180

Tips for Finding Success as a Gamer

The best jobs for gamers allow you to work in a field related to your favorite hobby. If you want to find success as a gamer, you should consider the tips that we present below. If you do follow these tips, you’ll put yourself in a good position to land a job at a video game company.

1. Be creative. Creativity is fundamental in the video game industry. You need to have critical thinking skills and an open mind to solve problems you may face in the development cycle of a game. Most jobs for gamers will require working with or being part of a creative team.
2. Stay updated. Keeping up to date with new console or gaming platform releases will help you stay on the cutting edge of the industry and gain practice with the latest technologies.
3. Industry trends. Stay up to date on the latest industry trends to predict any shifts in the industry. This will put you in a position to succeed by giving you a head start.
4. Networking. Connect to a professional network in the gaming industry. It always helps to know people in the industry as you try to find a job.
5. Keep learning. Always keep learning. Researching games and the technical processes behind them will help improve your playing skills and your game development skills.

Jobs for Gamers Outlook

The video game industry is growing continuously. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that arts and design careers will grow by four percent between 2020 and 2030. That is why we can assure you that this is an industry that you should not hesitate to join. 

If you are interested in finding the best jobs for gamers, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t pursue one of them. There is a wide variety of games jobs to consider from game design to game development to game marketing.

Best Jobs for Gamers FAQ

How much do gamers make?

Video gamers make an average of $56,464 per year, according to Glassdoor. Gamers can use streaming services such as Twitch and YouTube to make money as a gamer. They can also win prize money at tournaments or acquire sponsorship if they have enough popularity.

Is gaming a good career?

Yes, the gaming industry has become a highly lucrative industry, so developing a career in this industry is a good option if you feel a special interest in video games and want to study something related, such as designing or programming. Furthermore, there are a number of different types of jobs available to gamers.

What do most gamers do for a living?

Dedicated gamers make money by winning video game tournaments, getting sponsorships from companies or individuals, hosting live streams on different platforms, and making on-demand videos. Of course, they can also pursue one of the best jobs for gamers mentioned above.

Does the gaming industry pay well?

Yes, the gaming industry pays quite well compared to other industries. The highest-paying video game jobs are designers, quality assurance testers, and developers. They earn between $101,000 and $130,000 per year.

Wanted! Business Needs Gamers / Sudo Null IT News And in our realities, gaming has long become an acceptable hobby, which is not a shame to declare when applying for a job.

Let’s say more, many companies consider the passion for computer games as a significant advantage of an employee. And we absolutely agree with this.

Tournament inside and outside the office

Back in pre-quarantine times, entire computer game tournaments were held in our office from time to time.

When all the tasks are done, there are no jobs and everything is in order, you can afford to relax a little. So once a month we had stable batches in some game.

Counter Strike, StarCraft, Quake III, Mortal Kombat – just made to relieve stress. And sometimes our office in the late afternoon of Friday simply turned into a branch of a computer club.

I am a long AWP. Rush B! Three in the middle! The flash drive is gone!

During the game, it seems that the opposing teams are ready to cut each other’s throats. In those moments, there is no subordination – the jun can shout at the senior that he is a cancer and generally took the Deagle in vain if he does not know how to use it.

After the tournament, everyone, happy, remembers the brightest moments. How the designer dragged the round one against four. As the head of an incendiary grenade on a bank, he slammed three. As a programmer with AWP on the long, the system administrator was not caught in five shots.

And if you play for some prize, then a powerful competitive element appears. Moreover, the nature of the prize is not important – it can be a pizza from the losing team, an unscheduled day off for the most productive player, or the opportunity for the winning team to leave work an hour or two earlier tomorrow.

Checklist for launching an office tournament for gamers

1. Choose a game

   There are two options. A game played by most or all employees. After all, if you launch a Dota 2 tournament, and one and a half people can play it, then there will be no point in the tournament. But if all are avid doters, then the kill will be very powerful.

   A game with simple mechanics and simple objectives. Even an absolute beginner can play Counter-Strike or Quake without any problems. And he will have chances to compete with an experienced player.

   You can vote among participants. So you can find out their preferences and choose what will suit everyone.

2. Come up with a prize

   You can also play for fun, but the prize stimulates the competitive element well. For team building, it’s just awesome.

   The best option for team matches – the losing team orders pizza and everyone eats it together. For individual games – the winner receives an unscheduled day off.

   The worst option in any situation is to play for money. Don’t do it. From fun entertainment, the tournament risks turning into a big quarrel.

3. Gather feedback after the tournament

   In smaller companies, simply asking if the participants liked it is enough. And in large ones, where the number of employees is more than 50, you can conduct a small survey.

   This will help to find out how the team reacted to such entertainment, what they liked and what they didn’t like.

Company gamers are an experience you don’t pay for

Computer gamers usually have a whole host of soft skills that have a great effect on working in a company.

At the same time, it practically does not matter whether a person plays The Witcher, PUBG or third Heroes. There are practically no single-lovers who stick to a single game, so below we will talk about the qualities that gamer employees usually have.

Teamwork. Any team-based computer game perfects interaction skills. A gamer who plays CS: Go knows well how to use his abilities for the benefit of the whole team. One throws a flash drive, the second storms blinded enemies, the third and fourth provide fire support and cover from the flanks. There is nothing to say about the interaction in Dota 2 – there every player needs perfectly adjusted actions, knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates, and a single mistake can drain the rink.

In the workplace, employee gamers intuitively use the same behaviors. He tends to calculate not only his individual result of work, but also pay attention to the processes of other employees that affect him.

Fast reaction to changes. Computer games are dynamic systems that change very quickly. You need to constantly look for new tactics and tools to achieve success, try new builds, evaluate the pros and cons of a particular approach.

In CS: Go, one opponent with an AWP on the long is enough to knock out half the team. And you will have to quickly find new tactics that will allow you to stand two against five.

In games, you need to constantly adjust tactics and strategy. For example, a Civilization VI strategy lover should be able to rebuild the work of an entire country if suddenly a neighbor declares a sudden war. In 4-5 moves, a peaceful state must completely switch to a military footing and repel enemy attacks.

The ability to adjust work plans and adapt to the realities of a changing market is an extremely important ability. Managers who have it are able to find the slightest opportunities for growth, and employees are able to instantly switch to other tasks and projects that promise big growth.

Strategic thinking. Lamp Warcraft and Heroes of might and magic just perfectly develop the strategic vision of the situation. There you always need to calculate the moves far in advance.

You need to keep in mind the availability and quantity of resources, the location of the enemy armies, set intermediate goals and look for the best ways to achieve them. For one game of Heroes, the player solves dozens of complex strategic situations and problems. And on a difficulty of 200%, any little thing left unaccounted for can lead to a loss, which obliges the player to control absolutely everything.

After such tests, decomposing the working project into subgoals and prescribing conditions for their implementation is a trifling matter.

Reaction. An experienced CS player only needs 0. 2 seconds to aim at an opponent and shoot. Shooters perfectly hone the speed of reaction and teach the brain not to fall into a stupor, but to act in the event of any emergency or simply difficult situations.

Stress resistance. Everything is clear here. All you have to do is turn on Dark Souls. And if, after the twentieth stupid death, a person does not break the monitor, then it is damn stress-resistant.

Game trials teach a person to respond more calmly to HDI trials. When you die for the forty-fifth time at the hands of the Nameless King, then an irritated and covetous client is a very small evil.

Attention to detail. Strategies and simulations simply have a huge amount of detail to keep an eye on.

And we believe that if a person was able to establish the production of resources and create a rocket in Factorio, he can easily establish a real production line at a factory or lead a large-scale project in an IT company. Because in Factorio you need to keep hundreds of little things in your head, a jamb in any of which can ruin progress almost completely. Because in this game everything is interdependent. Anyone who has played it knows what I’m talking about.

It is clear that a good gamer is not necessarily a good specialist . After all, games primarily develop soft skills. And without hard skills, even a super-duper team player and strategist will be useless.

If gaming experience complements an employee’s competencies, this can be useful. But if he replaces them, then a number of problems may arise in interaction with the manager, the goals of the project, and other specialists. There is a very subtle point that needs to be monitored.

Game mechanics at work

We’ve heard a lot about workflow gamification. The whole idea of ​​using mechanics and tools from computer games to improve your workflow is brilliant!

Let’s take, for example, the idea of ​​an extended work book, which records not only the place of work and position, but the employee’s competencies, general statistics of completed tasks, completed projects, promotions in the profession, the number of jambs. A kind of user profile in the game.

It can be combined with the internal system of awards and achievements. And then in the profile of the “player” it will be immediately clear what he has succeeded in and what tasks he is best at solving.

And if you go even further and combine all this with CRM and a task manager, where the main work is done and tasks are noted, then such a profile turns into a multifunctional tool for assessing the quality of work and professional growth of a specialist.

The connection between the effective work of the company and gaming is quite interesting. Games can be used as a team building and stress relief tool. Knowing the favorite games of an employee, you can quite accurately figure out exactly what personal qualities he possesses. And the introduction of gamification into the workflow can even turn routine tasks into an interesting quest.

In general, we are for games. We will continue to shoot in CS after work and enjoy it.

Achievement from the work book: why business needs gaming employees

While the Megaplan team was working in the office, we regularly held tournaments on the first version of StarCraft. They fought from department to department or room to room. It brought our team together. All were a single whole and each – an independent unit at the same time. “Sasha, let’s go to you, my loaves are on the way, I’ll help you now. I’ll put a couple of turrets in Seryoga, Mutalisks nest nearby.” We played Quake (every man for himself) and Counter-Strike (by teams). In 2016, at parties at the company, they seriously cut into the 16-bit version of Mortal Kombat for SEGA. Even a virtual scuffle perfectly defuses the situation.

Console and PC market data US, UK, Sweden, France, Germany and Poland.
Source: Consumer Insights for Gaming Peripherals

A team of gamers in your company

Experience of gamers is real knowledge without a diploma, independent problem solving, lightning-fast acquisition of the simplest practical skills. Gamers are persistent and energetic employees, capable of challenging themselves and taking on the role of a hero.

Individual companies in the Internet industry and entire economic niches were created by a generation of gamers: Netscape co-founder Mark Andersen developed his own computer games, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg noted that computer games led him to programming and urged parents not to forbid children to play. Tesla founder Elon Musk made similar statements.

These are the qualities that distinguish employees who are passionate about computer games:

Team skills. Multiplayer games, that is, those that can be played simultaneously by several players via the Internet or over a local network, from the Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Dota, Warhammer, Warcraft series have already brought up several generations of new types of employees. They know how to assemble a team, understand the optimal distribution of roles in it. Even without knowing the theory, such employees intuitively distinguish the temperaments of colleagues and know how to set tasks for them and what results they are capable of. For example, they know that a phlegmatic person is the most even and thorough performer who will do everything that is needed if he is given a clear plan. At the same time, it is more difficult for him to solve abstract problems, the purpose of which is not completely clear.

During a game, for example, in World of Warcraft, the captain of a team of 10-40 people distributes roles between them, distributes instructions and controls the task – to fill up the boss. At the decisive stage of the mission, communication between the players is very important (to warn of danger, insure a partner in the group, etc.). Her absence is equal to failure.

Readiness to regroup. Role-playing computer games allow you to choose a social role, manage budgets and people, try out the craziest ideas and see the result. Resilience to failures and mistakes is one of the important qualities for an entrepreneur, manager, manager and any professional, which is noted by psychologists, coaches and HR specialists. It develops in gamers naturally. They regularly start the game from the beginning if something doesn’t work out. No other sphere of life, perhaps, forms such resilience.

Ready for constant change. This habit is developed, among other things, because of the releases of more and more new games. Gamers learn differently than everyone else. They are better adapted to self-education: they absorb information pointwise, realize the possibility of many attempts, and ignore authorities. The influence of computer games on thinking is most noticeable in the youngest people – yesterday’s schoolchildren, in whose lives computer games appeared earlier than in previous generations. They are able to quickly determine the essence, find the necessary information and immediately apply, adjusting tactics after receiving feedback.

Strategic thinking. Fans of strategy games (Warcraft, Heroes of Might and Magic, SimCity) are able to predict the situation further than one step ahead. But rather, this is due to the fact that such games are initially played by people with the ability to predict.

Critical thinking and reaction. One of the most developed qualities of gamers thanks to shooting games, shooters like Counter-Strike or Call of Duty.

Stress resistance. Gamers often cope better with stress due to the availability of their hobby every day: if you love skiing, then doing it every evening to relieve stress is problematic. A computer game is always at hand. In addition, the gameplay itself, for example, in the game Dark Souls, develops stress resistance. This is an action/RPG with an open world, detailed locations and a challenging mission.

In the game Eve Online, the economic model is as close to reality as possible. Some players extract resources, others build spaceships out of them, others transport them around the universe, others buy ships and fight. According to the plot, there is a constant struggle for territories, there are battles for several thousand people. Inside this game, it is quite possible to save up for a decent ship for a month, but at one moment fly out of the station and lose all the savings. You need to start over. Such gameplay develops Buddhist patience.

Attention to detail. Simulators develop this skill. For example, the Gran Turismo series forces the player to figure out what part is needed for a car in order to win a particular race; what should be the characteristics of the engine in order to be the first to take off from the start. Oddly enough, a similar skill is developed among fans of fighting games in the spirit of Mortal Kombat. To win, the player needs to know the combination of punch combinations and apply them successfully.

All of these qualities make it easy for gamers to fit into agile organizations with distributed teams, each creating their own product. Computer games perfectly develop useful qualities in work, if games are not abused.

However, one should not think that a good gamer is necessarily a good worker. In any case, he must have skills that are important for his specialty and duties. A good gamer, but a bad worker, can, for example, quickly complete a task, but already on the eve of the deadline for its execution – because he is used to responding only to annoying factors. Also, gamers can take commands poorly at work, because they are used to commanding all the time in the game. There are also completely neglected cases when avid players confuse game experience with life, do not understand that people perform certain actions according to more subtle laws than game characters.

What video games teach

– If you get to the finish line first, you win.
– You have a limited set of tools, and at least some combination of them will definitely work. If you find the right combination, the game will reward you.
Trial and error is the best strategy and the fastest way to learn.
— Seniors with their experience will not help you.
— Surprises and difficulties await you, for which you are not ready. But the sum of these risks and dangers, by definition, cannot make your path meaningless.
– Once you have the right “things” (business plan, product sample, clientele, maybe even profits), you will be swimming in gold.
– Although sometimes you have to retreat, in the end you still move forward.

Source: “We finished the game! How a generation of gamers is changing the business environment forever, John S. Beck, Mitchell Wade, 2008.

Achievements in the work book

There are more and more gamers in the world: according to mid-2020 data, 40% of the world’s population plays computer games. Therefore, sooner or later, everyone will switch to general profiles that reflect professional achievements. And the gamification of professional achievements will become one of the key areas of work for HR departments of companies.

All features of the gamer’s personality can be used to improve the efficiency of employee management. The user profile in the game, with experience indicators, extracted resources and other elements of character development, is already reminiscent of an extended version of a work book with the success of a professional.

An employee’s card in Megaplan is also similar to a character’s game profile in the game: there is an avatar, the number of completed tasks, and general statistics for certain indicators. Our system captures both the number of missed deadlines and successful transactions. Such a “work book” can be upgraded, like a profile in the game. For example, a manager can issue virtual medals for certain achievements, see the statistics of the work of a particular employee for any period of work.

Such a card in the management system speaks about the qualities of a potential employee to a new employer better than any resume, objectively describes his career path. A few years ago, we tried to implement the function of transferring our Megaplan account from one company to another. Users with the help of “Megaplan” could evaluate their real achievements and receive a certificate based on the results of work in the company upon dismissal, which could be attached to their resume. The system became an independent institution that evaluated the achievements of a particular specialist in the market.

But tests have shown that not all specialists are ready to open their real work experience to new employers. It is still easier for them to present themselves with the help of a “perfect” resume, which they write themselves.

If you decide to organize a computer game office tournament

1. Choose a game. This might be the game that most of your employees play alone. You can also choose a game for pumping one or another collective skill. For example, Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Dota are suitable for developing a team spirit; to defuse the situation – one-on-one fighting games like Mortal Kombat, to develop strategic thinking – Warcraft, Heroes of Might and Magic, SimCity.