Gaming is becoming a legit industry all around the world, and India is not untouched. Experts have noted a steep growth in the Indian sector. Forecasts predict the industry will treble in value by 2025. Gaming has always been the way of life in India since smartphones were launched. But the pandemic has triggered an unbelievable growth that, since 2020, the graph is getting steeper and steeper. India is among the top 3 countries for gaming and does not show signs of slugging anytime soon.
India has a large population under 30 who is the best-suited audience for the gaming industry, and thus it is not surprising. Everybody has smartphones today, and reasonable internet makes downloads and streaming extremely easy. The gaming industry is evolving at its best in the country, and it is not only good news for gamers but also for anybody who wishes to build a career in the gaming industry. It is a great opportunity as the sector is not very old and is at its prime, which makes it a great career prospect.
Market Size of Industry
Alone in the year, 2021, 30 million gamers have joined in. There are over 400 gaming companies in the country, and they have the second-highest number of online gamers.
The sudden jump in the gaming industry in the country was unexpected and unprecedented. Several reasons contribute to it, like higher income, a growing younger population, a rising number of smartphone users, and the pandemic. The pandemic probably has had the most contribution as, during the lockdown, online games served as an indispensable form of entertainment and escape. In September 2020, around 17% of worldwide downloads were from India, with 7.3 billion installed games.
Growth Rate
As we already covered, the online gaming industry has witnessed a bombastic rise in India and has registered a 38% growth rate. With so many companies indulging in game development, it is becoming the next big thing in the country. The gaming industry is estimated to create 20,000 to 40,000 jobs by 2025 and perhaps 2 lakh by 2026.
Scope and Future
It is needless to say, the scope and future of the online gaming industry are bright and have the potential to attract several youngsters who wish to contribute to it. A large chunk of the youth already has knowledge of games and the basics of the technology and mechanism behind them. This surely gives them the leverage to grasp the concepts and training at once.
A 35% growth is anticipated, but the sector must be backed by government stakeholders to protect their interests.
The industry must be able to incorporate and master new-age technologies like blockchain and NFTs to bring about a boom in the Indian gaming industry. Players must also try paid games and not just free games to accelerate their growth.
The scope is, therefore, definitely bright for India, and with the right steps and opportunities, they can turn it into a glorious future.
Top 10 Tops to Build a Career in Gaming
Building a career in gaming is not as easy as it may sound, but your love and passion for it can make things manageable. When we talk about a career in gaming, let us not limit ourselves to salaried jobs. We shall also include tips that will help you pursue your passion in your gaming career.
Post Your Work
If you love to listen to discussion boards, do not just be a passive listener. Game developers read those boards, and it might be one of the best ways to attract their attention. Game studios are generally not conservative and love to encourage new talents. You get to build your connections in the industry or even receive an offer letter.
Discussion boards are thus one of the best ways to get inside the industry and make connections. Even if you do not get a job offer, treat your connections and your strength and churn out whatever you can from those connections. Learn from them, request them to invite you to workshops, etc.
Gaming Channel
Like we said, not all jobs have to be salaried. You can be self-employed and pursue your passion at the same time. You can either have a blog or a YouTube channel. The latter is, of course, a better option as it would catch more eyes. You can play your games, stream them, review gaming consoles and games, and impart knowledge on everything related to the industry. Several vloggers earn a pretty figure through their channel. And who knows? You might also get a job offer at a prestigious gaming company.
Get a College Degree Related to Games
Being a good player does not guarantee your position in a gaming company. Therefore, if you are planning to take up gaming as your career, it is best to start with the best college. Get the degrees that will work in your favor when you go to apply for a job in a gaming company. Try to master subjects like computer science, practical programming, mathematics, game design, and logic. A good college will also have links with the industry, thus providing you with more networking opportunities.
Get enrolled in a Course
If you have already passed college, you can take courses that will help your case. Enroll in that game design and developing course or any other that might help your portfolio. You can also try to get some internships.
Internships
We have touched slightly on the importance of internship in the previous point, but that’s not enough. The certificates help you understand the work and industry. Plus, they also decorate your CV.
Get a Job at a Gaming Studio
Find a decent video gaming studio and use your skill to grab the internship. Even if you are not a gamer, you can still find a job that suits you. You also get to learn from the experienced, and it will only help your career further.
Game Jams
Game jams are a great way to expand your knowledge and connections. The gaming industry works very intricately, and everything that goes on inside stays inside. And therefore, building connections becomes extremely important, and game jams can be a way.
Make In-game apps
Getting placement at a gaming company is not everything. You can try to pursue your passion in a different way as well. Build your gaming apps if you have the programming ability and start a start-up. While a venture like this takes time, it gives you an even better opportunity than working in a company.
Be Serious
Making a career in the gaming industry is no joke, and it requires as much hard work as in any other field. So if you wish to enter the industry with the notion that it’s all fun and frolic, we suggest you don’t. It requires you to be serious from the first day and demands hard work and intelligence.
Nothing has come to anyone without sweat and patience. So if you think you are going to
achieve your dream job with the least bit of effort, it’s time you break that bubble. Keep persevering and give yourself that push when you feel like giving up, and you will always be grateful for it.
Expand Your Knowledge
The gaming industry is evolving rapidly, and thus newer elements always find their way into it. You must also be able to adapt yourself to the ever-growing technology. Keep yourself updated about new technologies and enroll in courses that will enhance your knowledge.
Types of Roles Available
Game Designer
Game designers come up with the blueprint of the game and outline its settings, rules, genre, vehicle, weapons, the period it’s going to be set in, etc. He has the vision, and everything that goes into the game is run by him.
Skills Required:
- Critical thinking
- Storytelling ability
- Knowledge of software development and programming
- Time management
- The ability to work in a team
Narrative Designer
The narrative designer is responsible for laying out the game designer’s concept on a backdrop. He decides how an event proceeds to the other and how the characters are to be connected. He is also in charge of the dialogues and other contexts of the game. The narrative designer works in a team with the game designer.
Skills Required
The skills he must have are thus quite similar to the game designer:
- Collaborative attitude
- Programming and software skills
- Narrative quality
- Script writing ability
- Communication ability
Game Animator
Animators render structure to the whole narrative that is laid out. They add definition to the story and render physical quality to everything that you see on the screen. How a character walks or how the rain looks everything is detailed by the animator.
Skills Required:
- Strong visual imagination
- Creativity
- Ability to work with computer graphics software
- Patience
Audio Engineer
The Audio Engineer delivers the voice and other audio elements in the game. Everything that you hear while your game is credited to the audio engineer.
Skill Required:
- Hardware management
- Ability to work with digital sound software.
- Music theory knowledge
- Knowledge of acoustics and mixing techniques
- Equalizing methods
Programmer
Programmers are responsible for turning the idea into a computer game. They come up with technical codes that make the concept into a game. They test the codes and fix the flaws until the game is ready to run.
Skills Required:
- On point IT Skills
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Creativity
- Time management skills
DevOps Engineer
DevOps Engineers create and maintain the servers and networks of the games once it goes online. It helps the game run smoothly and provides security for the server.
Skills Required:
- Automation skills
- Coding and scripting
- Security skills
- Cloud skills
- Testing skills
Key Takeaways
The gaming industry is rising at a remarkable rate, and thus we can hope to see a boom in the country very soon. The expansion of any industry opens up opportunities for the new generations to contribute to it. And what can be a better time for Indian youngsters to pursue their passion for games on a more career-like path?
If you, too, take an interest in gaming and have knowledge about its programming and design, ditch the mundane 9 to 5 job and start your career in the gaming industry. However, make sure that you have the required knowledge and set of skills that are required for game development and testing. You can always work on your skills with programs and workshops available widely over the internet. Internships and courses are often the best way to start a career. Take up the best-suited course for gaming today, and let it be the beginning of a successful career.
Leave a Reply