Game designer salary: how much does a video game designer earn?

If you are passionate about video games and would like to help create them and join the thriving video game industry, you are probably doing your research to decide which training is best for you to learn how to design video games, and you will also want to know what the average game designer salary is.

In this article, we are going to go through everything you want to know about the job of a videogame designer: salary, types of position, the possibilities for improvement and the available training options for you to turn your passion into your profession.

The first step you should take is training. With Tokyo School’s video game design course you will receive the training you need to enter this exciting and challenging environment. Keep reading to find out more!

Video game designer salary: what’s the average?

As one of the professionals who plays a central role in the creation of these audiovisual products, let’s look at the average game designer salary. 

Currently, the initial average salary of a video game designer in the UK is around £25,411 per year, but it can even increase to 50,000.

This range is very impressive, right? The main reason that will determine the salary is the professional’s experience and, of course, his or her talent.

Videogames go through a multitude of changes throughout their creation, and game designers must constantly review all the aspects they are in charge of. In this way, when it comes to knowing the average video game designer salary, we must look at his level of responsibility.

For starters, game designers are obviously assigned projects based on their experience. Thus, for a very junior programmer who is beginning his career as a professional it is difficult to access triple A productions –which entail a higher level of complexity–. In fact, if a junior is involved in such a project, he will be in charge of simpler tasks such as level or character design.

In the next section we are going to explain in more detail the levels of experience that, logically, affect how much a game designer charges. Pay attention!

How much does a game designer salary change based on his experience?

As it might be expected, one of the most determining factors in a video game designer’s salary is his experience.

For this reason, and just like it happens in other professions that are part of the technology sector, there is a hierarchy of categories that define the typical game designer salary ranges. Let’s see them!

Video Game Designer: Junior Salary

When considering video game design specialists, the junior designer represents the lowest level (coming only after the interns). The junior designer usually assists the senior designers and his salary is typically around £25,400 per year.

This depends, of course, on what company and project the junior designer works on.

Video game designer salary: how much does a senior earn

Senior game designers are in charge of supervising, therefore, they are the most responsible for the design of the game. The salary of a senior video game designer starts at approximately £35,000 per year and can reach £70,000 per year.

Just like it happens with junior positions, senior video game designers salaries can greatly vary depending on their geographical location.

Other designer profiles

In addition to the different levels of experience we’ve considered, from juniors to seniors, there are other professionals that participate in the creation and design of a video game. Let’s list them!

• Level designer. These are specialists in specific tasks within the level design in a video game.
• Character designer. This figure is in charge of the design of the video game characters.
• Audio designer. Specialist in the creation of music and sound effects within the game.
• Animation designer. In charge of creating the animations of objects, characters and other elements of the video game environment.
• Concept designer. His mission is to design and implement the concepts of everything players see in the game: menus, navigation systems, and so on. They can take care of the 2D or 3D design.
• Code designer. He or she converts design concepts into code so that they materialize in the video game environment.

Apart from the spectrum of the junior-senior video game designer salary, these specialized profiles also receive remuneration in accordance with their knowledge and specific functions, which will be determined by the company they work for.

In countries where the industry is more established, such as the US, it is easier to get a better salary as a video game designer.

By joining a video game design course that leads to becoming a professional specialist, you will be eligible for employment opportunities around the world, which also constitutes a very interesting professional experience!

The functions of video game designers

Now that we know all the details about what the average game designer salary is, we are going to explain what exactly this figure does in the creation of a video game. This may help you decide if this is the position you are looking for or if there is another profile that interests you more within this industry, such as programming, development, art direction…

The video game industry continues to growing. It is a form of entertainment enjoyed by people of all ages that allows players to enter an alternate world and be part of an immersive experience that other media cannot offer.

The data speaks for itself: did you know that the video game industry generates a bigger profit per year than movies and music combined?

Today’s video games are very complex creations that offer a wide range of reactions for each action that players perform.

This is made possible thanks to the teamwork of designers, programmers and creators, who are responsible for creating the content, narrative and environment of each video game.

In the context of video game creation, it’s the designer who decides how everything will work within a game.

If you are an imaginative person and want to use your creative thinking on the generation of unique playful experiences, video game design may be the ideal field for you.

With a specialized video game design course, you will obtain the necessary training not only to create video games, but also to use your knowledge to develop software, web pages and even participate in art projects for other media within the audiovisual world.

Tokyo School helps you with a push towards your future

If you have come this far, you already have a general idea of what the average video game designer salary is, as well as an idea of what professionals at the different levels may earn. Which one would you like to opt for?

To join this industry, the first step is to take a video game design course like the one we offer at Tokyo School.

Would you like to learn more about our specialized training? Request more information without obligation and we will tell you everything you need to know to take the leap towards the profession of your dreams. Your future awaits you!