Video Game Designers
Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.
Also called: Computer Game Designer, Computer Video Game Designer, Concept Artist, Content Creator, Design Director, Designer
Median pay
$104,000
Pay for the broader BLS group “Web and Digital Interface Designers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$53,750 – $201,550
People employed
113,330
Whole BLS group
Holland code
AIE
Artistic · Investigative · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 3.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 4.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
- 5.Do you prefer working indoors?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Video Game Designers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (45 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Web and Digital Interface Designers”.
What video game designers do
- 01Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
- 02Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
- 03Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
- 04Solicit, obtain, and integrate feedback from design and technical staff into original game design.
- 05Conduct regular design reviews throughout the game development process.
- 06Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Design
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- Mathematics
- Psychology
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
- Adaptability
- Innovation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from video game designers
- Graphic Designers88% · —
- Special Effects Artists and Animators82% · —
- Art Directors76% · —
- Search Marketing Strategists73% · group pay
- Film and Video Editors72% · —
Change into video game designers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Graphic Designers85% · $62,960
- Special Effects Artists and Animators82% · $102,030
- Art Directors76% · $114,850
- Film and Video Editors69% · $75,420
- Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers68% · $76,910
Majors that lead here
- Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Informatics
- Human-Centered Technology Design
- Computer Programming/Programmer, General
- Information Science/Studies
- Computer Science
- Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design
- Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster
- Human Computer Interaction
- Design and Visual Communications, General
- Graphic Design
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.