4 answers
Miah
Student
Plattsburgh, New York
1
Question
Updated
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How do you recommend building your experience in game development to get into a relatively good job out of college?
I have heard that game development is a somewhat difficult job to get into straight out of college, so is there any specific advice you could give me for me to follow throughout college? What types of things should I study/explore, and what kind of internships should I seek?
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4 answers
Fasi Uddin Mir
17
Answers
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Updated
Fasi Uddin’s Answer
Hi Miah,
It's great that you're thinking about game development after college. It can be competitive, but starting early gives you an edge. Here's how to boost your chances:
1. Build small games often. Completing multiple simple projects is better than waiting for one big one. It shows your ability to finish tasks and learn.
2. Create a portfolio. Make a simple website or page to display your projects, your role, and what you learned from each.
3. Work on team projects. Game development is a team effort. Show that you can collaborate with others like artists and programmers.
4. Join game jams. These events let you build a game quickly, teaching you speed, teamwork, and problem-solving.
5. Master one core skill. Whether it's programming, design, or art, having one strong area makes you stand out.
For internships:
- Look for roles that match your skills, like QA testing or design support.
- Don’t worry if your first internship isn’t at a big studio. Small companies can offer great experience too.
- Apply regularly, even if you don’t feel completely ready.
Also, go beyond your classes:
- Join game development clubs.
- Engage in online communities.
- Learn from how other developers work and share.
By graduation, aim to have a portfolio that shows your skills, thought process, and teamwork. You don’t need to be perfect—just show progress and consistency. Starting now puts you ahead, and with steady effort, you'll build a solid path into the industry.
Choose one game engine (like Unity, Unreal, or Godot) and commit to learning it over the next few months.
Plan and complete one small game project within 2–4 weeks to build momentum.
Create a simple portfolio page and upload your first project, even if it’s basic.
Join a game jam to gain teamwork experience and learn how to build under time constraints.
Start tracking internships early and apply to multiple opportunities, including smaller studios or related tech roles.
It's great that you're thinking about game development after college. It can be competitive, but starting early gives you an edge. Here's how to boost your chances:
1. Build small games often. Completing multiple simple projects is better than waiting for one big one. It shows your ability to finish tasks and learn.
2. Create a portfolio. Make a simple website or page to display your projects, your role, and what you learned from each.
3. Work on team projects. Game development is a team effort. Show that you can collaborate with others like artists and programmers.
4. Join game jams. These events let you build a game quickly, teaching you speed, teamwork, and problem-solving.
5. Master one core skill. Whether it's programming, design, or art, having one strong area makes you stand out.
For internships:
- Look for roles that match your skills, like QA testing or design support.
- Don’t worry if your first internship isn’t at a big studio. Small companies can offer great experience too.
- Apply regularly, even if you don’t feel completely ready.
Also, go beyond your classes:
- Join game development clubs.
- Engage in online communities.
- Learn from how other developers work and share.
By graduation, aim to have a portfolio that shows your skills, thought process, and teamwork. You don’t need to be perfect—just show progress and consistency. Starting now puts you ahead, and with steady effort, you'll build a solid path into the industry.
Fasi Uddin recommends the following next steps:
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Software Engineer and Career Mentor
654
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
If you have a genuine passion for game development, pursue it with consistency and effort. Your success comes from staying persistent and believing in your potential; even though the journey can be tough, it is definitely within reach.
In college, concentrate on core computer science subjects such as data structures, algorithms, object-oriented programming, computer architecture, and operating systems, along with essential math like linear algebra and basic calculus for graphics and game physics. Regularly build small projects, learn key programming languages like C++ or C#, and choose either Unity or Unreal to master deeply while building 2–3 polished game projects for your portfolio. Practice problem solving on platforms like HackerRank and LeetCode, and also use game-focused platforms such as Codewars, Unity Learn challenges, Unreal Engine community samples, and itch.io game jams to solve real gameplay and systems problems under constraints.
From your second year, start applying for internships or volunteer roles to gain early industry experience. Participate in game jams, contribute to open-source projects on GitHub, and join community projects on platforms like itch.io or Discord to improve collaboration skills. Use resources like Unity Learn and Unreal Engine Online Learning, and explore remote internships or mentorships on LinkedIn and Wellfound. Join programming or computer science clubs and hackathons to strengthen teamwork and problem-solving. Connect with professionals through LinkedIn, GitHub, and Stack Overflow, and build skills in Git, debugging, and performance profiling. Create a clear, project-focused resume and practice explaining your work and solving coding and game design problems for interviews. By consistently practicing, building projects, and gaining real experience, you can become a job-ready game developer.
In college, concentrate on core computer science subjects such as data structures, algorithms, object-oriented programming, computer architecture, and operating systems, along with essential math like linear algebra and basic calculus for graphics and game physics. Regularly build small projects, learn key programming languages like C++ or C#, and choose either Unity or Unreal to master deeply while building 2–3 polished game projects for your portfolio. Practice problem solving on platforms like HackerRank and LeetCode, and also use game-focused platforms such as Codewars, Unity Learn challenges, Unreal Engine community samples, and itch.io game jams to solve real gameplay and systems problems under constraints.
From your second year, start applying for internships or volunteer roles to gain early industry experience. Participate in game jams, contribute to open-source projects on GitHub, and join community projects on platforms like itch.io or Discord to improve collaboration skills. Use resources like Unity Learn and Unreal Engine Online Learning, and explore remote internships or mentorships on LinkedIn and Wellfound. Join programming or computer science clubs and hackathons to strengthen teamwork and problem-solving. Connect with professionals through LinkedIn, GitHub, and Stack Overflow, and build skills in Git, debugging, and performance profiling. Create a clear, project-focused resume and practice explaining your work and solving coding and game design problems for interviews. By consistently practicing, building projects, and gaining real experience, you can become a job-ready game developer.
MaryAnn Ivan
Musical Director/Composer
23
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
MaryAnn’s Answer
Hi Miah
Gaming people are so very cool to speak with about their industry. I am a music composer myself and just went to a panel talk in Los Angeles about writing music for game companies.
I would suggest getting online and put together a spread sheet of company name(s), creative team, head of HR, Lead Artist, Lead Special FX , etc. and introduce yourself in an email and ask them if they might have a few moments (at their convenience) to give you any advice on how to break into the industry. Tell them your goals, and thank them for their time. They would have the answers. Keep your email short and sweet and to the point.
That's what I am trying to do with the music department heads of the gaming companies. They truly are very easy going and relaxed people.
Good luck with your adventure !
Mary Ann Ivan
Gaming people are so very cool to speak with about their industry. I am a music composer myself and just went to a panel talk in Los Angeles about writing music for game companies.
I would suggest getting online and put together a spread sheet of company name(s), creative team, head of HR, Lead Artist, Lead Special FX , etc. and introduce yourself in an email and ask them if they might have a few moments (at their convenience) to give you any advice on how to break into the industry. Tell them your goals, and thank them for their time. They would have the answers. Keep your email short and sweet and to the point.
That's what I am trying to do with the music department heads of the gaming companies. They truly are very easy going and relaxed people.
Good luck with your adventure !
Mary Ann Ivan
Sandeep Khandelwal
Software Engineer
131
Answers
San Ramon, California
Updated
Sandeep’s Answer
Hello Miah,
The best way to build experience in game development is by creating games and building a strong portfolio. Work on small projects, participate in game jams, and collaborate with others to learn how real game development teams operate.
Internships related to software development, graphics programming, or game studios can also give valuable real-world experience
The best way to build experience in game development is by creating games and building a strong portfolio. Work on small projects, participate in game jams, and collaborate with others to learn how real game development teams operate.
Internships related to software development, graphics programming, or game studios can also give valuable real-world experience