With more than half its population aged below 30 years, India is a huge market for video games. Not surprisingly, India broke into the top five video game markets in the world in 2016. If you love video games – and who doesn’t? – then you can consider converting your passion into a career where work and play will mean the same thing.
For starters, the video game industry is a very lucrative one since it involves specialized skills and knowledge. A good video game is a combination of an animation movie, a book, a challenge/puzzle and an entertainment experience. A good video game designer, and this is just one of many jobs in the industry, can command hefty pay for his or her skills.
Secondly, various aspects of this industry are closely linked to many other industries. Somebody creating video game graphics can easily find demand for his or her talents in the VFX industry for movies. Experts in various facets of video games such as soundtracks, plots and scripts, user interfaces, designs and marketing and promotion offer numerous opportunities in other industries.
Further, the video game industry in India is set to benefit from a combination of positive developments such as the rapid penetration of smartphones into rural markets, wider 3G/4G connectivity and insatiable demand for newer and better entertainment options for the masses. There is sustained demand for “India- centric” games, which presents a fantastic opportunity for the right person with the right idea.
Breaking into the gaming industry
Unlike conventional industries, creativity, imagination and the ability to work hard to transform your ideas into reality are given more importance than your degree. While formal qualification is no doubt important, merely having a degree won’t make you a good video game designer or tester. So, make sure that you look beyond the conventional approach towards education and training when trying to enter the gaming industry.
Build up a portfolio as early as possible. Whether you are a good designer, plot writer or soundtrack composer will depend on the finished product. Don’t worry about your efforts being ridiculed as amateurish. You will improve faster as you gain more practical experience.
Leverage the power of online networking and marketing. Remember, conventional rules related to degrees and years of experience don’t really apply to the gaming industry. Showcasing your skills and experience on social media sites, like Jatin Mehta has done on LinkedIn, can help you attract potential recruiters very quickly.
Sharing knowledge is as important as gaining knowledge. Sharing your views about various aspects and facets of the gaming industry, including your views about joining the industry, can help you build credibility very quickly. This can be a great way to connect with industry veterans, other gaming enthusiasts and the general public as a whole.
The gaming industry is not just about consoles, desktops and smartphone games. You can be a trailblazer and lead the path into newer arenas such as Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and even corporate learning and training through gamification in context of the Indian environment.
