What Do Game Designers Do? Roles, Skills, and Career Paths

Any avid gamer will tell you that the world and level design of an individual game defines the entire gameplay experience. Game designers take on a role that is both creative and technical, working to create immersive and engaging virtual environments that lead to meaningful experiences among players. The results of their work have a direct impact on the success of a game, making this a rewarding and inviting career pathway.

But what do game designers do, exactly? And what skills do you need to become one? Our guide takes an in-depth look at this evolving profession.

The Core Job: What a Game Designer Actually Does

Combining engineering expertise with artistic design and digital skills, video game designers work to create the features that are included in a video game. While the scope of the role may vary based on the specialty area, the primary responsibilities within this position include designing game mechanics and systems, writing Game Design Documents (GDDs), shaping levels, building environments, and defining difficulty curves. As a result, game designers influence the direction of the game itself and contribute to any commercial success.

In this role, game designers have the opportunity to collaborate and work closely with programmers, artists, and audio teams. Together, the design team works to bring the game concept to life.

Designing Game Mechanics and Systems

Game mechanics are often described as the heart of video game design, as these mechanics define how players interact with all other elements of a video game, such as the rules, challenges, strategies, and goals. The goal is to create game mechanics that are not only cohesive and functional but also meaningful, as this yields an engaging atmosphere for players to enjoy.

The process of designing gameplay mechanics begins with critical thinking and strategizing. Game designers brainstorm ideas about what the world will be like, which characters will be involved, and what the overall experience should become. Then, they must work with advanced software programs to design and code game elements that will support strong game mechanics.

Writing and Maintaining Game Design Documents

Game Design Documents (GDDs) serve as the blueprint for any video game, and they are a critical part of the game design process. Game designers have to be able to generate clear and concise GDDs that communicate the overall vision and purpose of the game.

Within the GDD, the designer should highlight:

• The game's purpose and overall storyline
• The contents of the game
• The plan to implement the game

The GDD is usually a living document that is updated and maintained throughout the design process. Well-written GDDs ensure that every member of the design team stays on task and on schedule, helping to:

• Make the storyline manageable and understandable for level designers.
• Identify program areas and procedures for game programmers.
• List any elements and functions that need to be tested by the quality assurance team.

Collaborating Across Disciplines

Game design is a joint effort, and video game designers work in tandem with a larger design and production team to bring a video game to life. In fact, many of the larger and more complex video games have design and development teams that include up to 40 or more professionals. Depending on the scope of their role, game designers may partner with artists, sound professionals, programmers, game developers, producers, and quality assurance testers. With a shared vision and a commitment to mutual respect, the team is able to work toward creating an innovative and enticing video game that is beloved by players of all skill levels.

Key Skills Game Designers Need

Originality, creative thinking, problem-solving, and critical analysis are some of the core competencies that anchor the field of game design, but employers are also searching for designers who have a strong understanding of video game development and refined practical and technical skills.

The skills needed to become a game designer include:

• Understanding of player psychology and the role of the user experience
• Storytelling and narrative design skills
• Technical fluency, including experience with game engines, scripting, video editing software, and prototyping tools
• Systems thinking
• User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design skills

Employers are increasingly looking for candidates with strong experience with in-demand scripting languages, such as C#, which is a general-purpose language widely used in game design.

How Do Game Designers Specialize?

The game design field is broad, and most game designers do not remain on a straight and progressive pathway for the duration of their career. Most designers begin to move into a specialty area as they gain experience and strengthen their skills in key aspects of game design.

Some of the main specialty tracks in game design include level design, narrative design, systems design, UX/UI design, and combat/balance design. Most professionals find that they progress into certain aspects of game design, but there is still flexibility to explore different domains throughout your career.

Level Designer

A level designer is responsible for creating the spaces where gameplay takes place. As a valued member of the design and development team, the level designer works to frame out the shape of the environment and design the space that characters will interact with. They need to have an advanced understanding of game design techniques as well as game mechanics, as they build an environment that leads to meaningful interactions and supports the pace and difficulty level of the game itself. Level design takes place in several stages, with professionals often having to adapt and revise their approach throughout the development process.

Narrative Designer

The narrative designer fills the gap that exists between storytelling and game mechanics. They often work closely with level designers to connect the storyline of the game with the environment that will exist, ensuring that players enjoy a cohesive experience throughout the entire game. Narrative design can be broken into two key categories: narrative systems design and narrative content design. Narrative systems design focuses primarily on dialogue and character interactions, while narrative content design zeroes in on the interactions that characters have with the environment.

Systems Designer

A systems designer works to create the elements of gameplay that cannot be influenced or changed by the player, such as the game economy, the characters' abilities and functions, and the number of resources available within the game. Systems designers take on a highly collaborative role, and they follow the GDDs specifically to develop a strong and cohesive game. Some specialty roles within systems design include:

• Class and balance systems designer
• Item designer
• Mechanic designer
• Camera designer
• Economy designer

UX/UI Designer

User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers work closely together to shape the overall experience that players have with the game itself. UX designers collaborate with gameplay designers to ensure that the game mechanics translate well during gameplay. They serve as a bridge between game design and quality assurance, helping to promote an engaging and enticing user experience. UI designers perfect the graphic elements to support the overall look and feel of the game, having a direct impact on the sense of connection that a user feels while playing.

What Does a Game Designer's Career Path Look Like?

While there is a standard linear path that many game designers progress through during their career, there are opportunities to specialize in the field, giving you the freedom to carve out your own path.

Career progression in game design looks like:

• Entry-level role as quality assurance tester or junior designer
• Advancement to mid-level designer
• Promotion to lead or senior designer
• Progression into creative director leadership role

Many aspiring game designers pursue entry-level quality assurance testing roles that help them access a studio and learn from the inside. Most game designers start exploring and pursuing specialization in the middle of their careers, after they have gained fundamental experience and have a better understanding of the industry as a whole.

Start Your Path in Game Design

Champlain College Online's online Bachelor of Science in Interactive Game Design is a degree program built around portfolio development and career-focused training, preparing graduates for roles in video game design and development. The comprehensive curriculum for this program uniquely blends art, design, technology, and business knowledge all within the context of modern game design. It provides a strong foundation for anyone interested in game art, systems design, and gameplay programming careers.

Contact admissions and learn more about CCO's game design degree.