What jobs involve gaming? 5 careers you can explore

The gaming industry is growing in Australia and around the world, opening a wide range of career opportunities.

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A career in gaming is more than just playing games. The industry brings together a wide range of creative and technical professionals, from designers and artists to programmers, writers and producers. With so many options, it’s normal to feel unsure about which career path to choose. Keep reading to learn more about the gaming industry and career paths, hear from current students and academics, and explore what the future of the gaming industry may look like.

Why work in the gaming industry?

If you already have a passion for gaming, a career in the industry can be an incredibly fulfilling path. There are many different roles to explore, from testing and sound design to storytelling, marketing, coding and development. Whether you’re interested in creating immersive worlds, shaping player experiences or promoting the next big release, there are countless ways to turn your interests into a career.

If you enjoy creative teamwork and building technical skills, a career in gaming may suit you. You can work with emerging technologies to help shape the future of interactive entertainment. Many gaming roles address real-world challenges, such as designing inclusive digital spaces or creating tools for education and health.

The gaming industry has developed rapidly in the last few years, with Australian game development studios generating over $600M in income for FY 2025 (Australian Game Developer Survey, 2025). This growth is driving demand for graduates who can combine technical expertise with creative thinking and ethical decision making.

Advances in artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality are expanding what the gaming industry can do. Whether you’re interested in the technical or creative aspects of the gaming industry, there are exciting opportunities now and in the future.

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What jobs involve gaming?

There are several jobs in the gaming industry including ones you may or may not be familiar with. These jobs may include game artist, game development, animators, audio engineers, marketing and sales. These roles often involve working with people from different disciplines, including fine arts, design, media, technology and social sciences.

Keep reading to learn more about some jobs that involve gaming.

Game designer
Game developer
3D artist
Visual effects producer
Esports events manager

Game designer

Game designers help shape every stage of the game development process, from early ideas to player experience. This includes but isn't limited to the initial concept, landscape aesthetics and character concept. The role requires designers to work collaboratively with other teams to perfect the concepts, storylines and user experience to ensure a seamless and engaging experience for players. Game designers also consider how players interact with stories and systems, shaping experiences that can inform behaviour, learning and engagement.

A career in game design may be for you if you enjoy:

creating storyboards and writing scripts
designing diagrams, outlines and visual mock ups
collaborating and communicating with other team members on a project
solving problems and troubleshooting technical issues
combining creativity with technical expertise
working to tight deadlines and thriving on feedback

Game developer

According to , gaming and multimedia developer roles are in very strong demand. Game developers design and build interactive game experiences. This can include coding, storytelling and design to build engaging game experiences. The role requires you to plan out game projects, design characters of a game and edit program code to create different game elements. These skills are increasingly used beyond games, including in simulation, training and virtual environments.

A career as a game developer may be for you if you enjoy:

problem solving and debugging technical issues

writing code to create interactive gameplay
building digital landscapes and developing engaging narratives
analysing games to understand what makes them enjoyable
learning new technologies and perfecting projects
teamwork and collaborative projects

3D artist

3D artists specialise in digital art across industries such as animation, film and video games. This can include researching ideas, creating things like storyboards, 3D models, images and landscapes, and managing the 3D design process. The role requires you to use computer software to create animations and digital effects for creative projects and video games. 3D artists often contribute to projects that visualise complex ideas, bringing concepts to life for audiences across industries.

A career as a 3D artist may be for you if you enjoy:

creating 3d models or props using software tools
developing animations to interact within a 3D environment
enhancing the visual quality of animations or final images
troubleshooting issues related to 3D assets
collaborating with other professionals on projects

Visual effects producer

Visual effects producers (also known as VFX producers) manage the entire process of creating visual effects (VFX) for a TV show or film. They help create the team of technical and VFX staff, set schedules for the work and manage the budget required for the project. The role requires you to work closely and collaboratively with the production crew to ensure things run smoothly and the client is satisfied with the VFX. Strong collaboration and leadership skills are essential, especially when working on projects with tight timelines and diverse stakeholders.

A career as a VFX producer may be for you if you enjoy:

organisation and project management
managing a team, providing directions and communicating with everyone
creative challenges
problem solving including technical troubleshooting
relationship building with different team members

Esports events manager

Esports events managers ensure esport events are delivered successfully. This might include things like reaching specific viewer numbers, positive press and fan feedback, managing ticket sales, and solving any issues that may arise. The role requires you to work together with many different teams like external stakeholders, venue management, sales, marketing and more. These events often bring communities together by combining entertainment, technology and live experience.

A career as an esports events manager may be for you if you enjoy:

leading a group or managing team members
creative and innovative thinking
organisation and decision making
time and financial management
managing administrative tasks and duties
working in fast-paced environments

What skills are required to work in the gaming industry?

To succeed in the gaming industry, you’ll need technical knowledge and transferrable skills that prepare you for a rapidly changing field.

“When we talk with industry about what they are looking for in graduates, they describe the importance of a strong portfolio, but they also invariably focus on attributes such as communication, teamwork, resilience and critical thinking,” says Associate Professor Grant Stevens, Program Director of Fine Arts.

Guy Lobwein, Lecturer and Discipline Lead for Game Art & Design adds that "studios are looking for graduate artists and designers who not only have strong technical skills, but are also communicative, collaborative, and compassionate."

A tertiary education, like a bachelor’s degree can help you develop these soft skills, in addition to specific hard skills required for your role.

These soft skills might include:

collaboration and teamwork
communication
problem solving
time management
creative thinking
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planning and organisation
attention to detail
willingness to learn
innovation and initiative

How will AI affect gaming careers?

Artificial intelligence is changing how games are designed, developed and played. As AI tools evolve, ethical design and responsible use of technology are becoming increasingly important. “Although AI can be an incredibly powerful tool, it is an understanding of how to create game projects with conceptual and contextual relevance, alongside the technical knowledge of systems and optimisation, that ultimately can make a project meaningful in our digital world,” says Guy.

Some ways AI may affect gaming careers:

AI-driven systems to monitor player interactions and adjust gameplay in real time to help maintain engagement.
Game content creation with the help of AI to generate characters, maps and quests to create dynamic game environments that offer unique experiences.
AI tools can help designers balance difficulty levels and improve gameplay.
AI can moderate interactions and chat messages to ensure the gaming environment is safe and inclusive.

“With an increasing abundance of interactive digital experiences at our fingertips and the rapid cultural changes precipitated by generative AI, it’s more vital than ever that students develop the creative and critical skills to explore ideas and connect meaningfully with other people through creative practice," says Grant.

What to study to get started in a gaming career?

Many gaming careers benefit from a tertiary qualification that helps you build the right skills and knowledge. Studying an undergraduate degree with a focus on gaming can help you understand complex game concepts while also providing you with the technical knowledge to succeed.

These courses may emphasise hands-on learning and combine creative practice with critical thinking and real-world application to help you graduate with practical experience and confidence. “These new courses, which are part of the Fine Arts program and the Game Art minor, have developed with industry practices and methodologies in mind,” explains Guy.

Explore the gallery below showcasing work by our current Game Art students.

At 91ɫ��Ƭ, you can study gaming and esports in the following minors:

Game Art
Game Design
Gaming and Society

“It’s great to see such strong student engagement with our new Game Art and Game Design courses. These courses join our existing digital arts offerings in the Bachelor of Fine Arts...In Game Art and Game Design there are many detailed technical processes and workflows to learn, but underpinning this is a focus on the ways that studio practice and creative inquiry open up new ways of seeing and making sense of the world around us," says Grant.
You can study Game Art and Game Design in the disciplinary core of the Bachelor of Fine Arts, or as a minor in the following programs:

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Design
Bachelor of Media
Bachelor of Social Sciences

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Reggie Fox

Sean Lucas

Justin Menso

Hear from students studying gaming and esports

Click below to hear from current students, Reggie Fox, who studies a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), and Solveig Johnston who studies a Bachelor of Design, as they share what it’s like to study gaming and esports at 91ɫ��Ƭ.

Reggie: I’ve always admired the finesse that goes into this field, but I didn’t see many ways into it that didn’t require previous knowledge of software and technique. Until I found that 91ɫ��Ƭ was offering a new Game Art course, and then it was like a door I didn’t even know existed opened right in front of me.

Solveig: I came across Game Art and thought it would be a really useful course to pick up some more different skills. Despite not really know[ing] much about games to begin with, I could see that what we were learning would be transferrable.

Reggie: By far my favourite project was designing a game level environment. From conceptualisation to submission, I think I spent upwards [of] 70 hours working on that project, and the entire time I spent it happy. I enjoy most projects I get to work on at 91ɫ��Ƭ, but that was one of those experiences where I just knew that I chose the right degree.

��Ǳ��𾱲�:��Unreal Engine...I found it a very powerful tool. We first used it to learn how to create a game level...also it was able to produce such high-quality images and renders. I thought the final assignment for Game Art 2 was quite valuable too – as the end result was a game-ready set of assets that would make your portfolio look really good, and we were taught how to produce the best images for portfolios too.

Reggie: Honestly, I’ve learned so much that it’s difficult to list all of it...I’ve developed strong understanding of programs such as Photoshop, After Effects, Substance Painter, Premer Pro, Maya, Unreal Engine, Nuke, and Blade. Through these programs...I’ve learned how to 3D model, texture, render, animate in both 2D and 3D, composite, edit, and design game environments.”

��Ǳ��𾱲�:��Game Art helped to grow my skill in [3D modelling] and understand the context in how those skills could be used; we learnt how to optimise, how to make high-poly vs low-poly, more advanced texturing in Substance Painter.

Reggie: In my final year I will take a professional placement course...I'm very excited, as I think it’s a prime opportunity to network, ask questions, and get my bearing all with the safety net of a university behind me. After graduating from 91ɫ��Ƭ, I see myself jumping straight into the workforce to find a job. Ideally, I’d like to work for a game production studio and build game levels...I’m honestly happy doing any type of work that aligns with my degree.

��Ǳ��𾱲�:��Not at the moment...I would love to and am looking out for opportunities to work in the film industry as a designer. I’d be able to transfer my skills of 3D design and concept development which I learnt from these Game Art courses.

Reggie: I would tell prospective students considering studying gaming and esports to go for it. It’s not an easy degree, in that almost everything is project based, and you need stamina to stay consistently creative and devoted for the full time, but it is incredibly rewarding...and halfway through my degree I’m more in love with gaming than I ever have been.

Solveig: Give it a go! There [are] so many branches of work within Game Art...that you could find you’d really connect with...just make sure you have a good hard drive and are backing up your work.

Start your journey to a gaming career at 91ɫ��Ƭ

At 91ɫ��Ƭ, our gaming and esport study area can help you build practical and creative skills while working on projects that reflect real industry and community needs. You'll gain hands-on experience, collaborate with like-minded students and graduate ready to make an impact.

Explore gaming and esports at 91ɫ��Ƭ

Frequently asked questions about gaming careers

Yes, gaming can be a career. The gaming industry is an exciting and evolving field with a variety of roles for those passionate about the creative process.
There are many careers in gaming, including but not limited to:

game developer
game designer
esports content operator
game artist
social media producer
project manager
virtual reality artist
Yes, game design can be a good and rewarding career if you enjoy video games, expressing your creativity and working independently.
Yes, game developer is a good career if you enjoy developing games and solving problems. According to Your Career data, roles in game development show very strong future demand.