There are many good and bad things about being a game designer. Many people think only of the good things, such as being able to play with computer games all day long. However, the reality is that there are pros and cons to everything in life, and being a game designer is no different.
Pros
Of course, you get to enjoy what you do and make video games for everyone to enjoy. If you are successful, you will enjoy your job even more. This is the biggest reason people get into this career-a love of video games.
There is a lot of room for advancement in this career field. If you are a successful game designer you will enjoy more promotions, raises, and bonuses. You can easily go far with just one hit game, but one hit game usually leads to two or three at least. And with every success your career goes further. The bar is set high, but reaching it can be an amazing victory.
Being a game designer also comes with a lot of perks. You get to hear about and maybe even play video games before they are released. You also get to travel around the country going to conventions and other events related to your field. There are other perks and benefits, such as bonuses, for those who are successful.
Cons
You have to get a college degree to become a game designer, and this is going to cost some money. Even if you get student loans to pay for college, you will eventually have to pay that money back. This can take a pretty good chunk of your earnings when you first become a game designer. However, if you are smart and only borrow what you absolutely need your payments will not be too bad. You can also look into scholarships and Pell grants to help cover the cost of going to school.
The other major downside to being a game designer is the salary. You will never be able to buy expensive sports cars or take costly vacations on the salary of a game designer. In fact, game designers only make around forty thousand dollars per year to start. Even the experienced and successful designers only make around eighty thousand dollars per year or a bit more. You will not likely make more than one hundred thousand per year in this career field, no matter how successful you become.
