”If you’re passionate and you’re creative, then that’s the industry for you...PEI, you’re spoiled for choice in terms of the best places in Canada to get a start in the industry.
Andy RobertsGame Designer
It’s one of the entertainment world’s newest fields, but in just a few decades video games have become one of the largest industries in the world. As games have become larger, longer, and more complex, the number of jobs it takes to create one has skyrocketed. Fortunately for anyone with a passion for video games, the opportunities to do everything from playtesting to programming them are plentiful in certain regions of Canada, including right here on PEI. Most of these jobs provide creative, longterm employment that pays well. There are a few university and college programs on the Island that can help you launch you into the video games world; graduates from these programs are popular prospects for studios operating in Charlottetown and Summerside. The programs will help you learn the skills needed to get to work, but it’s your passion for play that will make you a longterm success in the industry. If you love to play video games, begin focusing on what makes games good and what could make them better. Then just start making them, there are many programs available for free online that can get you started on your journey to becoming a successful game designer.
Want to know more?
GENERAL INFO
JOBS
Game designer, Programmer, Video Games Artist, Animator, Writer
JOIN UP
Gameforce PEI runs bootcamps and outreach events for high school students interested in a career in video games. Get in touch with them to see how you explore what it’s like to create games today.
OTHER JOB OPTIONS
Business Manager, Marketer, Community Manager, App Developer
LET’S TALK MONEY
$71,300/year (Canadawide average) [Source: Entertainment Software Association of Canada]
GET TO BUSINESS
Skills in marketing, business management, sales, social media, and digital design can all help you grow your career in video games. Presenting video games to the public properly is important, especially with the rise of onlineonly mobile games for phones and tablets.
NEAREST SCHOOLS
Holland College School of Visual Arts & Journalism Video Game | University of Prince Edward Island, Computer Science with Video Games Specialization
EXAMPLE PATH TO SUCCESS
Look for ‘learn to code’ programs for high schoolers. Many new ‘bootcamps’ are popping up that can help you learn the basics and get ahead of the curve. From there, figure out which jobs in the video game world you’d most like to do. Is it programming? Initial design? Art and animation? There are lots of options. When you’ve picked a direction, you can head to college and university and really hone your skills, all the while making connections with video game companies you love. When you finish school, you’ll be prepared to break into the industry and begin working with companies on their games. As you gain knowledge of the industry, you can work on creating your very own game for players across the world.
Have more questions?
ASK AN ARTIST
ANDY ROBERTS
For any specific questions that Andy may be able to answer, please click the button below to send an email.
CLICK TO ASK ANDY A QUESTION
