Gaming
The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment's (UKie) latest insight 
shows the UK games industry is worth £6billion to the UK economy.
Globally recognised titles such as Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto and Monument Valley were created in UK studios.
There are over 2,000 business linked to all stages of game development and currently over 76,000 jobs are supported by the industry.
The video games industry consists of studios creating console and PC games, creators of tablet and mobile device gaming apps, and virtual/augmented reality.
Esports is an offshoot of video gaming that focuses on competitive game play. UKIE estimate the UK Esports industry contributes over £100 million to the national economy through direct and indirect employment opportunities. Find out more about esports roles on the British Esports Association website.
The video games sector works quite separately from educational games which has a focus on teaching skills or knowledge relevant to a topic.
The Prospects page on video gaming offers a useful overview of the sector as well as ideas and websites to help find work experience and relevant opportunities. Not all roles are technical - there are also opportunities within animation, writing, research, and business functions.
Trends in the sector
The industry is competitive, and many big studios are limiting the number of entry roles available to new graduates by focussing on retaining their existing talent.
Indie games developers are gaining traction and may be looking for new team members to join their ranks. Lots of studios are outsourcing their work so “full service” companies like Atomhawk may provide alternative opportunities to explore.
AI is currently being used for automating some processes rather than game creation, but roles like AI engineer or AI designer may be on the horizon. Researching large language models’ data sources and experimenting with prompts are useful skills to develop.
Use these resources to keep your finger on the pulse.
Computer WeeklyGamesIndustry.bizGames RadarTiga
UKieDiversity in Gaming
Despite there being an even split in gender when it comes to game players, the games and esports industries are still male dominated work places.
Organisations like Women in Tech and Women in Games aim to provide networks, events and safe spaces to develop counter measures to unacceptable behaviours in games and esports
Out Making Games provides a network of LGBTQ+ professionals in gaming, and BiG works as an advocacy group to improving BAME representation in the industry.
Opportunities for mentorship or training exist. Learn more in the 'how do I find work experience' section below.
Who are the key employers and what roles are available?
You might be familiar with some of the big-name studios, but many employers linked to the games industry are likely to be small to medium enterprises. Use these signposts as a starting point, but don’t limit your exploration.
Global employers
Some of the big names in gaming technology include Microsoft, Nintendo, PlayStation (Sony Interactive Entertainment) and Tencent. These organisations are likely to own studios who develop games for different platforms including mobile games.
Recognisable game developers operating at a global level include:
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Ubisoft, originally established in France, this organisation are behind titles like Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia, Just Dance and Far Cry
UK
There are over 2,000 games development companies based in the UK. Some are the UK hubs of the global employers listed above, but many more are small, independent organisations and studios who collaborate with big names.
Examples of organisations based in the UK include Climax Studios, Double11, Team17, Two Point Studios and Sumo Digital.
The Games Map from UKie lists over 2,000 companies and educational institutions that are linked to the games industry.
GamesMap - interactive map of companies in the UK
East Midlands
There is a history in the East Midlands region of games development. Core Design – based in Derby – originally developed Tomb Raider and the city now has a road named Lara Croft Way.
There are a number of studios in Nottingham such as:
The Multiplayer Group
Sumo Digital
Lockwood Publishing
Dambuster Studios
There are also smaller studios – often specialising in gaming apps for tablet or mobile – that are based in Nottingham's Creative Quarter.
What roles are on offer?
There are over 300 different types of jobs you can do in the video game sector. From traditional routes like programming, design or software engineering through to marketing, events management, finance and even nutrition. Hitmarker, a games industry jobs board, has created a detailed list of the types of careers you could follow.
You will need to be self-motivated while also able to work with other professionals in a multi-disciplinary team setting. Creativity and problem-solving abilities are key, as well as communication skills and the ability to meet deadlines. Ahead of project launch dates, the hours are often very long so flexibility is also important. Moved from old section on How do I get into the sector?
Typical entry level roles that may require technical skills include:
Community managers, a role that moderates forums, social media or in-game chats are also classed as entry level.
Entry level roles that might suit non-technical backgrounds include:
These roles will require good transferable skills including managing deadlines, building relationship, and a passion for the industry. Demonstrating your work through portfolios of evidence
Developing networks and asking questions is crucial in this industry. Look out for free networks such as Into Games online community. Mentorships may also be available through Access: VFX, or the Creative Mentor Network. Following studios or creators via social media can provide insight into roles too.
Using your degree and skills
There are a wide variety of roles and opportunities for graduate from STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and non-STEM degrees within the sector.
Arts students might find opportunities around the design or creative aspects of the industry such as animation. Experience with design packages is often useful and you will need a portfolio, often online, which demonstrates your work.
Research the design aesthetics of games or studios you’re interested in and ensure your portfolio contains relevant examples. (for example, if the game has an Anime/Manga style make sure your artwork reflects this)
You may also see writing and digital roles advertised within the industry. Some examples of relevant job titles could include narrative coordinator, guides writer and community manager.
Don’t forget that there will be “business function” roles like HR, events, or marketing for studios and developers where a love of gaming builds rapport with staff and customers.
For programming and development roles, a degree in computer science or related subject, or substantial programming experience is useful.
You will need a portfolio or demo for these roles so that you can showcase your work and your process. Platforms like Github can include examples of group or solo project work. Employers care about the things you make, even if they’re not perfect. Go a step further by publishing games on Itch.io or Steam; this is great to get player feedback and recognition for your work.
Advice on producing a portfolio is provided by Grads into Games. Following game makers on LinkedIn or social media is a great way to research their portfolios for ideas.
Researching roles
For descriptions of roles, the skills required and real-life case studies for jobs including animator, assistant producer, audio engineer and games designer, visit:
Creative Skillset - job roles and case studies
Other opportunities exist in producing or project managing productions, as well as more general head office functions for larger companies, such as marketing, HR or finance.
Further study options
If you want more learning opportunities to develop skills, you may consider a Masters course specialising in gaming-related skills such as programming, design or storytelling. Entry requirements will vary between courses and institutions but there is often a requirement for pre-existing programming or coding skills.
Examples of Game-related Masters include:
Make sure you investigate that the course meets your requirements and consider whether there are opportunities to develop business and industry links through the course, or to complete industry-related projects.
Where do I look for graduate vacancies?
Entry-level jobs are rarely advertised so it's important to build up contacts in the industry. Events like Develop Conference are free to attend (excluding travel costs) and give access to the trade expo where many studios exhibit.
It will be useful to gain work experience within the sector before applying, and developing a network of useful contacts through these opportunities along with events or projects is recommended. Approach companies speculatively, making sure you do your research first and target your application accordingly.
Project work accounts for a considerable proportion of employment in this field. Fixed-term contracts or freelance work may be available and there are opportunities to work on a self-employed basis.
There are number of recruitment agencies working in the gaming sector, for example Aardvark Swift, Datascope, Haptic Recruit and InGame Recruitment. They will work on behalf of several studios, recruiting graduates and experienced candidates to a wide range of opportunities.
It may also be worth checking studio websites for any roles they are advertising.
Other job boards
How do I get work experience?
Formal work experience opportunities may not be regularly advertised, so using your initiative to developing networks and asking questions is crucial in this area. Look out for free networks such as Into Games online community. Mentorships may also be available through Access: VFX, the Creative Mentor Network, Limit Break or Mastered.
Into Games Sprints – these practical, 3-week projects help develop a portfolio and build a network with game industry professionals. Bursaries and payment plans are available if needed. An on-demand Games Workplace Production Training is free and teaches basic skills and production tips. Games Jams are also regularly advertised on Itch.io, or consider joining Discord servers to meet people working in the gaming space. Joining a student society like GameSoc, HackSoc or Board Game Society will build up cross-disciplinary team work skills, along with flexibility and communicating effectively.
Building up a portfolio in your spare time is a great way to develop skills and create evidence for applications. Play with open source game engines like Godot, CRYENGINE, Unity (look for the student plan) or Unreal.
Gain transferrable experience beyond your studies
Nottingham Consultancy Challenge
Work as part of a multi-disciplinary project team to deliver a real-life project for a business or charity over a six-week period. A great experience especially for those looking to develop transferable skills in project management, team work and communication.
Nottingham Advantage Award
The Award is the university's free employability scheme that helps you prepare for the job market and formally recognises your extracurricular activities.
Nottingham Internship Scheme
Undertake an internship with a local business or charity during the Easter or summer vacation. Develop relevant transferable skills for many careers and work with local small to medium businesses.
Other ways to gain experience
Some organisations offer project work, competitions and Games Jams which can help students to build experience. Grads in Games regularly host competitions and careers activities – these are great opportunities to get involved and start to build and develop games.
There are also resources online to help you build your coding skills and many of these are free. Unity (a cross-platform games engine) and Unreal Engine (a 3D graphics game engine) are both widely used in the industry.
Unity Learn game development courses
Unreal Engine Online Learning
Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university's control. Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur.