Game Designer and Developer
Designs, tests and maintains video games — an engineer and a designer at the same time.
Overview
A Game Designer and Developer is a software engineer, programmer, or scientist who designs tests, and maintains video games. A Game Designer and Developer can work as part of a team and has the final say in the layout of the environment present within the game. She/he is an engineer, as well as a designer at the same time.
Where they work
- Game Developing Companies
- Production Houses as a VFX Artist
Work environment
The work timings are typically 5 to 6 days a week for 8 to 9 hours per day. Shift system is applicable. Entrepreneurship: you can set up your own indie game studio.
Opportunities for work exist for differently abled in this field.
Skills and interests
This career might suit you if…
- You are good with computers.
- You like to analyse problems/situations.
- You like video games.
- You are comfortable with working in a team.
Eligibility and education roadmap
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment.
Route 1
- 1Complete 10 + 2 in any stream
- 2Complete Bachelor's degree (B.Des.) in Game Design and Animation followed by Master's degree (M.Des.) in the same discipline
Alternative route 2
- 1Complete Bachelor's degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Game Design and Animation/Bachelor's degree in Engineering (B.E.) in Information Technology, followed by Master's degree (M.Sc./M.E.) in the same discipline
Alternative route 3
- 1Complete a Bachelor's degree (B.Des.) in any discipline followed by PG Diploma in Game Designing
Forms, exams and applications
Exam names above are as printed in the source card. Application windows, eligibility and syllabi change — always check the official notification for current dates.
Where to apply
This course is offered by the Department of Design. This list of institutes is indicative only.
Government institutes
- Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- National Institute of Design, Bengaluru, Karnataka
- National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- National Institute of Design, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh
- National Institute of Design, Kurukshetra, Haryana
- National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- National Institute of Design, Jorhat, Assam
- National Institute of Design, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Private institutes
Please check if the institute is affiliated and accredited before applying.
- Artemisia College of Art and Design, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
- Asian Institute of Design, Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab
- Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- Unitedworld Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- Whistling Woods International, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- CG Animation Academy, Pune, Maharashtra
- CMR University School of Science Studies, Bengaluru, Karnataka
These institute lists are indicative examples from the source card, not a ranked or complete directory. Always verify accreditation on the institute's official website.
Career outcomes
Growth path
- 1Assistant/Junior Game Designer
- 2Senior Game Designer
- 3Design Manager
- 4Design Director
Related careers to explore
Animator
Multimedia artist who creates designs and models that simulate movement and tell a story.
Augmented Reality Engineer
Builds augmented-reality environments that place virtual components into the real world.
Student action plan
What you can do this month
- Read this whole roadmap and note any subjects, exams or institutes you don't recognise yet.
- Talk to a teacher or school counsellor about how your current subjects connect to Any Stream, Computer Science, Arts.
- Look for a school club, competition or online course related to coding.
- Shortlist 2–3 institutes from the list above and check their official website for current admission details.
- Save this career and compare it with 1–2 others you're considering.
Example from the field
Poornima Seetharaman — One of the seminal figures in the Indian gaming industry and has attracted much needed recognition towards women in the gaming industry. She has pursued a BE in information technology from Pillai College of Engineering. She is the co-founder of Pinaka Interactive and has worked in some of the most notable gaming franchises in the world such as Farmville and Bioshock. In 2020, she became the first Indian game designer to achieve global acclaim, when she was inducted into the Women in Games Hall of Fame.
SourceThis profile is shared for training/educational purposes only, as printed in the source card.
Sources and update notice
- Career card source: Exploring Career Paths with Career Cards, Volume 2, printed page 641 (NCERT / UNICEF India / PSSCIVE Bhopal, First Edition, April 2025).
- Income source: https://www.payscale.com/research/IN/Job=Video_Game_Designer/Salary
- Last reviewed on this site: 2026-08-21
The government list prints the NID Kurukshetra entry as "Kurukshetra, Smana, Haryana" and names NID Ahmedabad twice; the stray word is dropped and the campus listed once. The contents page lists this career on printed page 643, but the card is on 641.
Eligibility, fees, exam patterns and admissions change often. Always verify current details on official institute, exam-body or government websites before making decisions.