Hi everyone! I realized I didn't actually describe my first role in the industry but it was essentially focused on monetization within games (that's why ethical monetization is my specialty now). So for sure, there's data analysis because we need to be comfortable with leveraging large amounts of data to make good decisions. It also encompasses monetization and systems design - though I wasn't formally trained in monetization design before joining (it's actually not a common designer specific skill so most of us learn this skill by joining the industry first). Monetization design encompasses things like battle passes, loot box designs, game ecoystem design (hard currency to soft currency, what resources are tradable and purchasable, etc.), designing events and seasons (what content should be available, how is it distributed, what does progression and rewards look like in an event, etc.) and ofc the pricing of it all. We also need to have business savvy because we need to lay out beforehand what success looks like and determine if the choices we make are good ones. We often look at things like player sentiment and satisfaction, purchase regret, MAU, revivals, etc to get a sense of this. My role today though focuses on a broader list of things, not just monetization but particularly engagement and retention as well! I made a video about what the responsibilities are so feel free to check that out :)
Im in programming / and other IT stuffs too, and I im really confused about ethics in video game selling / micro transactions / monetization, I dont think its gonna evolve to a fair point, too much factor to address in this question, too much social consequences.
No Monetization is Ethical if a Minor can spend ludicrous amounts of money without any kind of restrictions, just as any Lootbox with obscure percentages.
you are not a game developer regardless of what you may think, i know you're probably only saying it for youtube but if i said i'm a software developer and i actually work in HR for a software development company that funnily enough does not mean i'm a software developer
tldr: she's not a game developer. she's a sales/business analyst/program manager. this video didn't really help me, but others might find your mechanism useful if they are interested in considering job requirements to your skill set framework, which to me seems obvious, but nothing wrong with that.
If you read my first comment I do systems and monetization design, unless you don’t consider designers game devs? Def not program manager they do something completely different but my role does require analytics since it can inform what design and content choices to make :)
@@morganling Game Designers are absolutely not Game Developers. There is a very clear difference, sure they are involved in the overall production of the game, but so is someone like a Technical Artist, and they are not Developers. Strange, I would think someone from within the industry would actually know what they're talking about.
@@morganling You're trying to use word magic to redefine "game developer" so you can include yourself in the category. It's insulting to actual developers. The janitor cleans the office when you guys leave and he makes it possible for you to return to a clean work environment. Is that janitor not also a game developer? If you keep lying to yourself, you'll be calling the janitor a developer in the next 3 months.
@@space_audits You are being way too harsh & ultimately sound like you want her to feel somehow less for not being a game developer. At the end of the day she's walking proof that, with research and bit of clever thinking, you can be apart of your dream industry. Regardless if she's a game dev or does monetization and analytics, the game isn't complete without her doing her part and that is amazing. P.S - You should kiss the floor the janitor mops on as I doubt someone with a nasty personality like yourself has much in the way of hygiene skills to begin with.
"Game Developer with ZERO Coding" yes well because your jobs have nothing to do with coding. You're not a coder or game developer. You work at a game developing company. There is a difference
I graduated with Business degree and then I found that I didn't even know what I would like to do at that time I've been working as a sales in Japanese company for 3 years now. And I felt so empty, after work I will play games every single day to calm myself and run away from reality. Because I'm suffer with my current life, then I decided to took a intro IT course from google and I felt so happy like I'm challenging myself to learn new things and I signed up for a few courses about coding. Now I figured out that I do wanna be a game dev or game designer. Because I do love art and I get a commission sometimes. So this vid is so inspiring and cheering me up to continue my path in this industry. I'll keep learning and gain my experience as much as I can. Thank u so much for ur video❤
TL:DR; "I am not an actual game developer, I work in the marketing department and am mainly focused on analytics and monetization in games" In other words, whatever she says has no actual relevance to someone legitimately wanting to CREATE (develop) something, especially not actual game developers that have passion for creating an experience for other people to enjoy, be it through a beautiful story or fun mechanics. She's just part of the group of people in the gaming industry that actively ruins games, how to warp game elements so they appeal to people's addiction side so they spend more money. She's not in the game industry to make good games/good experiences for people to entertain, she doesn't have the passion one needs to actually be a game developer. But, impressionable teens will fall for this schlock, because she's a pretty face that has the terms "game development in the title, video and video description. Thank you, Morgan, for being part of the problem :) For being the part of the industry that ruins games with monetization (regardless of whether you call it ethical or not, it's never ethical to ask people to PAY for digital items they do NOT actually own, since they basically only pay for a piece of code that unlocks said monetized digital item). Sincerely hope you get a morality check one day.
It's literally part of the development process. "Game developer" isn't a thing, you're either a designer of some form, an engineer / programmer of some form, any type of artist (3D models, animation, technical art, concept art, etc), a sound designer, or on the production side. All of them are "game developers"
@@DankMemes-xq2xm then, how about HR, they contributing by recruiting and operational support. Also, how about IT, they support by provide proper equipment and softwares. Game developers means who directly working on game itself. Then marketing is marketing, operating is operating, customer service is customer service.
@@DankMemes-xq2xm AFAIK, the character growth or economic system are all designed by the game designer. The marketing or operation side will help define some campaigns based on the system that is already designed.
Yeay, I thought about it, after finishing the video, seems to me like she calls most of those positions "game dev" but, pretty sure to most people at least, a game dev builds a video game (whether through art, code, sound, design etc...) but the other jobs she listed are equally as important but, they don't actually build the game, they work around it, and they are part of the gaming industry, but still arent "game dev"
Sort of! My first projects going in were designing ways to distribute content (battle passes, bundling skins, and determining new virtual content). My specialty was monetization not quite finance. I just picked up the design aspect of it pretty quick on the job lol
Very good video! I have a good friend of almost 20 years who's been working at Riot games for a while now. Thank you for the inspiration and knowledge!
I'm a game developer and have never seen any video breaking down the components of choosing a job in the game industry as you did. Most people don't even think about it, and even with enough skill sets required, they just dive into the first position available. And after a couple of years, questions start to pop into their minds. The video felt so honest to me,Thank You 💙
"game developer", I might be a douche about this but here goes. Designing art, no. Making things function, no. Developing concepts and new ideas, no. Do you design game mechanics? only if you count the shop and using human psychology to make them spend more, the one interaction that does not have anything to do with playing the game is monetization. It's like saying that you're a cook cause you bought a mixer but are not the one using it. If you for example move a HR person from a game company to a construction one, did they become a construction worker? Don't get me wrong, your role might be important and you probably do it well. But if I worked as a repair technician in hospital and had a crucial role in that place running, I would still not call myself a doctor.
Hi Morgan! Just want to tell you that I really loved the "Skillset to Interest" Framework. It really did a good job. I'm not a game-related worker but this thing helps me up to retrospect my career skill set. Thanks for making this video!
Pretty girls will always be hired, anywhere, to do anything. Its a win win. U get pretty girls at ur company that does what anybody can do, and she get to say that she is a game dev, a trader, or an engineer
I'm trying to understand what it is you do exactly ; associate revenue strategy manager position. So, book keeping?! You deal with spreadsheets. It doesn't sound like you're involved in the core game development of the game at all. Its kind of a misleading video
Revenue strategy focused on monetization and systems design, analytics, economics and traditional production management! It’s a riot specific thing that focuses heavily on monetization. I made a video about exactly what I do btw! :) I do play a key role in core game development since I’m in charge of spearheading and designing systems that benefit engagement retention and monetization. At riot those were the people that designed the store, build and designed battle passes and loot box systems for ex!
@@morganling So you are working against a great experience. You are helping to make AAA games shit and us costumers year to year more angry and sad! You are NOT developing games, but making the greedy rich richer.
Thank you so much for this information! I’ve been depriving myself from becoming a developer because I don’t have the necessary skill set. This really helped give me a road map. Good luck in your new career!
Same. I became a "Senior Sales Engineer" and I barely know how to write a print statement in java. I just got lucky and met my mentor who let me work for his company. It's not about what you know, but rather who you know in this world.
Actually I find this resurgence in automating spam to upsell in other industries. They make it easy to spend more but hard to cancel if it's a subscription. It reminds me of the 80s era.
Over the last week I have been considering moving into video games. I have not spoken about this to anyone, yet this video was recommended to me. I am not subscribed, nor have I searched anything on this topic. This is either the craziest coincidence, or the most obvious sign to start what I want.
It's a very informative video and it's genuinely interesting to hear your journey. On the other hand, the title is definitely a clickbait. The video has very little to do with how to become a developer. Rev analyst is not a developer, nor is the product manager role.
That’s fair I would say your totally right that a rev analyst and traditional product manager are not developer roles! Within the industry the term “game developer” doesn’t refer to specifically programming related roles but is often used to describe designers too for example. Since a large part of my role is around systems and monetization design that’s why people within the industry consider what I do a game developer type role (whereas an analyst wouldn’t be I agree). Live ops product manager is also notably different than traditional product management because we need to have design skills usually.
@@morganling I feel like the title could be changed to more reflect that though. Saying there's "ZERO programming experience" is completely irrelevant to the roles you applied for, and the tips given were just tips for any job, not game dev specific. Programming roles need to prep for coding interviews, and artist roles need to have a portfolio along with art skills. Would have been nice to address that somewhere so that people don't get a false view/have their time wasted
For this kind of work you don't need any coding or design experience. Good to know and informative that there are also other parts needed, but it's not really dev work
Great breakdown - I've been working in the industry on the narrative/writing side for a few years now working with indie developers and a few smaller studios, and it's always humbling and amazing to see so many different ways of breaking in :D
@@morganling I still have yet to work with a bigger studio, but I’m taking the advice of a few other narrative designers who just say to apply even if you don’t have the AAA experience they advertise for. :)
Your journey into game development is genuinely inspiring, Morgan! ❤ To anyone watching this video, remember that every path is different, and your unique journey is what makes you stand out. Keep pursuing your passions, and never let a lack of traditional experience stop you. Morgan's story is a testament to that
Nice video! Solid explanation of the different roles commonly found in game development. I'm not sure I agree with how loosely you use the term 'game developer' though. No disrespect - it's an interesting point of view, I just am having a hard time understanding why getting a job in the game industry makes someone 'a game developer'. I think your role is certainly vital at your company and I don't mean to diminish it, but I still just have a hard time understanding why stretching 'game developer' to anyone who is a part of the process is necessary. Like, if I had a shot at renaming your video I'd suggest, "How I got into the game industry with ZERO coding experience..." I just find the term 'game developer' more reserved for 'software developers' who focus on games. And when it comes to your professional life, I get the impression you are more a 'revenue strategist/analyst/manager' that works in the game industry. I don't know. I in no way mean to diminish what you do and the hard work you've put into your career, i'm just more trying to have a convo about the definition of 'game developer' because I'm curious to why the term is sometimes used so loosely by some people despite having a fairly clear boundary in other people's minds.
Fair point! The definition of game developer can be pretty lose and I tend to lean more on the broad side of the definition. I'm surprised you don't consider designers as game developers though as they literally design every aspect of the game! Or artists who build the assets, the characters, and the environments you see in a game. You're right that I do those things that you listed but I also do design work. To give a quick overview, live-ops product managers (PMs) focus on retention, engagement, and monetization. Some of us are analytics savvy (I find its much easier to do my job when I am but not every PM is that way) but design as well. My specialty is within monetization but that's both monetization strategy and design. The design aspect would be creating and balancing a complex economy (how much hard currency to soft currency, how long does it take to craft something, what should the success/fail rates be) or like when you see events, season passes, etc. those are lead by live ops PMs. We often determine what content would be available, how you accrue points towards it, what a free vs paid track looks like, etc. Since I develop and design a lot of the systems built into live games to retain, encourage more engagement, or encourage monetization, that's why I personally consider myself a game dev. It is true though that after I put together the idea and the components, I would hand it off to an engineering team to execute. I'm curious if you consider the EP (executive producer) of a game to be a game dev? They are basically the head honcho and CEO of a title and need to have so much industry knowledge, understanding of what makes a good game, what features to prioritize and build vs others, in order to make a successful game. But they don't do the day to day coding or design.
@@morganling This is an interesting thread of conversation that I'm sad to see die out. My take on the matter is that there are parts of the game that are considered core to it's identity and those that are almost extra. This would be like story/pacing, gameplay/balance, while monetization extension would likely fall into the realm of extras. In the vein of how (ethical) monetization usually focuses of cosmetics, I consider it to be a type of merchandise that the studio has the opportunity to vertically integrate. It plays almost the exact same role in promoting people's interest and investment into the franchise. However this begs the question, can this merchandising effect be considered core to the experience of the game or is it a seperate influence altogether? They certainly feed off eachother, and there might be people that would never engage with the franchise without the cultural presence that the merchandising provides.
I totally agree with you , I don't think she is a game developer, like you said game developer is under software developer umbrella , similar to mobile or web developer , we never call web or UI designer or mobile tester a developer. You maybe right if you was working in other industries, but the most common meaning for developer in software development umbrella is someone who can do programming.
I’m about to be a sophomore in Highschool and it’s always bothered me how my friends seemingly all know what they want to do with their lives in the future. Although I’m still not sure myself, I’ve definitely considered game development. Akin to you, I didn’t know too much about the path either so I thank you very much for breaking it down.
trust me...they don't. I went to the shittiest, most violent schools. Other kids I knew went to private schools. Most ended up in the same University and we equally were clueless about the future. In fact, I tended to be more well-spoken in class. We're still all trying to figure things out even after graduation.
@@billy6678 hey billy i was exactly the same as your few years back. Trust me they have 0 idea and everyone is just pretending they have it all figured out.
Insightful video! What I’ll say as a former AAA gameplay developer is that technical skills are king in programming roles. So many people are unable to do it that most would employers be willing to train other skills just have someone with enough brain power. And of course soft skills are important. But those are really just icing on the cake! When I applied out of college, I was basically the only applicant to a big project who passed the technical interview with flying colors. I had a great portfolio, and like to think I’m pretty personable to boot. But the technical competency was the real deal sealer.
100%!! if you don't have the technical skill, there is basically no way someone is getting a technical role. In those roles, unless its a senior level/management role, good soft skills are definitely just icing on the cake. Most times good soft skills alone won't get you anything tbh, even with a live-ops PM role like I'm currently in which is not a technical role, you need systems and monetization design skills, I know SQL, basic research like A/B testing, conjoints analysis, maxdiffs, regression analysis, basic psychology etc. You need to have the core skills needed for the role but sometimes you can get those skills outside the games industry too.
Loved this video! There are so many videos that just say "do this, this and you'll eventually get into the industry", but you managed to break your journey down into a series of manageable steps. Looking forward to seeing more content from you!
Really love this video, finally there’s someone sharing their experience in game industry. Hopefully I can find someone who will share their experience of UI design in game industry
So your not a game developer in the same way that 90% of the public thinks when they hear game developer. I can see how your using that title to your advantage with this video. You essentially got a job at riot games in the analytics field that you had previous experience in. There are people that try for decades to get into game development (coding and design) and never have success. While your story is interesting it does feel like click bait and a slap in the face to everyone that is actually trying to get in.
Awesome video! Not only for games but for learning about career decisions in general (and the editing too). Subscribed! 1 thing though... the title is misleading. You're not a developer... right? I'm confused. Game "dev" job titles have programming job descriptions. Why not just be honest and say "How I got in to the gaming industry" or something? Note: I know you defined "game dev" as an umbrella term but this doesn't reflect the main definition used in job descriptions, which is engineering related.
Thank you! I am currently a QA in the game industry and this was very helpful. I like the idea of being creative on your cover letter. I will definitely take some lessons from your story. This was a really great video and I hope it gets even more views!
@@morganling Well actually no it doesn't, you don't code anything, design any element of gameplay or art, you don't even playtest anything, you work in the marketing department trying to figure out the best way to separate people from their money
Monetization and designing an economy???????? Video games aren't a business. This isn't fintech. First comes art. Then comes the experience for the consumer. Then the "feel" via code. Only once these have been mastered and understood can a decent game be remotely good. Monetization and economy are the terms that started creating addictive and predatory systems. Which nobody likes. Just cos you bring money doesn't make you a good game developer. Not by a long shot. Every single person in a video game company has to have SOME useful skill that contributes to the actual game if you want to call yourself a game developer. Otherwise you're just another business school graduate in someone's company.
Thank you for creating this video! As a university graduate with a degree not in game design but in Literature and Creative Writing, this video put my mind at ease. Genuinely, I can't thank you enough. Subscribed. 😊
This video was really inspiring and insightful to watch! Thank you for sharing your story and also the tip on “Skillset to Interest Framework”. I never thought of that idea, especially since I am someone who doesn’t necessarily know what roles I would be a best fit for, but also that matches my current skillset. Still in the process of exploration. Anyways, thank you for the video! :)
Wow! I'm currently pursuing a Computer Science degree and for a long time I could never figure out an easy way to explain to my friends what a Software Developer is and how it's different from a Software Engineer. After watching this video, I figured out that it was because I didn't know the difference myself. You also gave great pointers on how to approach job openings. Thank you so much for a very insightful video.
The difference for me is that engineers use scientific solutions to problems and often have a more academic background meanwhile developers usually “just do” the coding. Hope it helped 🌸
Only halfway into the video. The way of breaking down the job roles within the industry has been immensely helpful and information friendly to new gamers, designers or hopefuls wanting to join the game industry.
Although I am not interested in Game Development, the content itself was very informative and presented very well. Looking forward to future uploads :)
Thanks for the breakdown. Found how you constructed your resume and themed your cover letter pretty interesting. I'll try to do something along those lines once I feel like I have enough exp to apply.
Ive been following your content on Tik Tok and youtube for a while now and really appreciate all the insight you give into the industry (it helps a lot for someone who wants to get into the industry). Ive been doing a couple courses on unreal engine 5 to try to break into the game market. I always wanted to be in that industry but my parents pushed me towards another path. I'm 25 now and spent a good amount of time trying to figure out what I wanted to do and I believe this industry is definitely it. Im actually trying to get a job at Riot as a game designer for Val once I have enough skills to even be considered. Im from Canada as well so I need to be good to get a visa. Im for sure going to use the Skillset to interest framework to make sure that game design is the best fit and to see if maybe there would be another good fit for me!
I’m a live ops product manager! I do design work (systems, monetization, engagement and retention) as part of my role feel free to watch my other video about it :) my role and producer roles are super diff!
Awesome video!!! Also the kind of Video Games I want to make are Managment games :) and I would like to be my own boss so I can better plan about what I want in my own games :) mainly PC, as I grew up with PC and Video Games :)
I thought this was gonna be another video of watching someone in front of their computer but there is actually a lot useful info here.. the kind I was looking for. Thanks!
its good you are explaining the different types of jobs/roles in Video Game companies, but the job you got is not a game developer. You're basically saying any job in a video game company = game developer
So you're not a game developer, you change games to be monetized, and you work in companies shoving out games that are mostly famous for having terrible monetization. You are reason many people, me included, left these games.
@@DankMemes-xq2xm A person who directly contributes to development of gameplay systems and elements. That includes programmers, 3D artists, animators, texture artists, sound designers, music composers, and more. Monetization is not however part of the gameplay, I don't know how can you even consider that gameplay, unless we would be talking about literal game of poker or slot machines.
Exactly. Monetization really only came about a decade ago when Korean free to play mmorpgs were "free to play" but made money through micro transactions. Many AAA companies saw this and thought it was a good business decision to include these features in every other game. Or similarly bad monetization techniques. Well guess what Korean mmorpgs are mostly a dying breed today. These jobs will become obsolete in ten years in more favor for real engineers and developers and designers. Like the good old days where companies experimented with the actual gameplay experience instead of churning out the same garbage with different money making strategies.
And then here I am, been coding and writing games since I was like 10. I know C++, C#, Java, Javascript, Python, Lua, HTML, CSS, PHP. I know how to use Linux, how to do Linux administration, I know how to do basic pen testing. I know Unity, and have been developing my own 2D platformer for fun and built my own website to document the process. I am 40 credits into a Computer Science degree. I cannot find a job in this industry for the life of me, not even as a bottom of the barrel QA tester. Out of all the companies I have applied to I have only even heard back from one, and it was just to tell me that "your skills are impressive, but we have gone with another candidate". I am sorry if I sound bitter, but this video is borderline useless to anyone trying to break into this field from a coding background. You got into this field because you went into the financial side of it, and had a degree and prior experience in finance/economics. The title of this video is very misleading, as the video ultimately amounts to "I got into video game development by doing finances, having prior experience, having a degree, and getting a little lucky". Of course you don't need any coding or game design experience to go into the financial aspect of video game design. You did give good tips on cover letters and resume building, but that is general advice applicable to any field and not just game dev. Again, I don't mean to sound bitter, you clearly put in a lot of hard work and effort to get where you are (I CANNOT imagine getting an economics AND a physics degree was easy, seriously congratulations on that), but you really shouldn't have titled this video "I became a Game Developer with no Coding Experience", because "How I got into the Financial Side of the Game Design Field through an Economics Degree" would have been a much more fitting title.
Your explanation is great about the different positions. The only thing I can't agree on is how shallow is your perception on how to get a job in the industry, is diminishing and offensive for those that have worked hard to get in the industry while you had a lucky shot.
I'm sorry you feel that way and I think that's a really fair call out. It was never my intention to disregard or diminish the huge effort many folks take to get into the industry. My goal was simply share my story so that it encourages and illustrates that there is more than one way to break into the industry. I realized after talking to so many people that there was a lack of knowledge about how to even think about breaking in, much less doing the actual breaking in itself. I wanted to provide a structured approach to figuring out maybe a more optimal way of breaking in based on their interests, skills, and willingness to learn new skills. That there are options that don't require having to l learn completely new skills and having many years of work experience basically go to waste. It was definitely not to say this is the best and only way to break in and I'm sorry for not being clear on that point. You're definitely right - I got a lucky shot when they picked up my resume! I totally acknowledge that! I could have been more clear about that aspect too. That's why I wanted to provide tips about the importance of crafting a beautiful application. But I don't want to disregard my own 3 years of relevant experience and the fact that I beat out numerous under candidates going through the actual interview process (Riot is known to be tough tbh lol and it was haha). Thanks for bring to my attention that part of my story may seem offensive to those who worked hard to get into the industry! I don't want it to be like that moving forward.
@@morganling Thank you for your reply, and sorry if I sounded rude in my comment, you have 3 years in the industry and I respect that, because I know how much each of those years worth. I hope you keep giving good information about what is to be in the industry, like when you explained about the different positions in a development team.
I will say I feel like I got very lucky in how I got in the game industry. I met a guy through my school who was the QA director for the Indie company I currently work for. My degree is specifically for Game Programming, and after working with him on a project through the school, he was able to put in a good word for me for a QA position. After implementing an in office build machine that did some automation testing on one of their projects and writing a program from scratch to get it all to run properly (weird stuff with the way steam updates). It only took me about 6 months to actually get an engineering position there. Been with the company for just about 4.5 years now with one title release (Beyond Blue).
Thank you for making this! I’ve watched a lot of videos of people breaking into web development, but it’s really cool to hear about breaking into game dev.
Oh, I thought you are game dev, but you are just marketing & data analyst which work in game dev company. Game developer making code, assets, game play. So it's just bait title for the video.
At riot I focused primarily on monetization strategy and design. So examples of what that looks like could be event and battle passes design (what content should be included and how and when is it distributed, what tasks need to be completed during an event and how many “points” do players accrue when completed, etc), look box system design, my fellow rev strat friends before I came designed the shard crafting system. At Amazon I switched to product management in a more official manner and we focus mainly on engagement, retention, and monetization! Both strategy as well as design so if a game as a retention problem, we figure out why with our teams (is the game too hard at a certain point, where are players churning) and then design solutions around that (maybe a game feels too grindy for players so we would want to tweak resource drops or craft times etc). So not quite marketing and analytics but I work with them and they are the best :)
I personally want to experience every little bits of everything and not take a job from the industry because my goal to become developer by my right and be my own boss. I have not so much skill at the moment and my social skills may hinder me especially in english which is not my native language. I am that kind of person whom not talks much but dreams, imagine, try to create. I know what I need to improve to achieve my goals but sooner or later need to make sacrifices which could push me further into the abyss so I need to be careful with it. This video and story of your inspiring and glad there are options to get into the industry in different ways too. Wish you good health and progress.
Morgan this is awesome! One, because I love league of legends (been playing since like season 6) and it's just amazing to see people that have a vision for their life, plan, work hard to achieve it and succeed. I'm one of those as well. Got a degree in Neuroscience/Psychology. Fell in love with web dev. Learned the skills that I needed, and been working as a web dev for about 6 months, and life has been a dream ever since!
"And I've been in the Industry for almost 3 years now" ... "Amazon Games: Senior Product Manager" I seriously mean no discreditation (if that's a word), but no single person - after 3 years of doing anything - can ever be considered a "Senior" in their field. It really doesn't matter how skilled someone is, there are just so many things one only learns through blatant experience. Alternatively, this just goes to show that titles actually mean nothing in the US world as every is making their titles fancier than they are. Aside from this little rant: I have huge respect for Morgan. Working within these companies surely is very exciting and demanding at the same time and one does need a certain level of skill to be able to survive in this world.
Game industry, in fact, is just like other application development. You will always fit in with certain skills, and when it come to the work itself, you will never feel like playing games anymore.
This video is like the movie Parasite. The half of the video I was waiting to get tips to become a game developer. It was going great and then it turned into a totally different video. It was good tough.
The more I read the comments, the worse I feel, it is so shallow and makes us, the people that have worked hard to get in Game industry, look like nothing, while you had a lucky shot 😒
Rockstar Educator! Subscribed! Could you do a series breaking down multiple areas of gaming - with colleagues who may have had similar experiences breaking into the industry? Your break down for development applied to other areas would be tremendous in helping map out possible trajectories others could target when studying the gaming industry, and how they can break in. Thanks for your time.
Great stuff Morgan! Would definitely be interested in a video about your approach to prepping for game dev interviews since you had not worked in the field before ☺ Excited for your future content!
I appreciate this video because I went to school or game design, but I am located in a state where there is zero jobs really related to the industry and now 9 years later being a software engineer, it seems hard to find a role in engineering in the game industry when you dont have the experience truly related to the industry. I have a friend who is a QA tester and he has helped break this type of stuff down for me as well, but hearing it from a different perspective helps too.
I find your story to be very interesting. I also work for Amazon, but I am not in the gaming industry (L4 as process expert). In the past several years, I have been inclined to game development, and I have already started to learn VBA in order to gain a better understanding of coding and to use this skill set in my current position to help the projects. I will follow to ensure that I hear more about Amazon Gaming :D .
Yeah VBA is ok but people arent looking for VBA developers. its really only for excel I suggest learning SQL as a start Then if you get good at that start Python (this leads to more a data science positions) The above doesnt directly help with game dev If you really want to be a developer in game dev then you need to learn C# / C++. unfortunately VBA doesnt help here
i'm so glad your channel came upon my front page today. This was extremely helpful to me on how to get a job in the industry. I'm a self-learning gamedev for the most part slowly building my very first game of a puzzle/adventure game. These tips were extremely helpful Morgan I appreciated them a lot. Thanks looking forward to upcoming content.
It's kinda depressing i went to university, got a degree in game design and still cant find anything (granted my course wasnt that great but ive still gone out of my way to learn additional things)
@@justahuman4862 kinda depressing ngl 😂 currently working in VR simulations and E learning for mining industries but still looking for actual game Dev work
this is the most vague explanation of somehow being called a "game dev" without writing any code ? Thats like calling myself a Real estate Developer while doing project management or facility management
I'm a concept designer with experience in the game industry, but lately i've been thinking of maybe learning to code for games. I always found coding or programming fascinating but scary at the same time because of all the lines of codes is overwhelming. But with AI generated images being a thorn in the art industry, it's been really depressing so I thought I might as well take the plunge into programming as a back up career in case I get replaced in the studio by an AI.....
Im a 2nd yr graphic design student aspiring to become a game illustrator or a concept artist and i completely agree how overwhelming and scary programming is😭 i've been taking this subject since 1st yr and still can't grasp some of its basic concepts
Great to hear your story! Was an amazing journey. Please use your smarts for good and make game monetization less predatory for all who play the games you work on. It's an incredibly important issue and I'm so happy to hear that people are thinking about and specializing in work like that.
Hi everyone! I realized I didn't actually describe my first role in the industry but it was essentially focused on monetization within games (that's why ethical monetization is my specialty now). So for sure, there's data analysis because we need to be comfortable with leveraging large amounts of data to make good decisions. It also encompasses monetization and systems design - though I wasn't formally trained in monetization design before joining (it's actually not a common designer specific skill so most of us learn this skill by joining the industry first). Monetization design encompasses things like battle passes, loot box designs, game ecoystem design (hard currency to soft currency, what resources are tradable and purchasable, etc.), designing events and seasons (what content should be available, how is it distributed, what does progression and rewards look like in an event, etc.) and ofc the pricing of it all. We also need to have business savvy because we need to lay out beforehand what success looks like and determine if the choices we make are good ones. We often look at things like player sentiment and satisfaction, purchase regret, MAU, revivals, etc to get a sense of this.
My role today though focuses on a broader list of things, not just monetization but particularly engagement and retention as well! I made a video about what the responsibilities are so feel free to check that out :)
You're great actually!! =D
Im in programming / and other IT stuffs too, and I im really confused about ethics in video game selling / micro transactions / monetization, I dont think its gonna evolve to a fair point, too much factor to address in this question, too much social consequences.
so basically poisoning a game with microtransactions, seeing players as someone to take as much money from as legally possible
@@funkelmine if not done ethically sure
No Monetization is Ethical if a Minor can spend ludicrous amounts of money without any kind of restrictions, just as any Lootbox with obscure percentages.
The title is definitely misleading, working in the game industry and being game developer definitely don't mean the same thing.
Exactly
you are not a game developer regardless of what you may think, i know you're probably only saying it for youtube but if i said i'm a software developer and i actually work in HR for a software development company that funnily enough does not mean i'm a software developer
AAA sound designer here. I died inside when Audio wasn't mentioned as part of the developers. :(
Audio is soooo important it's crazy. All that's left for me from World of Warcraft is the outstanding soundtracks!
Imagine playing games on mute in a room of complete silence.
Most games cannot stand on their own merits without good sound design.
they didn't "heard" you but we, gamers....did.
tldr: she's not a game developer. she's a sales/business analyst/program manager. this video didn't really help me, but others might find your mechanism useful if they are interested in considering job requirements to your skill set framework, which to me seems obvious, but nothing wrong with that.
If you read my first comment I do systems and monetization design, unless you don’t consider designers game devs? Def not program manager they do something completely different but my role does require analytics since it can inform what design and content choices to make :)
@@morganling I do not consider monitization design as part of game development. But if you do, I think that's fine.
@@morganling Game Designers are absolutely not Game Developers. There is a very clear difference, sure they are involved in the overall production of the game, but so is someone like a Technical Artist, and they are not Developers.
Strange, I would think someone from within the industry would actually know what they're talking about.
@@morganling You're trying to use word magic to redefine "game developer" so you can include yourself in the category. It's insulting to actual developers. The janitor cleans the office when you guys leave and he makes it possible for you to return to a clean work environment. Is that janitor not also a game developer? If you keep lying to yourself, you'll be calling the janitor a developer in the next 3 months.
@@space_audits You are being way too harsh & ultimately sound like you want her to feel somehow less for not being a game developer. At the end of the day she's walking proof that, with research and bit of clever thinking, you can be apart of your dream industry. Regardless if she's a game dev or does monetization and analytics, the game isn't complete without her doing her part and that is amazing. P.S - You should kiss the floor the janitor mops on as I doubt someone with a nasty personality like yourself has much in the way of hygiene skills to begin with.
"Game Developer with ZERO Coding" yes well because your jobs have nothing to do with coding. You're not a coder or game developer. You work at a game developing company. There is a difference
200 years of collective game design experience
Indeed
Ah so the 200 years of experience that Riot told us included people with 0 years of experience.
I graduated with Business degree and then I found that I didn't even know what I would like to do at that time I've been working as a sales in Japanese company for 3 years now. And I felt so empty, after work I will play games every single day to calm myself and run away from reality. Because I'm suffer with my current life, then I decided to took a intro IT course from google and I felt so happy like I'm challenging myself to learn new things and I signed up for a few courses about coding. Now I figured out that I do wanna be a game dev or game designer. Because I do love art and I get a commission sometimes. So this vid is so inspiring and cheering me up to continue my path in this industry. I'll keep learning and gain my experience as much as I can. Thank u so much for ur video❤
TL:DR;
"I am not an actual game developer, I work in the marketing department and am mainly focused on analytics and monetization in games"
In other words, whatever she says has no actual relevance to someone legitimately wanting to CREATE (develop) something, especially not actual game developers that have passion for creating an experience for other people to enjoy, be it through a beautiful story or fun mechanics. She's just part of the group of people in the gaming industry that actively ruins games, how to warp game elements so they appeal to people's addiction side so they spend more money. She's not in the game industry to make good games/good experiences for people to entertain, she doesn't have the passion one needs to actually be a game developer.
But, impressionable teens will fall for this schlock, because she's a pretty face that has the terms "game development in the title, video and video description.
Thank you, Morgan, for being part of the problem :) For being the part of the industry that ruins games with monetization (regardless of whether you call it ethical or not, it's never ethical to ask people to PAY for digital items they do NOT actually own, since they basically only pay for a piece of code that unlocks said monetized digital item).
Sincerely hope you get a morality check one day.
Program/project manager is not game developer. It’s program/project manager.
It's literally part of the development process. "Game developer" isn't a thing, you're either a designer of some form, an engineer / programmer of some form, any type of artist (3D models, animation, technical art, concept art, etc), a sound designer, or on the production side. All of them are "game developers"
@@DankMemes-xq2xm then, how about HR, they contributing by recruiting and operational support. Also, how about IT, they support by provide proper equipment and softwares. Game developers means who directly working on game itself. Then marketing is marketing, operating is operating, customer service is customer service.
@@santozard knowing how much to charge for a powerful microtransaction and how powerful that microtransaction is affects game balance
@@DankMemes-xq2xm AFAIK, the character growth or economic system are all designed by the game designer. The marketing or operation side will help define some campaigns based on the system that is already designed.
Yeay, I thought about it, after finishing the video, seems to me like she calls most of those positions "game dev" but, pretty sure to most people at least, a game dev builds a video game (whether through art, code, sound, design etc...) but the other jobs she listed are equally as important but, they don't actually build the game, they work around it, and they are part of the gaming industry, but still arent "game dev"
TLDR: She became a game dev without any experience with design or programming because she got into the financial side of game dev.
Sort of! My first projects going in were designing ways to distribute content (battle passes, bundling skins, and determining new virtual content). My specialty was monetization not quite finance. I just picked up the design aspect of it pretty quick on the job lol
with a degree in economics
female
@@morganling Thats not Game developer job... ._.
Very good video! I have a good friend of almost 20 years who's been working at Riot games for a while now. Thank you for the inspiration and knowledge!
I'm a game developer and have never seen any video breaking down the components of choosing a job in the game industry as you did.
Most people don't even think about it, and even with enough skill sets required, they just dive into the first position available. And after a couple of years, questions start to pop into their minds.
The video felt so honest to me,Thank You 💙
so basically, you aren't a game dev... you're a production manager.
"game developer", I might be a douche about this but here goes. Designing art, no. Making things function, no. Developing concepts and new ideas, no.
Do you design game mechanics? only if you count the shop and using human psychology to make them spend more, the one interaction that does not have anything to do with playing the game is monetization. It's like saying that you're a cook cause you bought a mixer but are not the one using it. If you for example move a HR person from a game company to a construction one, did they become a construction worker?
Don't get me wrong, your role might be important and you probably do it well. But if I worked as a repair technician in hospital and had a crucial role in that place running, I would still not call myself a doctor.
So basically, all I gotta do is land a role as a custodian at a game studio and I can be a “game dev”. Nice 👍🏻
You are missing the point. But anyone is entitled to listen and understand whatever is liked.
Hi Morgan! Just want to tell you that I really loved the "Skillset to Interest" Framework. It really did a good job. I'm not a game-related worker but this thing helps me up to retrospect my career skill set. Thanks for making this video!
Don't call yourself a developer if you don't code. Words have meaning.
Working in 'game development company' doesn't mean you can be called game dev, true dat
@@Luluskuy that's genius, I can get a job cleaning bathrooms for a week at blizzard and then just put ow2 and wow dev in my resume
It took my nearly 4 years to land a job.
It feels like companies like to hire women in the tech industry,very unfair.
Pretty girls will always be hired, anywhere, to do anything. Its a win win. U get pretty girls at ur company that does what anybody can do, and she get to say that she is a game dev, a trader, or an engineer
I'm trying to understand what it is you do exactly ; associate revenue strategy manager position. So, book keeping?! You deal with spreadsheets. It doesn't sound like you're involved in the core game development of the game at all. Its kind of a misleading video
Revenue strategy focused on monetization and systems design, analytics, economics and traditional production management! It’s a riot specific thing that focuses heavily on monetization. I made a video about exactly what I do btw! :) I do play a key role in core game development since I’m in charge of spearheading and designing systems that benefit engagement retention and monetization. At riot those were the people that designed the store, build and designed battle passes and loot box systems for ex!
@@morganling So you are working against a great experience. You are helping to make AAA games shit and us costumers year to year more angry and sad! You are NOT developing games, but making the greedy rich richer.
Thank you so much for this information! I’ve been depriving myself from becoming a developer because I don’t have the necessary skill set. This really helped give me a road map. Good luck in your new career!
Same. I became a "Senior Sales Engineer" and I barely know how to write a print statement in java. I just got lucky and met my mentor who let me work for his company. It's not about what you know, but rather who you know in this world.
Who you know matters a lot for sure, makes breaking into something a lot easier
TLDR: She helps design all the money grabbing crap and terrible marketing stunts that people hate about current video games.
Actually I find this resurgence in automating spam to upsell in other industries. They make it easy to spend more but hard to cancel if it's a subscription. It reminds me of the 80s era.
Cancer of the industry right here. No contribution to what will make the game good and just faking it till they make it off others hard work.
Over the last week I have been considering moving into video games. I have not spoken about this to anyone, yet this video was recommended to me. I am not subscribed, nor have I searched anything on this topic. This is either the craziest coincidence, or the most obvious sign to start what I want.
ITS A SIGN YO
Or they are listening our thoughts 😀
its just google algorithm
I'm thinking the same, but I don't know what to do, I learned English now what? 😂
Typical misleading world play. She isn’t a game developer, she just wants you to believe marketing and analysis is game developing. Dishonest.
>0 experience
>worked at riot
Yep, sounds about right.
It's a very informative video and it's genuinely interesting to hear your journey. On the other hand, the title is definitely a clickbait. The video has very little to do with how to become a developer. Rev analyst is not a developer, nor is the product manager role.
That’s fair I would say your totally right that a rev analyst and traditional product manager are not developer roles! Within the industry the term “game developer” doesn’t refer to specifically programming related roles but is often used to describe designers too for example. Since a large part of my role is around systems and monetization design that’s why people within the industry consider what I do a game developer type role (whereas an analyst wouldn’t be I agree). Live ops product manager is also notably different than traditional product management because we need to have design skills usually.
@@morganling I feel like the title could be changed to more reflect that though. Saying there's "ZERO programming experience" is completely irrelevant to the roles you applied for, and the tips given were just tips for any job, not game dev specific. Programming roles need to prep for coding interviews, and artist roles need to have a portfolio along with art skills. Would have been nice to address that somewhere so that people don't get a false view/have their time wasted
@@morganling Monetization design. Though you may not be a developer, you can always call yourself a "credit card hacker".
For this kind of work you don't need any coding or design experience.
Good to know and informative that there are also other parts needed, but it's not really dev work
Great breakdown - I've been working in the industry on the narrative/writing side for a few years now working with indie developers and a few smaller studios, and it's always humbling and amazing to see so many different ways of breaking in :D
Thank you! That’s awesome to hear that you’re on the narrative side of things!
@@morganling Absolutely love it! :D
@@morganling I still have yet to work with a bigger studio, but I’m taking the advice of a few other narrative designers who just say to apply even if you don’t have the AAA experience they advertise for. :)
Yeah you often don’t need to check all the boxes they list in a job description! Wishing you the best of luck!
@@morganling thanks! You too on your dev journey and also TH-cam! :)
Your journey into game development is genuinely inspiring, Morgan! ❤
To anyone watching this video, remember that every path is different, and your unique journey is what makes you stand out. Keep pursuing your passions, and never let a lack of traditional experience stop you. Morgan's story is a testament to that
Nice video! Solid explanation of the different roles commonly found in game development. I'm not sure I agree with how loosely you use the term 'game developer' though. No disrespect - it's an interesting point of view, I just am having a hard time understanding why getting a job in the game industry makes someone 'a game developer'.
I think your role is certainly vital at your company and I don't mean to diminish it, but I still just have a hard time understanding why stretching 'game developer' to anyone who is a part of the process is necessary. Like, if I had a shot at renaming your video I'd suggest, "How I got into the game industry with ZERO coding experience..."
I just find the term 'game developer' more reserved for 'software developers' who focus on games. And when it comes to your professional life, I get the impression you are more a 'revenue strategist/analyst/manager' that works in the game industry. I don't know. I in no way mean to diminish what you do and the hard work you've put into your career, i'm just more trying to have a convo about the definition of 'game developer' because I'm curious to why the term is sometimes used so loosely by some people despite having a fairly clear boundary in other people's minds.
Fair point! The definition of game developer can be pretty lose and I tend to lean more on the broad side of the definition. I'm surprised you don't consider designers as game developers though as they literally design every aspect of the game! Or artists who build the assets, the characters, and the environments you see in a game. You're right that I do those things that you listed but I also do design work. To give a quick overview, live-ops product managers (PMs) focus on retention, engagement, and monetization. Some of us are analytics savvy (I find its much easier to do my job when I am but not every PM is that way) but design as well. My specialty is within monetization but that's both monetization strategy and design. The design aspect would be creating and balancing a complex economy (how much hard currency to soft currency, how long does it take to craft something, what should the success/fail rates be) or like when you see events, season passes, etc. those are lead by live ops PMs. We often determine what content would be available, how you accrue points towards it, what a free vs paid track looks like, etc. Since I develop and design a lot of the systems built into live games to retain, encourage more engagement, or encourage monetization, that's why I personally consider myself a game dev. It is true though that after I put together the idea and the components, I would hand it off to an engineering team to execute.
I'm curious if you consider the EP (executive producer) of a game to be a game dev? They are basically the head honcho and CEO of a title and need to have so much industry knowledge, understanding of what makes a good game, what features to prioritize and build vs others, in order to make a successful game. But they don't do the day to day coding or design.
I work in the Mail room at SpaceX I’m a rocket science with 0 experience. People be identifying as anything now a days.
@@morganling This is an interesting thread of conversation that I'm sad to see die out. My take on the matter is that there are parts of the game that are considered core to it's identity and those that are almost extra. This would be like story/pacing, gameplay/balance, while monetization extension would likely fall into the realm of extras. In the vein of how (ethical) monetization usually focuses of cosmetics, I consider it to be a type of merchandise that the studio has the opportunity to vertically integrate. It plays almost the exact same role in promoting people's interest and investment into the franchise. However this begs the question, can this merchandising effect be considered core to the experience of the game or is it a seperate influence altogether? They certainly feed off eachother, and there might be people that would never engage with the franchise without the cultural presence that the merchandising provides.
I totally agree with you , I don't think she is a game developer, like you said game developer is under software developer umbrella , similar to mobile or web developer , we never call web or UI designer or mobile tester a developer. You maybe right if you was working in other industries, but the most common meaning for developer in software development umbrella is someone who can do programming.
LETS GO MORGANNNN!!! Loved seeing the super cute edits and graphics that go with your game dev story 🥰🥰
Aww thank you 🥰 girl editing takes so long lmao
@@morganling I knowww but this was beautifully done. you always have a great eye for quality!
Click bait. Useless waste of time for 99% of people coming to watch it. Don’t waste your time!
I’m about to be a sophomore in Highschool and it’s always bothered me how my friends seemingly all know what they want to do with their lives in the future. Although I’m still not sure myself, I’ve definitely considered game development. Akin to you, I didn’t know too much about the path either so I thank you very much for breaking it down.
trust me...they don't. I went to the shittiest, most violent schools. Other kids I knew went to private schools.
Most ended up in the same University and we equally were clueless about the future. In fact, I tended to be more well-spoken in class. We're still all trying to figure things out even after graduation.
@@TheSwordfish009 that’s reassuring, thanks!
@@billy6678 hey billy i was exactly the same as your few years back. Trust me they have 0 idea and everyone is just pretending they have it all figured out.
I am also still so much confused about my future.
been following your account for 1-2 years now just wanted to leave a comment.
good job :)
I went to school for game design and I still can't find an entry way in :')
Insightful video! What I’ll say as a former AAA gameplay developer is that technical skills are king in programming roles. So many people are unable to do it that most would employers be willing to train other skills just have someone with enough brain power. And of course soft skills are important. But those are really just icing on the cake!
When I applied out of college, I was basically the only applicant to a big project who passed the technical interview with flying colors. I had a great portfolio, and like to think I’m pretty personable to boot. But the technical competency was the real deal sealer.
100%!! if you don't have the technical skill, there is basically no way someone is getting a technical role. In those roles, unless its a senior level/management role, good soft skills are definitely just icing on the cake. Most times good soft skills alone won't get you anything tbh, even with a live-ops PM role like I'm currently in which is not a technical role, you need systems and monetization design skills, I know SQL, basic research like A/B testing, conjoints analysis, maxdiffs, regression analysis, basic psychology etc. You need to have the core skills needed for the role but sometimes you can get those skills outside the games industry too.
Loved this video! There are so many videos that just say "do this, this and you'll eventually get into the industry", but you managed to break your journey down into a series of manageable steps. Looking forward to seeing more content from you!
I’m glad you enjoyed the video and found it useful!! 😀
No wonder AAA games suck today.
@orangelimesky i saw the thumbnail of this video in some #memes channel and assumed it's just a joke... lol
Really love this video, finally there’s someone sharing their experience in game industry. Hopefully I can find someone who will share their experience of UI design in game industry
So your not a game developer in the same way that 90% of the public thinks when they hear game developer. I can see how your using that title to your advantage with this video. You essentially got a job at riot games in the analytics field that you had previous experience in.
There are people that try for decades to get into game development (coding and design) and never have success. While your story is interesting it does feel like click bait and a slap in the face to everyone that is actually trying to get in.
Awesome video! Not only for games but for learning about career decisions in general (and the editing too). Subscribed!
1 thing though... the title is misleading. You're not a developer... right? I'm confused. Game "dev" job titles have programming job descriptions.
Why not just be honest and say "How I got in to the gaming industry" or something?
Note: I know you defined "game dev" as an umbrella term but this doesn't reflect the main definition used in job descriptions, which is engineering related.
Everything she mentioned falls under "development", be it from the designers, the engineers, the artists, or the producers and publishers.
Thank you! I am currently a QA in the game industry and this was very helpful. I like the idea of being creative on your cover letter. I will definitely take some lessons from your story. This was a really great video and I hope it gets even more views!
how to become qa in game industry,, Currently I am SDE
this is like me calling myself a mechanic because i used to help my dad work on cars but in reality all i did was hand him tools
Wait so me doing systems design and designing the economy and monetization of an entire game doesn’t count? 😭
@@morganling Well actually no it doesn't, you don't code anything, design any element of gameplay or art, you don't even playtest anything, you work in the marketing department trying to figure out the best way to separate people from their money
@@DankMemes-xq2xm wether you like it or not a game developer is someone who codes not someone who doesn’t
@@DankMemes-xq2xm as a developer myself that’s the most bs I’ve heard in one sentence. Just say you know nothing about development
Monetization and designing an economy???????? Video games aren't a business. This isn't fintech. First comes art. Then comes the experience for the consumer. Then the "feel" via code. Only once these have been mastered and understood can a decent game be remotely good. Monetization and economy are the terms that started creating addictive and predatory systems. Which nobody likes. Just cos you bring money doesn't make you a good game developer. Not by a long shot. Every single person in a video game company has to have SOME useful skill that contributes to the actual game if you want to call yourself a game developer. Otherwise you're just another business school graduate in someone's company.
Thank you for creating this video! As a university graduate with a degree not in game design but in Literature and Creative Writing, this video put my mind at ease.
Genuinely, I can't thank you enough. Subscribed. 😊
This is really well made. I am a recent CS Graduate myself and I really appreciate this video!
Thank you! I’m super glad you enjoyed my vid! :)
This video was really inspiring and insightful to watch! Thank you for sharing your story and also the tip on “Skillset to Interest Framework”. I never thought of that idea, especially since I am someone who doesn’t necessarily know what roles I would be a best fit for, but also that matches my current skillset. Still in the process of exploration. Anyways, thank you for the video! :)
I’m happy that you found this helpful!! Hopefully you get a chance to figure out what you want to pursue!
William!
Wow! I'm currently pursuing a Computer Science degree and for a long time I could never figure out an easy way to explain to my friends what a Software Developer is and how it's different from a Software Engineer. After watching this video, I figured out that it was because I didn't know the difference myself. You also gave great pointers on how to approach job openings. Thank you so much for a very insightful video.
The difference for me is that engineers use scientific solutions to problems and often have a more academic background meanwhile developers usually “just do” the coding.
Hope it helped 🌸
i really appreciate the skillset - interest graph you made. def will use it for myself
Only halfway into the video. The way of breaking down the job roles within the industry has been immensely helpful and information friendly to new gamers, designers or hopefuls wanting to join the game industry.
Although I am not interested in Game Development, the content itself was very informative and presented very well. Looking forward to future uploads :)
Therefore, the gaming industry has turned into a donat shit for fools, because people go there without any competence and real love for games, dislike
Thanks for the breakdown. Found how you constructed your resume and themed your cover letter pretty interesting. I'll try to do something along those lines once I feel like I have enough exp to apply.
Ive been following your content on Tik Tok and youtube for a while now and really appreciate all the insight you give into the industry (it helps a lot for someone who wants to get into the industry). Ive been doing a couple courses on unreal engine 5 to try to break into the game market. I always wanted to be in that industry but my parents pushed me towards another path. I'm 25 now and spent a good amount of time trying to figure out what I wanted to do and I believe this industry is definitely it. Im actually trying to get a job at Riot as a game designer for Val once I have enough skills to even be considered. Im from Canada as well so I need to be good to get a visa. Im for sure going to use the Skillset to interest framework to make sure that game design is the best fit and to see if maybe there would be another good fit for me!
I'm glad you found my video helpful! Wishing you the best of luck and I hope to see you in the industry someday :)
You are a game producer, not a developer.
I’m a live ops product manager! I do design work (systems, monetization, engagement and retention) as part of my role feel free to watch my other video about it :) my role and producer roles are super diff!
Awesome video!!! Also the kind of Video Games I want to make are Managment games :) and I would like to be my own boss so I can better plan about what I want in my own games :) mainly PC, as I grew up with PC and Video Games :)
I thought this was gonna be another video of watching someone in front of their computer but there is actually a lot useful info here.. the kind I was looking for. Thanks!
Thank you for this video. I have a finance degree and have been gaming since I was a kid. I would love to get into the gaming industry.
its good you are explaining the different types of jobs/roles in Video Game companies, but the job you got is not a game developer. You're basically saying any job in a video game company = game developer
So you're not a game developer, you change games to be monetized, and you work in companies shoving out games that are mostly famous for having terrible monetization. You are reason many people, me included, left these games.
Define game developer
@@DankMemes-xq2xm A person who directly contributes to development of gameplay systems and elements. That includes programmers, 3D artists, animators, texture artists, sound designers, music composers, and more. Monetization is not however part of the gameplay, I don't know how can you even consider that gameplay, unless we would be talking about literal game of poker or slot machines.
Exactly. Monetization really only came about a decade ago when Korean free to play mmorpgs were "free to play" but made money through micro transactions. Many AAA companies saw this and thought it was a good business decision to include these features in every other game. Or similarly bad monetization techniques. Well guess what Korean mmorpgs are mostly a dying breed today. These jobs will become obsolete in ten years in more favor for real engineers and developers and designers. Like the good old days where companies experimented with the actual gameplay experience instead of churning out the same garbage with different money making strategies.
And then here I am, been coding and writing games since I was like 10. I know C++, C#, Java, Javascript, Python, Lua, HTML, CSS, PHP. I know how to use Linux, how to do Linux administration, I know how to do basic pen testing. I know Unity, and have been developing my own 2D platformer for fun and built my own website to document the process. I am 40 credits into a Computer Science degree.
I cannot find a job in this industry for the life of me, not even as a bottom of the barrel QA tester. Out of all the companies I have applied to I have only even heard back from one, and it was just to tell me that "your skills are impressive, but we have gone with another candidate". I am sorry if I sound bitter, but this video is borderline useless to anyone trying to break into this field from a coding background. You got into this field because you went into the financial side of it, and had a degree and prior experience in finance/economics.
The title of this video is very misleading, as the video ultimately amounts to "I got into video game development by doing finances, having prior experience, having a degree, and getting a little lucky". Of course you don't need any coding or game design experience to go into the financial aspect of video game design. You did give good tips on cover letters and resume building, but that is general advice applicable to any field and not just game dev.
Again, I don't mean to sound bitter, you clearly put in a lot of hard work and effort to get where you are (I CANNOT imagine getting an economics AND a physics degree was easy, seriously congratulations on that), but you really shouldn't have titled this video "I became a Game Developer with no Coding Experience", because "How I got into the Financial Side of the Game Design Field through an Economics Degree" would have been a much more fitting title.
Look into film, lots of VFX/Animation studios are hiring and there's a serious talent shortage atm. Look at technical director/TA roles.
Yeah, I cook for the dev thats mean I'm game developer too, awesome!
Still trying to find the part where she talks about working as a "game dev" as per the title 😶
Stop by my channel if you want some tips I just started making content around this topic and I would love to hear your thoughts.
Your explanation is great about the different positions. The only thing I can't agree on is how shallow is your perception on how to get a job in the industry, is diminishing and offensive for those that have worked hard to get in the industry while you had a lucky shot.
I'm sorry you feel that way and I think that's a really fair call out. It was never my intention to disregard or diminish the huge effort many folks take to get into the industry. My goal was simply share my story so that it encourages and illustrates that there is more than one way to break into the industry. I realized after talking to so many people that there was a lack of knowledge about how to even think about breaking in, much less doing the actual breaking in itself. I wanted to provide a structured approach to figuring out maybe a more optimal way of breaking in based on their interests, skills, and willingness to learn new skills. That there are options that don't require having to l learn completely new skills and having many years of work experience basically go to waste. It was definitely not to say this is the best and only way to break in and I'm sorry for not being clear on that point.
You're definitely right - I got a lucky shot when they picked up my resume! I totally acknowledge that! I could have been more clear about that aspect too. That's why I wanted to provide tips about the importance of crafting a beautiful application. But I don't want to disregard my own 3 years of relevant experience and the fact that I beat out numerous under candidates going through the actual interview process (Riot is known to be tough tbh lol and it was haha). Thanks for bring to my attention that part of my story may seem offensive to those who worked hard to get into the industry! I don't want it to be like that moving forward.
@@morganling Thank you for your reply, and sorry if I sounded rude in my comment, you have 3 years in the industry and I respect that, because I know how much each of those years worth.
I hope you keep giving good information about what is to be in the industry, like when you explained about the different positions in a development team.
I will say I feel like I got very lucky in how I got in the game industry. I met a guy through my school who was the QA director for the Indie company I currently work for. My degree is specifically for Game Programming, and after working with him on a project through the school, he was able to put in a good word for me for a QA position. After implementing an in office build machine that did some automation testing on one of their projects and writing a program from scratch to get it all to run properly (weird stuff with the way steam updates). It only took me about 6 months to actually get an engineering position there. Been with the company for just about 4.5 years now with one title release (Beyond Blue).
So you guys just ripped of ABZU ? And a whole company is living off a single rip-off? Wow...
Thank you for making this! I’ve watched a lot of videos of people breaking into web development, but it’s really cool to hear about breaking into game dev.
Thank you! :)
OBSESSED WITH THE EDITING!! Your breakthrough and journey is so inspiring and excited for your next step in you career!! #GIRLBOSS
AYYYY THANKS GURL LOVE YOU
Oh, I thought you are game dev, but you are just marketing & data analyst which work in game dev company. Game developer making code, assets, game play. So it's just bait title for the video.
At riot I focused primarily on monetization strategy and design. So examples of what that looks like could be event and battle passes design (what content should be included and how and when is it distributed, what tasks need to be completed during an event and how many “points” do players accrue when completed, etc), look box system design, my fellow rev strat friends before I came designed the shard crafting system. At Amazon I switched to product management in a more official manner and we focus mainly on engagement, retention, and monetization! Both strategy as well as design so if a game as a retention problem, we figure out why with our teams (is the game too hard at a certain point, where are players churning) and then design solutions around that (maybe a game feels too grindy for players so we would want to tweak resource drops or craft times etc). So not quite marketing and analytics but I work with them and they are the best :)
Morgan, thanks for sharing! Very helpful advice. And happy holidays!
I personally want to experience every little bits of everything and not take a job from the industry because my goal to become developer by my right and be my own boss. I have not so much skill at the moment and my social skills may hinder me especially in english which is not my native language. I am that kind of person whom not talks much but dreams, imagine, try to create. I know what I need to improve to achieve my goals but sooner or later need to make sacrifices which could push me further into the abyss so I need to be careful with it.
This video and story of your inspiring and glad there are options to get into the industry in different ways too. Wish you good health and progress.
Morgan this is awesome! One, because I love league of legends (been playing since like season 6) and it's just amazing to see people that have a vision for their life, plan, work hard to achieve it and succeed. I'm one of those as well. Got a degree in Neuroscience/Psychology. Fell in love with web dev. Learned the skills that I needed, and been working as a web dev for about 6 months, and life has been a dream ever since!
"And I've been in the Industry for almost 3 years now" ... "Amazon Games: Senior Product Manager"
I seriously mean no discreditation (if that's a word), but no single person - after 3 years of doing anything - can ever be considered a "Senior" in their field. It really doesn't matter how skilled someone is, there are just so many things one only learns through blatant experience.
Alternatively, this just goes to show that titles actually mean nothing in the US world as every is making their titles fancier than they are.
Aside from this little rant: I have huge respect for Morgan. Working within these companies surely is very exciting and demanding at the same time and one does need a certain level of skill to be able to survive in this world.
Woohoo this was so helpful for me to understand what you’re doing!!! Also nice pop-up designs
Hehe yay!! And thank you!! ♥️
Tbh this video is going to be irrelevant to indie developers whose goals are truly build games and start their own studios.
but once the indie developers gets big they will need this typed of persons to help them in exposure and communication.
Game industry, in fact, is just like other application development.
You will always fit in with certain skills, and when it come to the work itself, you will never feel like playing games anymore.
Oh I thought she became a game dev... what she describes has nothing to do with dev.
This video is like the movie Parasite. The half of the video I was waiting to get tips to become a game developer. It was going great and then it turned into a totally different video. It was good tough.
Im so gladd finaly woman inspires see in this endustry. Actually there are too many but in youtube, we can't see. Thanks and congrat 8 March🙌❤️🌹
Now I understand
monetization
@@Differenshit my ad block says no
The more I read the comments, the worse I feel, it is so shallow and makes us, the people that have worked hard to get in Game industry, look like nothing, while you had a lucky shot 😒
Rockstar Educator! Subscribed! Could you do a series breaking down multiple areas of gaming - with colleagues who may have had similar experiences breaking into the industry? Your break down for development applied to other areas would be tremendous in helping map out possible trajectories others could target when studying the gaming industry, and how they can break in. Thanks for your time.
Great stuff Morgan! Would definitely be interested in a video about your approach to prepping for game dev interviews since you had not worked in the field before ☺ Excited for your future content!
Thanks Geet!! ♥️
how to become a game developer with ZERO coding exp?:
step 1: be good looking
there you go
You have really grown since your last videos! Congrats!!! You inspire me a lot 😁
I appreciate this video because I went to school or game design, but I am located in a state where there is zero jobs really related to the industry and now 9 years later being a software engineer, it seems hard to find a role in engineering in the game industry when you dont have the experience truly related to the industry. I have a friend who is a QA tester and he has helped break this type of stuff down for me as well, but hearing it from a different perspective helps too.
I find your story to be very interesting. I also work for Amazon, but I am not in the gaming industry (L4 as process expert). In the past several years, I have been inclined to game development, and I have already started to learn VBA in order to gain a better understanding of coding and to use this skill set in my current position to help the projects. I will follow to ensure that I hear more about Amazon Gaming :D .
Why VBA? If you want to became a game dev learn unity + c#. It's the fastest way.
Yeah VBA is ok but people arent looking for VBA developers. its really only for excel
I suggest learning SQL as a start
Then if you get good at that start Python (this leads to more a data science positions)
The above doesnt directly help with game dev
If you really want to be a developer in game dev then you need to learn C# / C++. unfortunately VBA doesnt help here
thank you so much for this, is been a kind mistery for me till this video.
You have such a pleasant way of speaking and a soothing voice. You should do audiobooks also lol
Yo, amazing.
Bring more of your experience & daily routine into this.
Truly amazed, thanks for the content.
i'm so glad your channel came upon my front page today. This was extremely helpful to me on how to get a job in the industry. I'm a self-learning gamedev for the most part slowly building my very first game of a puzzle/adventure game. These tips were extremely helpful Morgan I appreciated them a lot. Thanks looking forward to upcoming content.
It's kinda depressing i went to university, got a degree in game design and still cant find anything (granted my course wasnt that great but ive still gone out of my way to learn additional things)
u need to know someone higher up in the company and give them bj simple
Don't give up. Sometimes it can take 7 years.
@@justahuman4862 kinda depressing ngl 😂 currently working in VR simulations and E learning for mining industries but still looking for actual game Dev work
That was actually really really helpful. Thank you!
You mean your employer decided to enhance the dev_team motivation. Gave you some "tester assignments". Subscribed
such a great video on this topic. Thank you!
Good for you for making the switch! I'm actually in a similar situation as I'm looking at changing careers.
this is the most vague explanation of somehow being called a "game dev" without writing any code ? Thats like calling myself a Real estate Developer while doing project management or facility management
So you are not a game developer and you already had experience.
I'm a concept designer with experience in the game industry, but lately i've been thinking of maybe learning to code for games. I always found coding or programming fascinating but scary at the same time because of all the lines of codes is overwhelming. But with AI generated images being a thorn in the art industry, it's been really depressing so I thought I might as well take the plunge into programming as a back up career in case I get replaced in the studio by an AI.....
Im a 2nd yr graphic design student aspiring to become a game illustrator or a concept artist and i completely agree how overwhelming and scary programming is😭 i've been taking this subject since 1st yr and still can't grasp some of its basic concepts
Great to hear your story! Was an amazing journey. Please use your smarts for good and make game monetization less predatory for all who play the games you work on. It's an incredibly important issue and I'm so happy to hear that people are thinking about and specializing in work like that.