How I became a Game Developer with ZERO Coding & Design Experience + Tips
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- Опубликовано: 16 май 2024
- Hi! In hopes that this helps somebody someday - this is the story of how I became a Game Developer (at Riot Games then Amazon Games) starting from a completely different industry. I had zero coding and design experience and didn't study anything related to game design in college but it was always my dream to work in the games industry. I've made sure to includes lots of my learning and tips and time stamped each major topic below.
🎓 TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS
1:30 - My Origin Story: What I did before becoming a Game Developer
3:28 - Games Industry Exploration: What does it actually mean to be a "Game Developer"?
8:41 - The Skillset to Interest Framework: How I figured out the best way for me to break into the Games Industry
13:55 - My Application and Interview Experience: How I prepped and landed my first Game Dev job
📚 HELPFUL RESOURCES
⇢ Resume Tips Video
• Resume tips that got m...
⇢ Video Game Job Profiles
www.screenskills.com/job-prof...
🎮 CHECK OUT SOME OF THE GAMES I'VE WORKED ON
⇢ Ruined King
ruinedking.com/
⇢ Hextech Mayhem
hextechmayhem.com/
⇢ Convrgence
convrgencegame.com/
⇢ Song of Nunu
songofnunu.com/
🌺 ABOUT ME
Hi there! My name is Morgan and I'm a game developer (previously Riot Games and currently @ Amazon Games) based in LA! Some of the games I've worked on include Ruined King, Hextech Mayhem, and Convrgence. Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy :)
📷 SOCIAL MEDIA
⇢ instagram: @morganling
morganling...
⇢ tiktok: @themorganling_
www.tiktok.com/@themorganling...
⇢ twitter: @themorganling
/ themorganling
⇢ twitch: themorganling
/ themorganling
🕸️ PERSONAL WEBSITE
www.morgan-ling.com/
🔔 SUBSCRIBE
/ @morganling game dev diaries game development day in the life of a game developer 
Игры
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.
200 years of collective game design experience
Indeed
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.
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.
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!
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
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!
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 :)
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!
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.
Although I am not interested in Game Development, the content itself was very informative and presented very well. Looking forward to future uploads :)
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. 😊
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.
Yo, amazing.
Bring more of your experience & daily routine into this.
Truly amazed, thanks for the content.
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 was extremely helpful and informative! Thank you :)
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 RUclips! :)
Woohoo this was so helpful for me to understand what you’re doing!!! Also nice pop-up designs
Hehe yay!! And thank you!! ♥️
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
Good for you for making the switch! I'm actually in a similar situation as I'm looking at changing careers.
i really appreciate the skillset - interest graph you made. def will use it for myself
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❤
Morgan, thanks for sharing! Very helpful advice. And happy holidays!
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!
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!! 😀
Outstanding video! Thank you for making it.
been following your account for 1-2 years now just wanted to leave a comment.
good job :)
Absolutely love the video. Answered a lot of questions I had. Could you please explain what is the role of a video game director and where should they be included in the 5 categories you mentioned?
From what I understand, a video game director would probably be like the person in charge of a particular wing of development. You could be the gameplay director and oversee the gameplay designers, or an art director that oversees the entire art direction, or a technical director who figures out how the engine should work and stuff like that.
The title is definitely misleading, working in the game industry and being game developer definitely don't mean the same thing.
Exactly
That was actually really really helpful. Thank you!
Great video! I work in software and do games as a hobby so it's interesting to see how games as an industry works and how it's similar to software.
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!
thank you so much for this, is been a kind mistery for me till this video.
Thinking about going for a role similar to a gameplay engineer. Currently studying programming while working an IT helpdesk job. This video was educational, especially in regards to the skillset vs interest graph. Thank you!
I’m glad you found this helpful! Wishing you the best of luck in your studies and hope to see you in the industry someday!
You just have to be a woman .. guys get in like 30000 harder ..
I am also a Taiwanese but based in Toronto.
Thanks for sharing Morgan! Love your content and your experience is super inspiring! My dream is also to work in the games industry!
U doesn't look like Taiwanese
Hey! This was super helpful for me, I plan on going into Game Dev eventually haha
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
The cover letter idea is actually really smart!! Loving the longer content, will you be uploading here more?
Thank you!! Since the type of role I do doesn’t really require a portfolio of work like some other works sometimes using a cover letter can help. And yes I really enjoy making longer form vid content so I’ll be uploading here probably every other week
This is amazing Morgan, well done!
SUCH a high quality video! You got another sub from me 😄
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
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.
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!
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!! ♥️
Great job Morgan! Love seeing your growth! 🎊
Aww thank you!! ♥️♥️
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...
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
You have really grown since your last videos! Congrats!!! You inspire me a lot 😁
This really got me inspired as I also wanted to become a game developer and one day join one of the biggest companies but it's kind of challenging to reach out on people when your country doesn't have much attention of the game industry. But giving up ain't the option here. Just gonna do my best and work it out! Thanks for video!
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... ._.
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.
Ah so the 200 years of experience that Riot told us included people with 0 years of experience.
Wait you are a Rutgers Alummni? I am currently a Rutgers Undergrads; Your Journey and Your Story is so inspiring. My savior especially when my goal is to land an internship in Riot too, and planned to move to CA as well. Thank you for the instructions and guidance!
Cheers!
It took my nearly 4 years to land a job.
It feels like companies like to hire women in the tech industry,very unfair.
Thanks for making the video. 😀👍
Thanks for sharing this information. I didn't realize it's possible to break into game dev. industry even though w/o game dev. background.
This was insightful ❤️
Great job with the video Morgan. More people helping folks get in and understand how to navigate things is always welcome!
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.
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.
As someone who loves theorycrafting and figuring out the math for different builds and testing them out, is there a place for me in game development and if so what job would I need to apply for to, eventually, be able to do something like this?
I've been playing video games for all of my life so finding a way to get into the industry just makes sense, plus I love learning about how different mechanics and systems in the game works and interact with each other.
I truly appreciate this video!
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! :)
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.
I went to school for game design and I still can't find an entry way in :')
There is an amazing game developer called Kelly Nero and she tells the story of how attention to detail and problem solving are key skillsets for game developer , great video @Morgan
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 💙
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.
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.
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
Really helpful vid, subscribed
This is super helpful!! I have an interview for an entry level software/game tester coming up for a reputable GPU company. Any advice or tips? this is an opportunity to finally get my foot in the door. I am a career switcher so this is so nerve-racking!!
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
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 :)
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.
Hi,
I really did enjoy your content, in your opinion is it to late to change industry at 36? I love video games and I'm still unsure if it's the right time to make the move.
Again thanks for the video
Hi! I think it's less about age and more about what you want and willing to do at your current stage in life. I don't think 36 is too old in a way that a team would be like "oh this is too late in his career to change lanes/industries like this". After doing your initial research and you want to really do a game dev role that requires skills and experiences you don't have - it'll definitely be time consuming to build those skills. If you end up do deciding to do that because you feel it's right for you, there is also a good chance that you'll be deleveled compared to your current role at your current company because you're basically starting closer to the bottom again. I actually know several folks who made an industry switch doing the same type of role (so didn't have to build completely new skillsets) and in order to break in they took a role a level down. Of course it doesn't happen to everyone but it's something to consider! Whether that tradeoffs are worth it for you :)
very informative, nice breakdown of game industry.
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
Holy cow! I'm a filmmaker who has spend the last year and a half learning Unreal Engine for virtual production and I've had this nagging feeling of wanting to make a game. I'm working on a proof of concept for a live action show/film based on a friend's hit comic book and all I keep thinking is that the bones to an awesome video game are already here based on what I've built out so far. For weeks now this has been in my head and then your video pops up on my homepage!! Question - If we were to go this route and develop these assets into a game, what do you suggest is the next step? Do I complete it 100% and self publish, or do we get a working level and story bible and pitch to a game studio. Also, do game studios take pitches like a film studio would, or is all of their development done in house? Looking forward to seeing more from your channel!!
ty for this vid my dream job is to be a gameplay engineer at riot on the valorant team and I'll be applying to their internship for next summer :^)
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!
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".
Love love sending love to your way for sharing 🥰
Lovely video! 😊
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
I really appreciate your video. I love video games my whole life and was discouraged after a high school game development course because I didn't know coding. As an adult now I am looking to re-ignite my passion and dive back into this career path. Please release more content like this I need all the tips and help I can get, thank you again.
Hi Morgan, so I want to break into the games industry as a game designer(less programming and more project management) but I find it hard to talk about why I want to work at a company like Riot because I dont play Valorant, I dont play League of Legends anymore and i dont watch their tournaments. I dont tune in to stuff regarding "playing" video games because right now I am busy learning how to program and make video games from scratch. Do you have any advice on how to build that genuine feeling of wanting to be at a company like Riot? I know the first steps is research the company but this has been a plague on me for every tech company ive interviewed with(minus failing the coding interviews). Thank you.
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🙌❤️🌹
This video was super helpful. I'm starting my first job at Amazon in about a month and it's my dream to work in game dev as well. I'm wondering if transferring internally to a team on Amazon Games would be a realistic way to start this path? From what I've heard interviews are not as bad for transfers versus getting your foot in the door.
Amazon Games - aaaaahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahjahahhahahahahaahhahaahhahahahahaa
Hey! thanks for sharing your story! Do you have tips on how to convince a potential employer that your lack of "professional experience" is not that bad? For example, when you apply for a job where you tick ALL the boxes (even the nice to have ones) except the professional experience requirements? Is it even worth trying to apply and if yes how can you show to people that youre still what they want?
Hey! Environment Artist working in AAA games here. The majority of studios have technical tests as a part of their interview process for people who match what they're looking for, but don't have any professional experience yet. So for me when I was initially applying to studios as an environment artist, if a studio liked my resume/portfolio, they'd send over an art test which would usually be a task similar to what you'd do on a daily basis. So for an environment artist, that would be making a prop, or making a small environment or something like that.
The same thing applies for other areas of gamedev, designers have design tests, programmers have programming tests, etc. If you pass the test, usually you'll have a pretty good chance of landing the job as long as you don't bomb your interviews :)
@@JB3D_ Hey! thank you for this insight! A bit of my personal experience: I applied for a few programming jobs and got to the test stage 2 times (so far), altho my only programming experience is a B.Sc in computer science. I have an animation portfolio (which is said to show that I have "strong fundamentals"), but when I applied to animation jobs, I didnt get to a test project state once (couldnt even score an internship)
"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
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? 😂
Morgan, do you feel like you would have still been able to break into the gaming industry if you didn't relocate to Cali? I too live in NJ and also went to Rutgers. (graduated in 2020)
revenue strategist = game dev ?
🤔🤔
Rev Strat is pretty unique to a Riot but that’s the team designing monetization systems so like events, season passes (what content is included, what tasks does a player need to complete, how many points accrue for each task, how is content distributed and when). Rev strat designed the loot box system and crafting system with shards as well. :)
@@morganling no offense, but gacha/lootboxes in general is the reason why this industry is progressively getting worse in game design because a lot of the elements have to be sacrificed around the monetization systems which truly hamper the actual creative/developers vision. at the end of the day it's all about money I know but there are ways to have money and good game without resorting to petty strats like gambling with real money, encouraging FOMO, and other gross tactics.
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.
Thanks for sharing, I am trying to switch from UI & UX design and Web dev to game design and dev. Your info really helps a lot. Could you please take a look at some of my dev videos and let me know how far am I from getting a job in the game industry. Really appreciate it.
Yeah, I cook for the dev thats mean I'm game developer too, awesome!
You have such a pleasant way of speaking and a soothing voice. You should do audiobooks also lol
I even have no interest in games, but hey, you did really well, I've got some tips for my first job hunting journey in tech. You're right about being great at story telling which I'm really bad at, I'm wondering if you can make a video about how to learn it?. Any way you've got my subscribed, I'm looking to see your new videos
You work IN game development for A game developer unless you're making the whole game yourself. The algorithm sure likes that title though
Interesting take! I mean you aren't wrong, the company itself is definitely referred to as a game developer. Within the industry we do refer to our roles as game developer roles. Within AAA game space it's literally impossible for a single person to make the whole game themselves. So even though its a team developing a single title, those who actually build and design the game do outwardly (and inwardly to each other lol) consider themselves as a game developer. That's the only reason I frame it that way. Even indie games usually have a small team, its quite rare to have a single person do everything (they be badasses tho for sure). In the industry we just say "Game Devs" :)