There are many different routes into the games industry. With billions of people around the world enjoying games, there is a big demand in the industry for those who have the skills to make engaging, quality games.
Some people go down the route of traditional training and getting a degree or other qualification. Other people choose to teach themselves and start making a game independently. There have been some crazy success stories of those who have started in their bedrooms and made some incredible games.
In this article, we’re looking at a few of the most popular genres of games an aspiring developer can choose to explore.
Casino Games
The casino industry and online casino gaming have continued to grow massively in recent years. This means there is a huge demand for developers that can help with the production of both table games and slot games. You can see from this video poker casino with live dealer poker how many different variations there are of each casino game. Sites like these usually need a team of developers to make these games and add functionality.
There are hundreds or even thousands of slot games and table games made every single year, and some of the huge companies creating slot games are often looking for new talent to work on their games and differentiate from the other casino brands.
RPG Games
RPG games can be as detailed and complex as Skyrim, or as simple in their concept as a game like Harvest Moon. One of the things that appeal to a lot of new developers when making RPG games is the fact that the graphics don’t have to be amazing to create a successful game. In recent years, games such as Stardew Valley and Undertale have gone on to be huge successes even though they were made by one person.
If a games developer has a dream of taking their idea and turning it into a real game, an RPG can be a vehicle for them to do this. RPG games, however, are usually made of many moving parts, and are very complex pieces of software. Hence, for a developer aspiring to make an RPG game, they will need to be very proficient at games programming.
Developers will also need to be careful to not overscope their games. Although there are plenty of successful RPG games made by small teams or individuals, a good number of these on the market are also made by huge, well-financed studios with big budgets and an equally big team. These games usually feature huge, open-world designs, and require a staggering amount of art and programming assets, as well as voice-acting and motion-capture work by acting talents.
Action Games
“Action” is quite a broad genre, we know. This could include fighting games or shooter games, as well as the battle royale genre that has become incredibly popular in recent years. Developers who want to work on action games will often work closely with artists and designers, with a big part of the role involving creating realistic movements and graphics that look like they would in real life.
For example, there are huge teams of people working on games such as sports games. A big part of the development challenge is creating realistic gameplay that looks and feels like it could be taking part in real life. Action games will often work in 3D and use in-depth game engines, and there are often big teams involved, so one of the key skills will be working with others.
Strategy and Simulation Games
Strategy and simulation games often showcase a different set of skills in comparison with other genres. There is often a lot going on in the background. For instance, some of the simulation and strategy games out there have a whole economic system, huge inventory systems, and other demanding back-end systems that require a lot of coding.
To make these kinds of games you often need an in-depth knowledge of the genre, and excellent planning skills that mean when you put all the moving parts of a game together, it still works.
These sorts of games can be hugely successful and popular, and they are vastly different in their themes. For instance, playing a game like Age of Empires is very different from playing a game like The Sims.
Platformers
Platformers are often a really good starting point when learning how to make games. The graphics can be relatively simple as can the physics engine. When learning how to build games, pretty much every developer will create some sort of platformer game.
They’re popular on iPhones and other smart devices, so there is a big market for these kinds of games too.
Conclusion
Game development comes with a lot of different areas of expertise. This guide shows you the types of games that developers can specialize in, but there are even more genres, and within those genres, there are also plenty of different roles. Programmers, designers, level designers, and animators are among some of the roles that are always in demand in the industry.
It is an exciting time for game developers to carve out a niche for themselves.