Breaking into Georgia's digital gaming industry isn't easy. Game companies are constantly besieged with job requests by gamers who would love to create games for a living. The good news is that if you can get just one game development credit, your chances of getting your second job grow tenfold. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make yourself stand out.
Find your niche.
Choose an area of gaming that you can specialize in. Hi-Rez Studio, a Georgia gaming company, states that games these days are created by large teams. Take classes that can help you gain entrance into the industry and specialize in one area of gaming. This helps a company know what role you can play in their organization. Some areas of specialization you could choose from include art/animation, design, marketing and legal, quality assurance testing, audio and I.T.
Network and attend meetups.
Watch for local events and job fairs that gaming companies might attend. You can also attend a meeting of the International Game Developers Association of Atlanta (IGDA Atlanta) or the Georgia Game Developers Association. IGDA is a nonprofit group that helps network members all over the world. The IGDA Atlanta group meets occasionally to discuss things happening in the industry and generally build time into their meetings for developers to network, while the GGDA typically meets monthly at different studios around the area to discuss a key topic. Online forums on websites, such as ConceptArt.org and Gamasutra.com, are an additional way to meet other developers and network.
Finish what you start.
Although a lot of people want to work in the digital gaming industry, few have the drive that it takes to get into the business. If you are working on a project, finish it completely before sending it in. While the projects you work on in school are a great way to learn the ropes, it's the work that you do on your own that is going to get you noticed. Find ways to show off your skills. As an example, use bold designs in your creations or create a clever smartphone app that will draw attention to your skills.
Check out these Georgia game developers:
Blue Mammoth www.bluemammoth.com
CCP www.ccpgames.com
Gimmee Games www.gimmiegames.com
Hi-Rez Studios www.hirezstudios.com
Kaneva www.kaneva.com
Persuasive Games www.persuasivegames.com
Thrust Interactive www.thrustinteractive.com
Tripwire Interactive www.tripwireinteractive.com
Turner www.turner.com
Xaviant www.xaviant.com
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