As a kid, you most probably loved playing video games (who didn’t?). Chances are, you also wondered if these games hold a professional career path for you when you grow up. The good news is — they do. Aside from becoming a professional gamer, you can now also be part of the teams that create iconic games as a game designer. With entry level game design jobs earning an average salary of $69,418 per year, according to Glassdoor data, it is clearly a promising career path.
However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that breaking into entry level video game design jobs is about landing a single predefined role. It’s about understanding how the industry structures design work and where beginners can realistically contribute.
Entry Level Game Design Careers
Many beginners expect to be handling the overall vision of a project once they get into the industry. While that’s not impossible, it greatly depends on the studio and project type.
In large-scale studios, you’ll usually help with systems, levels, or player experience. You’ll do this under the guidance of senior team members. Early roles focus on narrow tasks within larger systems. And your focus will be more on learning a lot about how the overall design process works.
For example, in studios like Ubisoft, designers are divided into different game design areas, each responsible for quests, combat systems, progression balancing, and world activities. In particular, you might spend time tuning the bullet drop for a single rifle or spend weeks placing crates in an enemy outpost.
Small studios operate differently but still follow structured roles. In indie development, a designer often assumes multiple responsibilities. But the underlying development work is still commonly separated into areas, such as systems design, mechanics design, and the like. This setup can be driven by a personal preference for working alone. But most of the time, it’s due to the lack of resources.
This process vividly mirrors the creation of Eric Barone’s Stardew Valley. He single-handedly spent several hours a day working on specific development disciplines, including design, programming, art, and writing.
Understanding how studios structure early roles helps you:
- Target the right game design careers instead of applying broadly by focusing on roles that match your skills, interests, and experience.
- Build a focused portfolio that aligns with a particular studio’s needs, showcasing relevant work (e.g., level design, systems balancing) that demonstrates your ability to contribute to design pipelines.
Top Entry Level Game Design Jobs
Most entry level game design jobs fall into different roles that require different skill sets and tools. These are game design jobs that focus on execution, iteration, and support rather than full ownership of a discipline.
Here are some of the most common entry level game design positions:
- Junior Game Designer – Assists senior designers in implementing gameplay features and maintaining design documentation. In games like Hades, a junior game designer may contribute to balancing weapon upgrades to maintain game flow.
- Associate Level Designer – Supports in building and refining playable environments using engine tools. An associate level designer on titles such as Hitman or Metal Gear Solid may take an established system and place the exact boxes, bushes, and cover that allow players to hide and script basic patrols for guards’ movement.
- Quality Assurance Tester – Tests gameplay systems to identify bugs and balance issues while documenting findings in a structured way. In League of Legends, QA testers help find overpowered abilities or unintended interactions between champions.
In most cases, many game designers accept these small or adjacent roles, effectively getting their foot in the door. With these entry level game design jobs, beginners can contribute directly while learning how systems connect across teams. They also serve as good stepping stones to gain expertise and land senior roles, or fully specialize in game design disciplines such as narrative, levels, systems, and gameplay.
Remote Game Design Job Opportunities
The COVID-19 pandemic was a tough time for many. The game development industry had to adopt remote work. But now, the sector is shifting back toward on-site setups or hybrid models because they think it will help them get more work done. This is also largely driven by industry statistics reporting mixed results on full remote work, including feelings of isolation and extended working hours, as well as better work-life balance.
Today, the availability of remote game design jobs, especially entry level game design positions, usually depends on the role and studio workflow. Game design positions, like UI/UX, scripting, or QA, are often advertised as remote because many of their deliverables can be completed independently. Meanwhile, game design jobs such as junior game designer and associate level designer are less likely to be remote, as they require constant team iteration and collaboration.
In fact, recent statistics show that hybrid work is what 83% of AAA game studios are doing now. For example, Electronic Arts is allowing employees to work from home as long as they come into the office at least 3 days a week.
With this setup, entry level game designers are expected to:
- Communicate clearly through written documentation to explain systems, mechanics, and iteration changes without real-time meetings.
- Use project management tools such as Jira or Trello, and work with version control systems such as Git or Perforce to track tasks, submit changes, and monitor development pipelines.
- Iterate based on asynchronous feedback from multiple departments by adjusting designs based on comments from the QA testers or programmers.
In practice, remote roles or hybrid setups require stronger communication and documentation skills. As a game designer, you must clearly explain decisions and respond to feedback without relying on real-time discussions. It’s a tricky one as this directly impacts development speed and project clarity.
How to Find Game Design Vacancies
Sure, job boards are still a big help in finding game design vacancies. However, considering that game design is a highly competitive field, you’ll need a targeted approach to ensure you find all game design vacancies immediately.
A few key channels you can explore include:
- Official studio career pages, such as Riot Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Industry-specific job boards like InGame Job and Game Developer Jobs
- Game jams and developer communities, including itch.io and Discord groups
For example, platforms like itch.io, which was used by the creators of the game Celeste, often serve as informal hiring spaces where studios discover emerging designers.
In the process, don’t just look for game design vacancies. Studios often hire people who are visible within the development ecosystem and can demonstrate practical experience. At times, they hire people because someone they know recommended them. So, going to events and working with people on projects to build connections can really help you find game design vacancies and land entry level video game design jobs when you’re just starting out.
Starting Your Game Designer Career
Pursuing game design careers, even entry level game design, requires demonstrating practical ability. That’s right. Theoretical knowledge won’t suffice. Studios want someone who can actually contribute to the process. For that reason, they evaluate you based on your ability to design systems, solve gameplay problems, and iterate based on feedback — all under time and technical constraints.
Therefore, key preparation steps include:
- Learning key game design principles and how to apply them (e.g., balancing challenge and reward, creating meaningful choices).
- Mastering game design tools like Adobe Suite software or game engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine for rough concepts and exploring the basics of game logic and systems.
- Building a strong portfolio with playable prototypes and design analyses that showcase what you can do, how you think, and how you approach the process.
Many game designers manage to kick-start their careers by showcasing practical skills in progression systems, balancing, and player engagement.
Key Takeaways
Entering entry level game design requires structure and a realistic approach. Studios like Rockstar Games or Nintendo do not hire generalists without experience. They want candidates who can help with parts of game design and keep learning and improving.
To get a game design job, you should understand role structures, target the right game design positions, and get hands-on experience. This way, you can stand out in the job market. The main thing is to match your skills with how studios actually treat beginners and how they build games.
If you want to take the next step, visit our guides on video game designer qualifications and how to get a job in game design.
