What is game development?

Game development is the process of creating video games — using technical knowledge and skills to turn game concepts and ideas into reality. While it sounds pretty straightforward, it's a broad field that involves coding, art design, project management, and more (which we'll explore in this course).

What do Game Developers do?

A <a href="https://www.codecademy.com/resources/blog/what-does-a-game-developer-do/">Game Developer's</a> role can look very different depending on the company and project. Some may be responsible for creating the code that the entire game runs on, while others build creative assets or test the program for bugs and other issues. We take a closer look at a Game Developer's responsibilities in this course.

What kind of jobs are there in game development?

It takes a team to turn a game idea into a reality, from Game Developers and Designers to Character and Environment Artists who create fantastic worlds and avatars to Audio Engineers and Composers who create the accompanying soundtracks and sound effects. In this course, we'll explore some of the most popular roles in game development and their responsibilities.

What else should I study if I am learning game development?

If you want to start building your own video games, your first step is picking up one of the programming languages used for game development, like C++, Lua, or JavaScript. You'll also want to learn how to use game engines like <a href="https://www.codecademy.com/article/unreal-intro">Unreal</a> or Unity. (And if you want to build games for mobile devices, try learning Kotlin if you're interested in Android development or Swift if you're more interested in iOS.)

How much do Game Developers make?

<a href="https://www.codecademy.com/resources/blog/how-much-do-game-developers-make/">Game Developers in the U.S. earn six-figure salaries</a> on average, but their rates vary depending on experience, location, the size of their company, and other factors. Plus, their compensation might also include insurance, stock options, and other benefits.

Free

Course

Introduction to Game Development

Explore video game development, including game design, gameplay development, and asset creation.

This course includes

107,523 learners enrolled

This course includes

Skill level
Beginner
Time to complete
Average based on combined completion rates — individual pacing in lessons, projects, and quizzes may vary

1 hour
Prerequisites
None

About this course

Gain foundational knowledge in the video game development process. In this course, you will learn:

Game Design: Take an idea to a full design ready for developers and asset creators
Gameplay Development: Understand the inner workings of an engaging game, such as gameplay mechanics, artificial intelligence, and user experience
Game Assets: Learn how immersive games are made using art and sound assets
Tools: Learn about the tool of the trade, from programming languages to game engines

Syllabus

4 lessons • 4 quizzes

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Meet the creator of the course

Meet the full team

Jace van Auken

Curriculum Developer at Codecademy

Jace is a Curriculum Developer with the Codecademy Computer Science team. He learned to code at an early age by reading a C Primer textbook and playing around with HyperCard on his Macintosh Plus.

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