Tips on Becoming a Video Game Designer in Cincinnati, Ohio

All over Cincinnati, Ohio, creative high-tech job hunters seek careers in animation and video game design.  Video game design skills are among the most sought-after qualifications in today's job market.  Cincinnati, with a population of around 300,000, has ample employment opportunities in this field.  All sorts of companies throughout the state of Ohio employ animators and video game designers.  Many of these jobs are right here in Cincinnati.  

Cincinnati Schools and Training Programs for Video Game Design

A number of Cincinnati, Ohio colleges offer degree programs in animation and video game design.  Students pursuing these careers typically major in computer science with special focus on digital media.  Others may earn programming degrees with emphasis on animation.  More than a few are math majors who minor in game theory.  Some designers even customize their own degree programs.

Cincinnati colleges offering degree programs related to interactive game design include DeVry and the Art Institute.  Other schools offer similar professional training and degree programs online.  Among the most successful of these are University of Phoenix, ITT Tech, The Art Institutes and DeVry.

Working as a Video Game Designer in Cincinnati

As you might expect, the income of a video game designer will vary depending on factors like experience, effort, talent, ability, performance, productivity, networking and geographic location.  According to one economic report, the average annual salary for an animator or video game designer in the United States ranges from about $35,000 to more than $200,000 per year.  However, this data fails to account for the salaries of many million self-employed individuals.  In any case, animators and video game designers in Cincinnati, Ohio can earn top salaries doing work they enjoy. 

Cincinnati businesses hiring video game design professionals may include software publishers, mobile phone service providers, colleges, graphic design firms and animation studios.  Some designers work for top local ad agencies like Brand Storm, D&D Enterprises, Ideopia or Northlich.  Others work for Cincinnati movie producers like Funa International, Prestige, Soundco Productions and Twelve-Creative. 

In many cases, entry level positions in animation and video game design require a degree and solid game design experience.  However, not all video game designers work for a firm, thanks to limitless independent businesses and websites featuring (or wanting to feature) their own video games.  Professional animators and video game designers often do freelance consulting, setting their own schedules and working from home.  They secure gigs as independent contractors, or they design and sell their own games independently.  Some build game-related websites

Recommended Skills for Video Game Designers

A video game designer develops the rules for a game, maps out a playable scoring system and adds special features like puzzles, maps, mazes, traps and other clever challenges aimed at keeping players engaged.  The designer also creates the artwork and/or consults with professional animators and other graphic artists, in order to capture a visual style appropriate to the elements of the game. 

Animators and video game designers may study math, engineering, communications, computer science, graphics, game theory, story lines, character development and other topics.  They put their best efforts into creating realistic, action-packed interactive products, seething with mainstream appeal.  Video game designers strive for mass market popularity.