Video Game Studies and the Future of the Video Game Industry
One of the most exciting trends in video games is "free to play" or "free to download" versions. Free to play video games have no monthly subscription fee, and therefore the gamer does not have to purchase a game console to be able to enjoy them. This gives the consumer a large audience to target to. Consumers can also save a great deal of money by opting for free to play video games, as they will not have to buy a second game that may be a waste of money if it is not popular.
Video game animators are video game designers who create the characters, game play, and backgrounds of video games. There are many different areas that video game animators can go into, depending upon their education, interests, and experience. Most individuals start out as concept artists or 3D animation experts, and then branch out into character and environment design. Some people become involved in both fields and are successful at each.
Game design is another interesting area that video game studies follow. Most game designers begin as game design technicians who test software during testing phases of the development process. Graduates and professionals then pursue graduate studies in game design. The goal of this field is to develop the next generation of videogames.
Mobile gaming is another area of expanding the scope of the video games industry. With more people turning to mobile devices to access the Internet, mobile gaming is expected to grow substantially in the next few years. This opens up a lot of new opportunities for graduates and professionals in the mobile gaming industry.
Many graduates pursue degrees in both game design and mobile gaming, combining their knowledge with a career in one or the other field. It has been noted that a majority of mobile gaming experts started out as game design technicians. In fact, some of the most prominent mobile game designers graduated with degrees in computer science. The future of the video game industry looks bright with bright prospects for gamers, game designers, and mobile technology enthusiasts.
Computer game studies are also expanding. Gamers are no longer confined to playing on personal computers. Most of them now play on handheld devices such as mobile phones and handheld gaming consoles. This has caused a major shift in the type of students pursuing a career in computer games. Graduates have an increased number of options when choosing an area of study that caters to a career in the computer games industry.
Those students opting for computer game design degrees will have a good number of job opportunities available to them. Career opportunities in this sector are increasing due to the rising popularity of video games. There are even colleges and universities that offer a degree in visual communication that trains students to create movies, sound effects, and special effects using computer games. Visual communication can also be used to train students to become directors and producers of video games. As more people spend more time in front of the computer playing video games, the need for qualified game designers will only continue to grow.