Have you played Mortal Combat? PUBG? What about LEGO: Star Wars? Well, these are some of the top 10 android mobile games in India and in coming years, we will see many. This is because the gaming industry is booming and it is certain to reach its zenith in the next decade. Seeing the fountain of a potential this industry has, the Indian gaming industry has planned to add a whopping 1 lakh of jobs by the financial year (FY) of 2023. Sounds appealing? Well, there’s more to that. This article will trace down the nuances of the gaming industry, why such a gigantic job creation has been made and what one should do in order to make a career in the gaming industry. So, before you pick up your video game controls, get a quick read.

What is the gaming industry all about?

The gaming industry is the foster child of the Information Technology (IT) industry. It involves developing, marketing and monetizing video games including online games as well as PlayStation Portables (PSPs). From a salary perspective, the highest-paying profiles in the gaming industry include game producers (Rs 10 LPA), game designers (Rs 6.5 LPA), software engineers (Rs 5.5 LPA), game developers (Rs 5.25 LPA) and QA testers (Rs 5.11 LPA). 

India comes second globally by hosting a gaming community of a whopping 480 million people. As per the report “Gaming: Tomorrow’s Blockbuster '', 30 percent of the workforce indulged in the gaming sector are programmers and developers. This percentage is likely to rise since a humongous 90 per cent of the millennials and Gen-Z workforce are aspiring to work in the gaming sector. In addition to that, women account for 40 per cent of the total workforce engaged in the gaming sector.

Read More: This is Why Developers use C++ for Developing Games

Why are 1 lakh jobs being created in the gaming sector?

Recently, the founder and CEO of an IT tech has called the gaming industry as the “next sunrise industry”. This is because the user engagement in this industry has been rising by manifolds and the opportunities are widening than ever. Since this industry offers jobs across sectors, it is in more demand.  

The gaming sector is expected to grow by 20 to 30 per cent and is expected to add 1 lakh direct and indirect new jobs by financial year (FY) 2023. Over the next year, the sector will add new jobs across domains especially in the top 10 android mobile games in India like programming in the top game development companies in India (unity developers), testing (games test engineering, QA lead), animation (animators), design (motion graphic designers, virtual reality designers), artist (VFX and concept artists) and other miscellaneous roles (content writers, gaming journalists, web analyst). Moreover, the sector is expected to attract FDI to the tune of Rs 780 crore by 2023. 

Despite facing hurdles owing to frequent regulatory changes, the Indian gaming industry is expected to grow 2.5x by 2026. Additionally, stakeholders across the industry are also working to bring refined policies to govern the ecosystem.

With all that being said, it is clear that a career in the gaming industry in the near future is brighter than ever. So, how should one go about it? This is being addressed in the subsequent section of the blog.

How to make a career in the gaming industry?

There are a host of career avenues to explore in the Indian gaming industry. However, one has to meet the eligibility criterion for the array of roles this industry offers or will be offering in the near future. The eligibility criterion to enter the gaming industry is:

• Candidates seeking to work in the gaming industry are expected to have a BCA in Software.

• Even those who have a Diploma in 3D, 2D, Animation, and VFX are hired.

• In addition to that, a M.Tech/B. Tech in IT can also be your gateway. 

• Also, a Diploma in specialized languages like C++, Java, and DevOps catches the attention of the employers.

So, these were the educational qualifications that an employer of the gaming industry will be looking for. In addition to these, practical knowledge is a must-have if you wish to make a career in this industry. This is in the context of pure gaming roles such as that of a game designer, developer or beta tester.

There are a variety of job roles that demand non-IT backgrounds as well. These include.

• Game management roles that require an MBA in Human Resource (HR). 

Here, you get engaged in disciplines such as recruitment. As the core expertise required here is predominantly hiring, so your prior corporate is a bonus.

• Marketing roles that require a degree in commerce streams.

Marketing is also a viable employment option in the gaming segment. You have the option of being a Product Marketer, where you promote the product or game via different marketing strategies across various channels.

So, this was all you needed to know about the Indian gaming industry and the humongous job creation that will be taking place next year.