There are many self-proclaimed geeks who love to game, whether it’s an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) or an RTS (real time strategy) or a first-person shooter. In fact, some believe that video games can be addictive and people use them to escape reality. The fact is that many would love it if they could play video games for a living. But it actually is possible. There are many career paths that include playing video games. The top two are programmers and artists.
Computer programmers write the code needed for the games to work. They have to understand the principles of algorithms and the various conventions used in computer languages. Once the games are programmed, they need to be tested to make sure they work correctly and there aren’t glitches. This is often done by the programmers themselves so they can see where there are problems and what needs to be fixed. Many programmers learn skills needed for video game programming by going to college and earning a degree in computer science. But with the popularity of the Internet, many universities and colleges offer online programs allowing you to earn an online degree in computer science.
For those not interested in computer languages, the other option is to become a graphic artist for video games. There are a lot of graphics needed from in-game graphics (the characters and the landscapes) to video clips within the game, which typically utilize a higher level of graphics closer to an animated movie.
