The gaming world is booming. A global industry that is tipped to be worth $321 billion USD ($464.4 billion AUD) by 2026*, there is no better time than now to make gaming a part of your education.
The booming gaming industry, and the impact this will have on jobs
Social and casual gaming has seen extensive growth since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdowns across the globe, with millions escaping boredom and isolation through games. According to Newzoo, it is projected that by 2023 there will be more than 3 billion people playing video games, that’s roughly two out of five people worldwide playing video games. Now more than ever, working in the gaming industry is an exciting and attainable possibility for anyone with a passion for games.
Source: Newzoo (2020)
There was a 7% increase in employment in the Australian gaming industry according to the 2020-21 FY survey from the IGEA, with 64% of studios planning to hire new staff in 2022 (estimated 400+ new hires), a testament to the booming job prospects in the Australian gaming industry.
The way we play/consume games has changed
Shane Bevin, one of the topic coordinators overseeing the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Game Production), believes that games have become more than they once were. “There has been a steady increase in the sophistication of games and the gamers that play them. Games can be everything from simple casual mobile games through to amazing virtual reality worlds and as games have become more sophisticated, the art and worldbuilding behind them have also grown more complex. Artists, writers, sound designers and animators are now bringing us vast worlds with engaging storylines and every little piece needs to be created by someone.”
Console games are not the only means of playing video games. Mobile games’ overall revenue is expected to reach more than $100 billion by 2023, according to Statista. Games such as Pokémon Go and Clash of Clans, and even some cross-platform mobile games like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile are some prime examples showing game producers need not limit themselves to Xbox, PlayStation, or PC.
PwC predicts that by 2025, Australians will spend in excess of $1.5 billion on mobile game microtransactions, largely due to the number of people that own smartphones. The gaming market in Australia is not limited to console games, there are so many other options that you can pursue in game production.
The rise of eSports has helped to contribute to the expansion of the gaming industry. China alone generated more than $360 million USD ($524.3 million AUD) in 2021. Statista project that eSports as a whole are expected to generate more than $1.6 billion USD ($2.3 billion AUD). This rise is due in part to the amount of money being invested by advertisers and media coverage that TV and other streaming services are willing to pay just to show gamers play games.
Flinders’ new Game Production degree
Flinders will offer a new degree in 2023, the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Game Production), which has been created with aspiring game producers in mind. Shane Bevin says this degree is designed to cater for not just gamers and game designers, but also people with an interest in creative arts.
“The Bachelor of Creative Arts (Game Production) is a hands-on degree with an emphasis on the creative aspects of game production. The emphasis is on the creation of assets for use in the game design pipeline with topics in game art, game narrative and game design. There are optional coding topics for those who are interested, but the core topics are based on gaining knowledge in the creation of assets for games.
“The degree also values knowledge of the games industry, the societal impact of games and gaming, and the collaborative nature of game design. If you love games and are interested in how they work, you have already started on the right path to fit right into this degree. You will be able to draw on your experience as a “gamer” in all aspects of the course.”
Why should you study game production? What will this mean for future job prospects?
Game producers are always in high demand. It takes a lot of work just to create one video game. Companies such as Monkeystack based in Adelaide are always on the lookout for creative minds who have a vision for their next AAA games.
The Australian gaming industry contributed $226.5 million in revenue in 2021, a 22% increase on 2020, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
IGEA CEO Ron Curry, in an interview with Kotaku, discussed how the boom of the games industry is supplying an influx of revenue to propel the future of the industry, particularly in the employment aspect of it.
“We can expect to see exponential growth locally which will contribute further to the Australian economy, and support from State and Federal Governments now they’ve realised that games provide a vital source of connection, enjoyment, education, and wellbeing.
“Revenue generated by the industry has doubled since [five years ago], in spite of the pandemic there’s been resilient employment, there wasn’t a halt in revenue growth from 2019 to 2020, and we saw an increase in employment in the past year, too”, says Curry.
IGEA noted that finding experienced game producers to work for game companies is a big gap in the employment market. In a field where game development and production studios are no more than 10 years old, there is a market for new, talented game producers to come into relatively new studios to begin their careers in a hot and currently booming industry.
Careers in game production are diverse. Some jobs include programmers/engineers, creative artists and designers, management and marketing, quality assurers, and even story writers and audio technicians.
Power on your career in gaming
Flinders now offers the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Game Production). An exciting, new, and unique degree for those interested in the creative side of gaming.
More interested in the technical and foundational work that goes into making a game? Then the Bachelor of Information Technology (Game Development) may be more suited to you.
If you’re after a broad insight into the creative industries and digital production, check out the Bachelor of Creative Industries (Digital Media) and the Bachelor of Creative Industries (Interactive Design).
Wanting to create artistic visions for games or even for TV and film, then consider the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Visual Effects and Entertainment Design) or the Master of Virtual Production.
There has never been a better time to make gaming a part of your education and to study gaming-related degrees at Flinders. There are so many job opportunities in the gaming industry, and we are here to help find that career for you. What are you waiting for? Apply now!
*PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2022-26
Author: Jordan Marsden