If you are a video game lover, you have probably already gotten used to paying money for be able to enjoy your favorite games. But if you are a novice in this field, it may still throw you back to do it because of the apparent excessive price that some of them have, especially those that have just hit the market, but you have to take into account how complex it is to create a video game, the many people who work creating it, the time they invest and think, later, on the number of hours that you will be enjoying them and having fun.
In recent years, the cost of creating a video game, especially triple A games, has risen considerably to exceed, in most cases, one hundred million dollars, exceeding the budget of the most expensive Hollywood movies. For this reason, the video game professional, in its different sections, is currently one of the best paid and with the greatest job opportunities.
The videogames they left a long time ago to be an exclusive entertainment of the smallest of the house. Today people of all ages enjoy their favorite games through their mobile, tablet, computer or console, in fact, currently the average age of gamers is over 30 years old.
Although it may seem that video games are almost exclusively the territory of men, in reality there are already several European countries in which there are more women than men playing video games, however, from the point of view of production and not consumption, the The challenge is to incorporate more women as professionals into the industry.
Video games are becoming more and more social, in recent years most of them offer the possibility to play online, with which you can compete in games with fans from all over the world and without leaving your home. Technological advances, so common in this industry, and the emergence in the market of the new generation of consoles have made it possible.
The arrival of external peripherals to improve the gaming experience such as virtual reality glasses from Oculus or HTC Vive, devices that allow us immersing yourself in the game like it's real lifeIt is another reason that they continue to be sold by the millions and that this industry is one of the most profitable economically speaking and hence, that it is attractive job opportunities if you really like this world.
How much does it cost to create a video game?
The technological evolution of consoles allows developers get the most out of your devices, but at the same time it requires solid training to keep up with such a demanding industry.
Most of the cost of a game is invested in personnel, followed by advertising and they reach such high production figures as those I have commented previously. Today it is common for a video game to be made between different studios of the same company that are located in several countries, hence the importance of the English language.
Spain has become one of the most attractive countries for large studios of video game creation, where the average monthly salary is around 2.000 euros, a figure that is tripled in the United States and some northern European countries, so if you are interested in this profession, but do not want to go abroad to live , you can dedicate yourself completely to this sector and make it your way of life.
Previously we talked about triple A video games, but if we did it a "normal" video game on average, and to get an idea, the cost it would be between 10 and 50 million dollars, a large part of the expense is invested in its development. Taking into account these costs, it is not surprising that the latest news reaches the market at an average price of 60 euros, a good purchase considering the number of hours you are going to enjoy it if you compare it with the cost of other alternatives of leisure.
A clear example of return on investment can be found in the Activision game Call of Duty: WWIII, a game that during its first weekend it has raised more than 500 million dollars, topping the box office jointly for Wonder Woman and Thor: Raagnarok. Once again it is shown that the video game industry has been moving much more money for a few years than some of the most important productions of the seventh art.
What training do I need to create video games?
Anyone who was interested in getting fully involved in creating video games, had to be self-taught or trained in fine arts or conventional computer engineering, since in Spain there were no careers specifically oriented to this sector, something very common in the United States. In recent years, this has changed a lot and currently we can find specific professional training, university degrees, masters ... If we are clear that ours is the creation of video games, the best option currently available in Spain is the DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe technology center -Bilbao.
I want to be a videogame developer. Where do I study?
DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe-Bilbao is the Campus in Spain of the American University DigiPen Institute of Technology, which launched the world's first university degree in video game programming and is based in Redmond (where the world headquarters of Microsoft and that of Nintendo America), a University that has more than 25 years turning its students into accredited professionals in the video game industry, who work in the main world companies in the sector and in many of the triple A video games that you have probably played.
DigiPen Bilbao offers two university degrees, a Computer Engineering in Interactive Simulation in real time and another in Fine Arts in Digital Art and Animation. Almost all DigiPen Bilbao graduates, some of whom are studying in the 4th year at the United States Campus or the Singapore Campus, graduate with a job offer under their arm, the prestige and recognition of the industry towards the The solidity of its training means that the demand towards its students is continuous.