大象传媒

You love gaming 鈥 you've completed every level of your favourites and spend hours talking about strategies with your mates. But did you know you can actually make a living in the games industry? Meet four young people who are doing just that.

It's an exciting week in the world of gaming. At the annual E3 Gaming Expo in Los Angeles, industry experts unveiled the latest developments, new games and gaming products. But who is behind all these exciting innovations? For every new game, there is an army of talent, from artists to coders, making the magic happen. We spoke to three young people who are making their mark in the gaming industry to find out more.

Thomas, concept artist

I turned my hobby into my career.
Thomas, a concept artist, creating concept art on his computer and graphics tablet
Image caption,
Thomas uses a computer and graphics tablet to bring his sketches to life.
An illustration of a little owl sitting on a large owl's head.
Image caption,
One of Thomas' illustrations.

Thomas is a concept artist for Atomhawk, an award-winning visual development company. His role is to design the world that films and games are set in. That includes the characters, their clothes, environments, the homes they live in and the props that they use. He uses a graphic tablet to simulate real pencil, brushes and paper to sketch out his ideas on the computer and works in a team on different parts of a project. During lunch, Thomas and his colleagues play games to keep on top of the latest gaming trends and do life drawing to refine their artistic skills. It's a very competitive field and you need to have a portfolio that stands out from the rest. If that sounds like your dream job, watch 大象传媒 Bitesize's film and

An illustration of a little owl sitting on a large owl's head.
Image caption,
One of Thomas' illustrations.
Thomas' artwork 鈥 a man defending himself from a giant crab-like creature.
Image caption,
Thomas' artwork.

Anh, illustrator

I don't have to do the same thing every day.
Anh, smiling at the camera
Image caption,
Anh, a freelance illustrator.
An illustration created by Anh.
Image caption,
An illustration created by Anh.

Anh takes sketches and design ideas and illustrates the landscapes, objects and characters in a game. She works freelance and has the freedom to choose where she works. She has also learnt to code, so she can programme video games as well.

An illustration created by Anh.
Image caption,
An illustration created by Anh.

Ozzy, eSports player

There's a lot of training involved. We're no longer competing just to be better than our friends 鈥 we're competing to be the best in the world, just as you would in football or rugby or any traditional sports.
Ozzy looking at the camera
Image caption,
Ozzy plays remotely in eSports tournaments and meets up with his team to discuss tactics.

If you love playing video games, then being an eSports player might be the job you鈥檝e always dreamt of. Ozzy is a professional gamer who plays video games at a competitive level. He's played casually all his life and eventually started playing online games and competing in esports. His ambition is to win the ESL UK Premiership. Some gamers only play into their late 20s, so Ozzy is also studying for a Law degree. Competing at a professional level takes hard work, dedication, teamwork and communication.

大象传媒 News: How playing video games could get you a better job

Rhianne, games designer

I can't see myself doing anything else in the entire world.
Rhianne smiling at the camera.
Image caption,
Rhianne is a games designer for Sumo Digital, a British-based video game developer.
Rhianne looking at a game level on her computer.
Image caption,
Rhianne collaborates with developers and the art team to design game levels.

Growing up, Rhianne loved video games and had her first games console when she was six. She is now a games designer and uses her creativity and technical skills to create games. She uses the latest technology to make game levels and mechanics, and uses her creativity to make sure each game is as engaging as possible. She works with developers to brainstorm ideas on how they want each game to play, look and feel. She also works with the art team to gather the graphics and put them in the software before testing it to see if it鈥檚 actually fun to play. To find out more about her role,

Rhianne looking at a game level on her computer.
Image caption,
Rhianne collaborates with developers and the art team to design game levels.
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If you鈥檙e interested in a career in the games industry but are not sure if your skill set matches up, take a look at the from Barclays Lifeskills.

It鈥檚 a nifty interactive tool you can use to identify your skills, interests and personality. It will also suggest jobs that might suit you and identify how building other skills could open up other job roles.

Give it a go - your future awaits!

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Feeling inspired? Explore more digital and creative careers on the 大象传媒 .

Ellie: associate producer

Ellie's an associate producer for a games development company.

Ellie: associate producer
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Work experience can help you make informed decisions about your future career.


Find work experience placements with Workfinder.

Tips and advice
Help with interviews, writing a CV and all things work experience related.

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Work experience can help you make informed decisions about your future career.
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Own It spoke to DanTDM, Ellen Rose and the creators of Minecraft about turning your hobby into your digital future.

Level Up! Get into gaming

Jack: app developer

Jack uses code in his job as an app developer.

Jack: app developer

Bode: software engineering apprentice

Bode's a software engineering apprentice on a youth engagement project.

Bode: software engineering apprentice