Video Game Designer Salary + 2025 Career Guide

Video game designers are storytellers who create a world for users to play and interact with characters. As a video game designer, you conceptualize a video game by creating settings, characters, plots, and rules. 

Grand View Research's Market Analysis Report predicts the global video game industry will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.4 per cent through 2030. In 2023, the market value was estimated at $242 billion USD and should exceed $583 billion USD in revenue by 2030 [1]. 

The 2024 Unity Gaming Report reports that the gaming industry is constantly expanding, with multiplatform games growing 40 per cent between 2021 and 2023. And the gaming industry values diverse skill sets, with 62 per cent of gaming studios surveyed saying they used AI in their workflows [2].

These projections could signal higher salaries for video game designers in the years to come. 

Learn more about a video game design career, annual average earnings, and how to earn more in this dynamic industry.

Video game designer vs. video game developer

A video game designer creates games for computers and game consoles by designing storylines, characters, game objectives, methods of winning and losing, and user interfaces. While a video game developer focuses on the coding, software programming, and engineering aspects of bringing a game to life, a video game designer is responsible for creating the game at the conceptual, experiential, and aesthetic levels.  

What is the average salary for a video game designer? 

According to the Government of Canada’s Job Bank, the median annual salary for a video game designer is $55,952 CAD [3]. Four leading salary websites also report the average salary of a video game designer in Canada ranges from $58,799 CAD to $119,299 CAD. 

Your annual average base salary as a video game designer depends on various factors, such as your location or experience level. Still, looking at the averages across various sources can provide a baseline to understand your earning potential better. Examine the numbers in more detail [4, 5, 6, 7]:

*All salary data current as of November 2024

Factors that affect video game designer salary

In addition to your experience level, several other factors may affect your earning potential as a video game designer, such as your education, the amount of experience you have, the industry you work in, and the area you live in.

Explore each of these factors to get a sense of what your average video game designer salary may be.

Skills 

The range of skills you possess and whether you have any specialized skills may impact what job you land and, therefore, what salary you earn. Some of the top skills for video game designers include:

• Motion graphics

• Video content

• Graphic design

• Video production 

• Animation 

Additionally, video game designer skills that may increase your salary, according to Payscale, include [7]:

• Unreal Engine: 21 per cent pay increase

• User experience (UX) design: 15 per cent pay increase

• Verbal communication: 5 per cent pay increase

The skills you need may vary based on the type of work you plan to do. For example, if you want to design VR games for the metaverse, learning a skill such as Unity 3D or similar could help you specialize in a skill that fewer designers possess, and it could unlock related career and salary opportunities. 

Experience level

Your level of professional experience may factor into your average annual salary. Typically, those with more experience working in the video game industry earn a higher salary. Explore average base earnings according to years of experience, according to data from Payscale [7]:

• 0–1 year: $46,625 CAD

• 1–4 years: $53,607 CAD

• 5–9 years: $70,809 CAD

• 10–19 years: $83,267 CAD

Location 

Where you live and work may contribute to your annual average salary. According to data from Job Bank Canada the highest-paying areas in Canada for a video game designer are Ontario, British Columbia, and Newfoundland. Discover other top-paying regions for a video game designer [3]: 

• British Columbia: $65,000 CAD

• Ontario: $65,000 CAD

• Newfoundland and Labrador: $65,998 CAD

• Alberta: $58,240 CAD

• Saskatchewan: $47,840 CAD

• New Brunswick: $60,216 CAD

Video game designer job outlook

The Government of Canada Job Bank predicts a limited to good job outlook for game designers across the country. For example, it estimates job prospects will be “moderate” in Quebec, Ontario, and Saskatchewan and limited in British Columbia, Alberta, and New Brunswick.. It also reports an estimated job outlook for video game developers, a position in the same field as video game designers. 

The Government of Canada Job Bank predicts that video game developers’ employment will remain mixed between 2022 now and 2031, with more workers available than jobs [9]. While the industry continues to grow, companies may be cautious on expanding their workforce as technology, such as artificial intelligence, get more integrated in their workflows.  

Related job titles

If you’re interested in roles similar to those of a video game designer, consider looking at jobs that require related education or additional qualifications. Other positions to explore in the field may include video game developer, 3D animator, or art director.

Video game developer

Average annual base salary (Glassdoor): $73,287 CAD [10]

Typical education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field

Video game developers work behind the scenes of a video game, creating a platform for users to interact and play. As a video game developer, you should have a computer programming and coding background as you develop new software. You should also know how to problem-solve, as you may run into trial and error as you develop a new game.

3D animator

Average annual base salary (Glassdoor): $60,721 CAD [11]

Typical education: Bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field

As a 3D animator, you create visual art for either yourself or a client. Your clients may be in the advertising, marketing, or digital media industries. You work directly with clients from conception until the project is complete, delivering them with a piece of art that matches their vision and communicates the message they’re sharing. 

Art director

Average annual base salary (Glassdoor): $71,446 CAD [12]

Typical education: Bachelor’s degree in art or a related field

Art directors oversee the art department in any given company. You manage the artists, graphic designers, and anyone else on your team. You use your artistic ability to make changes and decisions on projects and assist others when they need help creating a piece of art. You’llneed to be a strong leader and collaborate with your team to succeed in this position. 

Video game designer salary best practices 

As you proceed into your job search and develop your career, use these best practices to increase your potential for higher earnings.  

1. Refine your research methods.

Stay up-to-date on the skills, experience, education, and other qualifications employers seek in a video game designer. Start by creating accounts on job sites. Then:

• Navigate the different data points on each site, such as average salaries, career trajectories, career advice, company reviews, and more.

• Study job descriptions and sign up to receive notifications when positions open up at different companies.  

2. Gain job-ready skills and experience in game design. 

Continuing your education can help expedite career advancement. Use insights from your research to prioritize the skills you learn and opportunities to apply them.

For example, you may find that the positions that interest you require a degree or a professional credential in game design. You may be able to satisfy employers’ requirements by taking courses on specific topics in game design. Consider taking on freelance projects to diversify your experience and build a portfolio if you can. 

3. Build a game designer network.

Having a solid network of contacts in the gaming industry can position you to learn about job openings and other career-building opportunities. To build your network, you can: 

• Attend professional conferences and networking events.

• Join online communities like Canadian Game Devs or an international group like the International Game Developers Association (IGDA).

• Follow other video game designers on social media and engage with their content. 

4. Monitor gaming industry trends. 

When you monitor trends in this industry, such as the prevalence of new technologies and year-over-year revenue growth, you may be able to make some general deductions about the salary you can earn. To monitor these trends, you can: 

• Check the Government of Canada Job Bank website each year for the latest career data.

• Subscribe to sources of gaming industry news.

• Read industry surveys and reports.  

Get started in video game design with Coursera 

Video game designer salaries vary based on your level of professional experience and the region in which you live. To earn a higher salary in this industry, consider gaining more experience through entry-level positions or pursuing Professional Certificates and certifications.

For example, explore the Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization offered by CalArts to begin learning skills in game conceptualization. You may also take the Epic Games Game Design Professional Certificate, which gives beginners a deep dive into video game design as well as a chance to earn a professional credential.