Games developers are involved in the creation and production of games for personal computers, games consoles, social/online games, arcade games, tablets, mobile phones and other hand held devices. Their work involves either design (including art and animation) or programming.

Games development is a fast-moving, multi-billion pound industry. The making of a game from concept to finished product can take up to three years and involve teams of up to 200 professionals.

There are many stages, including creating and designing a games look and how it plays, animating characters and objects, creating audio, programming, localisation, testing and producing.

The games developer job title covers a broad area of work and there are many specialisms within the industry. These include:

• quality assurance tester;
• programmer, with various specialisms such as network, engine, toolchain and artificial intelligence;
• audio engineer;
• artist, including concept artist, animator and 3D modeller;
• producer;
• editor;
• designer;
• special effects technician.