Game Developer

Game developers write the code that makes a game playable, building the mechanics, physics and systems behind what the player sees on screen.

Median salary: $128,800; 3.5%vs last year, before tax
People employed: 1,100; 0.0%vs last year
Projected growth: +26.9%; to 2035
AI exposure*: Moderate; 5 out of 10
Average hours: 42/wk; +2h vs all jobs
Shortage status: Not in shortage; national

Game developers work inside a game engine, most often Unity or Unreal, building the code that runs gameplay, physics, graphics and networking.
They sit close to designers and artists, turning what a feature should feel like into working systems, which is different from a game designer, who plans the feature but rarely writes the code for it.
Most are employed by studios in professional and technical services or media, and contract work that lasts for the length of a project is common.

How much do game developers earn?

The median full-time salary for a game developer is $128,800 per annum, before tax, up $27,400 since 2018.

Pay moves most with the size and funding of the studio you work for, and with taking on lead or technical director responsibilities rather than with years served. Contract and freelance work is common, and those rates are usually set per project rather than per year, so a single weekly figure can look uneven across twelve months. Specialising in a hard-to-fill area such as graphics programming or network code also shifts what studios are willing to offer.

Median annual salary, 2018–2028

Median annual salary (AUD/year), Modelled trend anchored to a real ABS Employee Earnings figure, interim years are indicative, not a real yearly series. 2025-2028 is a projection from that anchor using the real ABS Wage Price Index annual growth rate (3.2%, June quarter 2026), not a role-specific forecast., Estimate
Period	Median annual salary (AUD/year)	Change
2018	101,400	-
2019	105,800	+4,400
2020	110,500	+4,700
2021	114,200	+3,700
2022	119,200	+5,000
2023	124,400	+5,200
2024	128,800	+4,400
2025estimated	132,900	+4,100
2026estimated	137,200	+4,300
2027projected	141,600	+4,400
2028projected	146,100	+4,500

The median salary rose by $27,400 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.

Full game developer salary breakdown →

What does a game developer do day to day?

The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.

Writing and debugging gameplay code, then rewriting it once playtesting shows it doesn't feel right
Talking with designers and artists to pin down what a feature should actually do
Chasing obscure bugs that only appear on one console, one graphics card or one save state
Profiling and re-optimising load times and frame rates as the build grows heavier
Putting in longer hours as a milestone or ship date approaches and the build has to be finished and stable

What skills do game developers need?

Employers look for programming and software development, product management, agile delivery, backed by Unity Engine fluency and strong problem solving.

Specialist skills

Programming and software development
Product management
Agile delivery
Software testing and QA
Data analysis

Software and tools

Unity Engine
Unreal Engine
Git version control
Visual Studio
Perforce

General skills

Problem solving
Written communication
Time and deadline management

Specialist skills

Programming and software development: A game developer spends most of the day in C# or C++, building the systems that drive movement, combat, scoring and menus. Code also has to hold a stable frame rate on the weakest console or phone the studio supports, so efficiency matters as much as making the feature work.
Product management: A studio's product manager decides what goes into each milestone and how far a feature can grow before it threatens the ship date, and developers feed that planning with realistic estimates of what the code will take.
Agile delivery: Most studios run short sprints with a playable build at the end of each, so developers plan a few days of work at a time and show what actually runs rather than a status report.
Software testing and QA: Developers test their own code before it reaches the QA team, writing small automated checks for logic such as damage calculations and watching for crashes that appear on only one console or one save state.
Data analysis: Studios read telemetry from live games, such as where players quit, which levels break and how long load times run, and developers use that data to decide what to fix or rebalance next.

Software and tools

Unity Engine: Unity sits behind many mobile and independent games, and developers script gameplay in C# and use its editor to assemble scenes, tune physics and test builds quickly.
Unreal Engine: Unreal is common in larger studios and console projects, where developers write gameplay in C++ and use Blueprints to prototype, and its rendering tools suit high-fidelity graphics.
Git version control: Git tracks changes to code and lets a developer work on a feature branch without breaking the main build, though large art files usually need extra handling.
Visual Studio: This is the usual editor for C# work in Unity, used to write code, set breakpoints and step through a running game when tracking down a bug.
Perforce: This handles the large binary files that game projects accumulate, with file locking that stops two people overwriting the same art asset or level.

General skills

Problem solving: A bug that appears only on one graphics card or after a particular sequence of saves can take days to trace, and the work is largely figuring out why something behaves differently than expected.
Written communication: Developers write design notes, bug reports and commit messages that artists, designers and testers rely on, and remote or multi-studio teams lean on written detail to avoid meetings.
Time and deadline management: Milestones and ship dates are fixed by publishing schedules, so a developer has to judge what can be finished properly and flag early when a feature will not make it.

Is the job growing?

About 1,100 people work as game developers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 26.9% over the decade to 2035. That's very strong growth. Few roles in Australia are expanding this fast, and it points to solid demand for years to come.

Employment, 2015–2024, projected to 2035

Employment (workers), Modelled trend anchored to a real Jobs and Skills Australia employment figure, interim years are indicative, not a real yearly series, Estimate
Period	Employment (workers)	Change
2015	900	-
2016	900	+0
2017	900	+0
2018	900	+0
2019	1,000	+100
2020	1,000	+0
2021	1,000	+0
2022	1,000	+0
2023	1,100	+100
2024	1,100	+0
2027projected	1,200	+100
2029projected	1,300	+100
2031projected	1,300	+0
2033projected	1,400	+100
2035projected	1,500	+100

Employment rose by 200 between 2015 and 2024; the dashed line shows the official projection to 2035.

How do you become a game developer?

Here's the path most game developers take, step by step.

1
Study a bachelor degree in computer science, games programming or software engineering
Just over half the people working as game developers hold a bachelor degree, and games programming degrees cover the same foundations as general computing: data structures, maths, and working in a team on a codebase. If you already have a degree in another field, a graduate diploma or a conversion masters in computing is a realistic route in.
2
Learn one engine properly rather than five shallowly
Unity with C# and Unreal with C++ are the two that appear most in Australian job ads. Learn your engine's editor, its animation and physics systems, and how to profile a build, because interviews tend to test whether you can explain why something runs slowly.
3
Build and release small games of your own
A playable build you finished and shipped, even a short one on itch.io or in a game jam, tells a studio more than a transcript does. Aim for finished rather than ambitious, and put the source on GitHub so a programmer can read how you structure code.
4
Apply for junior programmer, graduate or QA roles
Studios hire in small numbers and often through their own networks, so internships, game jams and contract QA or testing work are common ways in. A QA role gets you inside a studio and reading a live codebase, which is where a lot of developers learn how a production build is actually put together.
5
Pick up the production tools studios use
Git and Perforce, bug trackers, build pipelines and code review are part of every studio job. A short course in version control and agile delivery is worth the time, because the first weeks of a junior role are mostly spent learning how the team ships.

Study that can help

No set qualification is needed for this role in our data. These qualifications are not required, but the study can help.

Bachelor of Design (Game Development)Bachelor degree
Teaches game programming and game design, which gameplay code builds on.
Bachelor of Computer ScienceBachelor degree
Teaches programming, algorithms and data structures, which performance work and debugging draw on.
Bachelor of Game Design and DevelopmentBachelor degree
Teaches game programming and game engines alongside design and art, with team projects.

Prefer something shorter?

A short course can build some of these skills without a full qualification. These aren't accredited, and we don't rank or recommend providers: compare a few before you commit.

Game design
Search on Coursera Search on Udemy Search on LinkedIn Learning
Computer science
Search on Coursera Search on Udemy Search on LinkedIn Learning

These are ordinary links to each provider's own site. We don't currently earn anything from them.

Ready to apply as a game developer?

Whether you're working toward becoming a game developer or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.

Resume templateExample bullet points grounded in this role's real tasks.View & download →Cover letter templateA structured letter with role-specific example content.View & download →Interview questionsWhat people are actually asked, and why.View & download →

What jobs can a game developer move to?

Moving into Software Engineer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $3,100 a year more on average.

Game Developer

$128,800

$131,900+$3,100

$131,900+$3,100

$75,900−$52,900

$128,800same pay

$172,100+$43,300

$140,200+$11,400

$128,800same pay

Software EngineerRecorded move
$131,900+$3,100
DevOps EngineerRecorded move
$131,900+$3,100
Multimedia DesignerRecorded move
$75,900−$52,900
Mobile App DeveloperSuggested move
$128,800same pay

Recorded in tax dataSuggested from skill overlap

Thick lines are moves people were recorded making in Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility (income tax records, 2011-12 to 2020-21). Thin lines are moves we suggest from skill overlap and entry requirements.

Move to	Typical pay change	Overlap	Retraining
Software Engineer Game development programming and debugging skills transfer directly to general software engineering, needing only a short course in broader practices.Known move	+$3,100	58%	short course
DevOps Engineer Build pipelines, scripting and release work carry into devops, though further study in cloud infrastructure and automation is needed.Known move	+$3,100	33%	reskill
Mobile App Developer Mobile app development uses the same coding and platform skills, with a short course to adapt to mobile frameworks and stores.	+$0	42%	reskill
Back End Developer Back end development shares programming and systems work, with a short course to move from game engines to server-side applications.	+$0	54%	short course
Multimedia Designer Interactive media and technical production experience can lead into multimedia design, with retraining in visual design and tools.Known move	−$52,900	0%	reskill

Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.

Who works as a game developer?

The typical game developer is 32 years old; 82% are men, 78% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.

32
Median age: 18%
Female share: 78%
Full-time: +2h
vs all-jobs avg

What's it like being a game developer?

The work runs on project cycles: a stretch of relatively settled months building features, then a squeeze as a milestone or ship date closes in, then a patch phase fixing what shipped broken. Most days are spent in engine and editor windows, in version control, and in short conversations with the designers and artists who depend on the systems you build. It suits people who are happy solving the same problem three different ways until it feels right, and who can let go of a favourite feature when playtesting says no.

What people like

What you built is either in the build or it isn't. There is no ambiguity about whether the work landed, and playtesting tells you within a day or two whether a mechanic is fun or broken.
Designers and artists sit close by. Teams are small enough that you talk directly to the person drawing the art or laying out the level, rather than through a chain of documents.
The craft keeps changing. New engines, new hardware and new rendering techniques arrive constantly, so learning is part of the job rather than something you do on the side.
You can build something of your own. The same engines and skills let you make a small game solo or with two or three others, and many developers keep a personal project running alongside studio work.

What people find hard

Crunch near a milestone. When a build has to be finished and stable for a deadline, hours stretch and the work turns into polishing and firefighting rather than solving interesting problems.
Bugs that hide. A crash that only happens on one console after a particular save can take days to reproduce, and you may spend a whole day reading logs before you can even start fixing it.
Projects end. Studios staff up for a project and let contract developers go when it ships, so looking for the next job recurs throughout a career rather than settling down after a few years.
Features get cut. Work you spent weeks on can be dropped when the schedule tightens or a publisher changes direction, and that call is usually made well above your desk.

Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.

Which industries employ game developers?

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services employs the largest share of game developers, followed by Information Media and Telecommunications.

Top employing industries

1Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
2Information Media and Telecommunications
3Arts and Recreation Services

Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.

Highest qualification held
Bachelor degree		52.9%
Diploma / Advanced Diploma		16.3%
Postgraduate		13.9%
Year 12 or below		10.7%
Certificate III/IV		4.4%

Will AI replace game developers?

5out of 10

Moderate exposure. Not replaced, but changed. AI is taking on some tasks and the rest of the job shifts around them.

Exposure here is moderate. AI coding assistants now sit in the editor alongside the developer, generating boilerplate, scaffolding systems and producing placeholder art and audio quickly, which takes real time out of early production. What they do not do is decide how a mechanic should feel, get a build stable across several platforms, or track down a bug that only appears in one save state, and those tasks fill most of the working week.

How a typical week splits

30%

AI already does a lot of this

of a typical working week

Writing gameplay and systems code
30% of the week
Assistants can draft an inventory system or a state machine in minutes, but a programmer still reads, reshapes and integrates it into the studio's codebase and its own conventions.

20%

AI helps, you still do it

of a typical working week

Profiling and optimising performance
20% of the week
Tools flag the slow frames, but deciding whether to cut a particle effect, stream a texture differently or rewrite a draw call is a judgement about the game, not the numbers.

50%

Stays with people

of a typical working week

Debugging issues that only show up on certain hardware
25% of the week
Reproducing a crash that happens on one console after a particular save depends on the developer's knowledge of the build, the platform tools and the game's own history.
Agreeing a feature with designers and artists
25% of the week
Working out what a mechanic should feel like happens in conversation and in playtesting sessions, where someone has to watch how a player actually reacts and change the design accordingly.

How we work this out

We break each job into its main tasks, estimate the share of a typical week each one takes, and judge how far current AI and automation tools reach into it. The score out of 10 starts from the job's overall rating (low is 1 to 3, moderate 4 to 6, high 7 to 10) and the task split places it within that range. Source: Career Tips analysis of each role's main tasks.

Common questions about becoming a game developer

Straight answers to the questions people ask most.

How much does a game developer earn?

The median for full-time game developers is $128,800 per year before tax. Studio size, your specialism and whether you are on a contract or a permanent salary move that figure more than seniority alone does.

How do you become a game developer?

Most people get in through a computing or games programming degree, a portfolio of finished small games, and a junior or QA role at a studio. About half the people doing the job hold a bachelor degree, but a diploma or a strong self-taught portfolio with shipped work can also get you interviews, particularly at smaller studios.

Are game developers in demand in Australia?

Game developers are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 26.9% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. The occupation is small, at about 1,100 people, so the number of openings in any one month is limited and studios often hire people they already know from jams, internships or contract work. Building a visible portfolio and staying in touch with local studios matters more here than in larger software fields.

Will AI replace game developers?

AI coding assistants are already part of the toolchain, so parts of the job are exposed, particularly boilerplate code, prototyping and placeholder art and audio. What they do not do is get a build stable across platforms, work out why a mechanic feels wrong, or reproduce a crash that only shows up in one save state, and those tasks are most of the working week.

What else can a game developer do?

Game programming transfers well into general software work: software engineer roles use the same languages and debugging habits and pay $3,100 more, with roughly 58% of the skills carrying across. Mobile app developer and back-end developer are similar moves, since both build on the same coding foundations and need only a short course to adapt to new frameworks. Many developers also start their own small studio or work independently, and for those who make it work, that is often where earnings grow.

Do you need a degree to become a game developer?

No, but it is the most common route: about 53% of game developers hold a bachelor degree. A diploma or advanced diploma, held by around 16%, is another way in, usually through TAFE games or software courses, and a small number of developers enter on the strength of a portfolio alone.

Related roles

Not sure this is you? Take the career quiz and get a ranked shortlist of roles that fit how you like to work.

How much do game developers earn?

What does a game developer do day to day?

What skills do game developers need?

Specialist skills

Software and tools

General skills

Specialist skills

Software and tools

General skills

Is the job growing?

How do you become a game developer?

Study that can help

Prefer something shorter?

Ready to apply as a game developer?

What jobs can a game developer move to?

Who works as a game developer?

What's it like being a game developer?

What people like

What people find hard

Which industries employ game developers?

Top employing industries

Will AI replace game developers?

How a typical week splits

Common questions about becoming a game developer

Related roles

Career advice