5 Tips To Keep In Mind Before You Enter Into a Career In Gaming What many do not realize is that making a livelihood and career in gaming is not just about being a gamer or gamestreamer; there are various other options

Over the past few years, the wide range of career opportunities in India's gaming industry have been growing in a massive way. As per a Deloitte India report, the gaming industry in our country is expected to hit $2.8 billion by 2022, while growing at a CAGR of 40 per cent. With the country's gaming ecosystem progressing at breakneck speed (more so after the pandemic-induced boom in gaming), many youngsters nowadays are eager to start working on a full-time basis in the gaming industry.

What many do not realize is that making a livelihood and career in gaming is not just about being a gamer or gamestreamer; there are various other options to choose from such as game developer, VFX and graphics artist, shoutcaster (commentator for gaming events), gaming animator, game producer, gaming events or community manager and many more: but in order to be successful, you need to choose any one of these roles and put in dedicated and consistent efforts.

If you are someone who's looking to kick-start your career in the gaming space, here are five important tips/suggestions that shall prove to be useful:

Set the right expectations

Even though a career in gaming may appear to be (and it is, as a matter of fact) lucrative, one should not be jumping into the gaming bandwagon just for the sake of being rich or famous. Rather, it is crucial to do your own extensive research, in order to discover the best gaming career path/profile that is aligned to your passion and skill-sets, and thus exactly suits you! It may take a while to figure this out with trial-and-error process or otherwise, but keep going anyway and soon you will be able to find the perfect match. Also, it doesn't make sense to expect overnight success in this industry; so, keep hustling with a long-term vision and eventually success, fame and money all will come: as and when you become worthy!

Be serious from day one

When you decide to become a professional in the gaming industry, you should be serious about your attitude and finances, and also be ready to invest your time and efforts or money (or even both, if need be) right from the start. Broadly, there are two categories of professionals in this domain: the self-employed ones who are working for themselves (like the "pro' gamers and gaming content creators) and the ones working in a job (for a gaming company maybe). You need to figure out which way (out of these two) would you want to go, and take your next steps accordingly. If you are a complete newbie, it is recommended that you gain some hands-on experience working for someone else first, and then go for your own venture/brand in the gaming market (if you wish so!).

Make learning your priority

The gaming industry is (and always will be) an ever-evolving one and hence you need to constantly learn, relearn and upgrade and/or upskill yourself to stay relevant here. However, learning and gaining in-depth knowledge becomes even more important before you start your career in any role whatsoever in the gaming industry. In today's Internet era, one has access to so many sources of learning: Youtube, Google, online courses on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, etc. and even through personal chats/interactions (with seasoned gamers or gaming industry professionals)! Additionally, nowadays even many colleges and academic instructions have started offering gaming-related courses, subjects or degrees. With the plethora of learning opportunities available, it is upto you to grab the best ones and ensure that you learn and implement only those topics and skills that shall prove to be relevant to yourself and your chosen career trajectory.

Connect and build your network

In the online gaming industry, it is nearly impossible to grow all on your own. So, it makes sense to have a collaborative, friendly and social approach and interact with and gain insights from like-minded people who are directly or indirectly related to your chosen gaming career path. Put on your "networking switch' right from the beginning, as you make entry to your gaming profession. Nowadays, it has become easier than ever to develop the right kind of network for yourself, by putting to good use social media such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or even Discord and other gaming communities. Or maybe, you can even attend some gaming conferences, events or meet-ups. Over the long term, networking can not only prepare you for the upcoming challenges/issues in your gaming career, but will also provide you a lot of "leverage' and help you stay abreast with latest opportunities, trends and developments in the industry/profession.

Dream big, start small

By now, you might have done your research and self-education bits, developed your skills already and can't wait to start your unconventional career in the gaming industry. But have you set your short-term and long-term goals, in terms of what you want to achieve from your gaming career? If not, it's time to do that. While writing down your career goals (preferably using pen and paper), do not be afraid of dreaming big, but at the same time, remember to keep your goals measurable, specific and time-bound. Once you are done, get to action immediately; start small and take one step at a time, but be ready and excited always to do whatever it takes to reach those goals.