game developer job skills

Game development is an industry that’s both exciting and constantly evolving. With this comes the ever-changing job requirements for those who aspire to join the field. As we move along the 2020s, it’s important to understand what skills you need to make it as a game developer. 

After conducting in-depth research on nearly 1,000 job descriptions across various websites (including Linkedin, Monster, Dice, and Indeed), we have pinpointed the most crucial skills required from a game developer job. From programming languages and soft skills to qualifications and industry tools, here’s what we found.

Skills you need for a game developer job

1. The most popular games target platforms 

Each game studio specializes in certain target platforms, our research reveals which target platform dominates the market today, and what the distribution between other target platforms looks like.

most popular games target platforms for game developer jobs

While it’s a large proportion, we weren’t too surprised to learn that mobile game development (iOS/Android) skills were mentioned in 50% of the game developer job descriptions we researched. With the mobile app market having grown exponentially, the demand for game developers who know how to build games for iOS and Android is at an all-time high.

Augmented and virtual reality development (mentioned in 19% of game developer job descriptions) focuses more on interactive, immersive experiences. Understanding virtual spacing, spatial computing, and 3D modeling helps game developers build immersive AR/VR experiences. In today’s climate, adaptability across platforms can set you apart from other applicants.

Other frequently mentioned platforms include PC/Mac (11%) and Console game development (PlayStation/Xbox/Nintendo) (7%).

While some game developer jobs only require experience in one platform, cross-platform development skills are becoming increasingly valuable in 2025. Many companies strive to offer seamless gameplay experiences across PC, Mac, mobile, and consoles.

2. The most popular game engines for game developer jobs

Based on previous studies, we expected Unity to be the dominant game engine in the game developer job descriptions we explored. However, our findings were surprising.

the most popular game engines

Unity and Unreal Engine are practically tied in how frequently they were mentioned (44.75% and 43.36%, respectively). This highlights how important it is for game developers to master both engines to build immersive, interactive experiences for their players. Other game engines, like Cocos2D, Godot, and Defold, didn’t appear as much in game developer job descriptions, suggesting their niche industry use.

3. The most popular programming languages

Knowing how to use various programming languages and game engines has always been essential for any game developer’s CV. The most prevalent examples we found in the game developer job descriptions can be seen in the following doughnut chart.

The most popular programming languages for game developer jobs

Unlike our findings on Unity and Unreal Engine, there seems to be a wider distribution of programming languages in game development. C++ and C# (20% and 16%, respectively) are the most frequent languages mentioned. They’re important for any entry-level game developer to master for their versatility and industry relevance.

Other popular programming languages include JavaScript (11%), Java (11%), Python (9%), and HTLM5 (7%). The remaining 26% consists of various other programming languages like Typescript, Lua, and ABAP – further emphasizing the wide scope of languages sought by recruiters.

4. The most popular game development techniques

While understanding graphics and programming is key to becoming a game developer, there are other essential techniques that we picked up on in our research. 

the most popular game development techniques

The top three game development techniques (game testing, debugging, and optimizing) were mentioned a combined 400 times in our findings. And we came to realize that they are closely connected. Here’s how:

  • In game testing (100 mentions), developers will identify performance problems in code, UX, and gameplay, while also pinpointing bugs.
  • Debugging (140 mentions) is the next logical technique, in which developers will fix the aforementioned issues.
  • Developers proceed to optimize (160 mentions) the game’s performance, boosting its quality and speed.

Other frequently mentioned techniques include animation (50 mentions), prototyping (60 mentions), and leveraging AI (50 mentions).

5. The most popular soft skills for game developer jobs

You can’t underestimate soft skills in game development. While much of this work requires independence and focus, game developers also need to be effective team players and collaborators. 

the most popular soft skills for game developer jobs

Team-Based Skills

Game development requires interdisciplinary collaboration skills (26.7% mentioned). This means working with artists, programmers, designers, audio engineers, and other key stakeholders. Effective communication skills (22.8% mentioned) include giving, receiving, and integrating feedback.

Analytical Skills

In 2025, Game developers need to have an analytical mindset (16.8% mentioned) to positively impact their game’s performance – both in terms of user satisfaction and commercial success. Leveraging game data helps to inform better decision-making, ultimately improving player retention. 

Agile Methodology

Agile methodology (6.9%) is the ability to break down projects into stages and focus on continuous collaboration and improvement. Typical agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban can help game developers quickly adapt to changes and navigate the development process incrementally.

6. The most popular education/qualifications

It should come as no surprise that most game developer positions require some kind of higher education. Some of the typical qualifications include the following:

the most popular education/qualifications

Having expected Computer Science to be at the top of the list, we were surprised to find that other qualifications like Game Design and Game Development we more common in job descriptions. But it makes sense. While Computer Science certainly provides a strong technical foundation in programming, Game Design and Game Development are more specific.

Game developer job skills – In conclusion 

Our research shows that in 2025, the demands for game developers have evolved. Sure, technical skills like proficiency in programming languages and game engines are as essential as ever. But these days, recruiters increasingly value soft skills like team collaboration and communication. 

Companies are also looking for candidates who can develop games for various platforms. If you can back up these qualities with a relevant qualification, then your chances of landing a game developer job in 2025 will skyrocket.

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