What kind of degree or certification do you need to become a Video Game Programmer?

Becoming a video game programmer is a process made easier by having a certification or a degree in computer science.

Video game programmers are responsible for building and compiling code for software programs. Programmers specifically focus on creating and building software that defines a gaming engine or software program that makes up a game title. The programming experts specialize in creating software that provides the gameplay interaction to gamers.

Gaming engines are the core of any video game. For video game programmers, the programmer needs to have knowledge of how to interact with the software language and programs required by the gaming console to function. Game developers use video game programmers in their industry to tailor a video game so that it will run on one or multiple consoles.

Video game programmers can translate an existing software's code so that it will be recognized and run smoothly on other devices or platforms. Some programmers translate the video game's language so that it can be read in another language. Other programmers add or tweak existing software to improve it or provide additional content. In all instances of interacting with the software, the programmer needs to have a good grasp of computer science.

Computer science is a discipline that requires analytical skills and critical thinking. Video game programmers might be hired to troubleshoot an existing program which means to watch the program run, identify why it stopped running correctly and then rewrite, patch or fix the code so that the software will run correctly. Video game programmers can spend quite a bit of time testing software programs or they can spend just as much time creating code to evolve new software for use on an existing game engine. Or a video game programmer might be building an entirely new game engine.

Technology certifications are very useful for video game programmers because the process of obtaining the certification introduces new concepts, ideas and languages. The codes computers use to deliver the end result of a program are a type of language. The video game programmer can interpret that language with the right training through education.

While there are many classes and scopes of information technology available to improve one's ability to function as a video game programmer, the best certification or degree remains one that specializes in computer science.