What Game Animators do:

Game Animators are specialists in bringing visuals and game characters to life!

Think of your favourite game personalities and it’s 100% sure they played a key part in making them what they are. From Commander Shepard’s no-nonsense scowl in Mass Effect to Pikachu’s wagging tail in Pokemon, Game Animators add personality, charm, and uniqueness to the games we love.

Most are quite artistic with good knowledge on how to bring art and technology together. Within a game creation process, they are responsible for researching, designing, and creating high quality animations.

But it’s not a lonely job. Most people in this role work with the art department of a game publishing company to make sure the best result is achieved from an artistic, technological, and animation point of view.

What Game Animators are good at:

Being detail-oriented, creative, and having in-depth knowledge of animation technology and software.

Working in a team player and showing great people and communication skills.

Using animation software like Houdini, Adobe Animate, Maya, Autodesk 3DS Max, or Blender to a high technical level.

Drawing with different styles and techniques across different mediums, digitally and traditionally (like on paper or a canvas)

Applying different animation styles, from 3D to 2D vector animation

How to become a game animator:

You can study through A-levels or Highers or Level 3 vocational qualifications in relevant subjects like IT or Art. English is also helpful as the role requires the ability to write and communicate technical things with others.

Most Game Animators don’t need a degree for entry level jobs so you can try for work experience or an apprenticeship with a game studio or publisher.

But sometimes, a Bachelor’s degree in Art, Animation, or a similar subject may be preferred.

Whatever you choose, it’s essential to build a portfolio to showcase your skill.

“To become a good animator, develop a sense of appreciation for everything around you (nature, roads, people, buildings and monuments so on and so forth). Understand how colors work and what kind of impact and messages they deliver. There are many art styles and elements, know and understand them. Believe Aesthetics will always be your best friend and develop your own style. Then jump into technical/software side of things, learn how to use illustration/animation software.” - Harish Chengaiah, Founder/Game Director/ Producer at Outlier Games

How much you could earn:

The national average salary for a Game Animator is £32,000.

A starting salary can start around £20,000 while those working in s

enior or lead roles can earn around £60,000 a year or more. (Source: Glassdoor)