Digital Trends

In the latest episode of Digital Trends' Players Only, Scott Steinberg finds out whether developing video games is really a dream job, and how amateurs can get their feet in the door.

Delivering on its promise of peeling back the lid on the world of gaming, Digital Trends’ Players Only video series launched its third episode on Friday, delving into the world of game development. In it, Scott Steinberg reveals what really goes into making the polished titles in the months and years before they hit store shelves.

“The truth is, it’s a lot of work” says Chris Moon, CEO of High Moon. “We’re working with tuning, polishing, working with a lot of people that don’t necessarily want to work together in the same group.” Other game developers also offer their take on the business, and what a typical day is like.

So do game developers really get to play games? According to “Fourzerotwo,” the communications manager at Infinity Ward: sometimes. The company sometimes has reference days where employees watch movies and play other games to get a feel for what other forms of entertainment are doing. Ascaron Entertainment even requires programmers to spend an hour every day playing the same games they program.

Steinberg also covers how developers decide what games to make, and even how to get started in the industry. The video is available for free online as part of the ongoing series, which will debut new episodes every Friday through June 6.