What to know before hiring Game Developers

The video game industry is booming, with games becoming more complex, immersive, and technically advanced. Whether you’re building a mobile game, a console title, or a multiplayer online experience, hiring the right Game Developer is essential for bringing your vision to life. Game Developers are responsible for everything from coding game mechanics to optimizing performance.

Here’s what you need to know to hire Game Developers for your team.

What does a Game Developer do?

A Game Developer designs, programs, and implements the technical aspects of video games, translating creative concepts into fully functional, interactive experiences. Their core responsibilities include:

• Game mechanics development: Game Developers code the core mechanics of the game, including player controls, physics, object interaction, and artificial intelligence (AI) for non-player characters (NPCs).
• Graphics and animation integration: They integrate 2D and 3D graphics, textures, and animations, ensuring that visual elements align with the game’s creative vision.
• Game engine expertise: Game Developers work within game engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine, or custom engines to bring the game to life, handling everything from environment design to character behavior.
• Multiplayer and networking features: If the game includes multiplayer capabilities, developers implement networking systems, matchmaking, and server-client communication.
• Performance optimization: Developers optimize the game for performance across different platforms (e.g., PC, console, mobile), ensuring smooth gameplay, fast load times, and minimal resource consumption.
• Bug fixing and testing: Game Developers rigorously test and debug the game to ensure it runs smoothly and is free of glitches or performance issues.
• Collaborating with artists and designers: Game Developers work closely with game designers, artists, and sound engineers to integrate visual and audio assets into the game while ensuring gameplay is fluid and immersive.

How to hire Game Developers: a quick guide

Define your requirements

Before hiring a Game Developer, clearly define your project’s scope and technical requirements. This will help you target suitable candidates with the relevant expertise. Key considerations include:

• Game genre: Are you developing a mobile puzzle game, an action-adventure console game, or a massive multiplayer online game (MMO)? Different genres may require specialized skills in terms of physics, AI, or networking.
• Target platform: Will the game be for mobile (iOS, Android), PC, console (PlayStation, Xbox), or virtual reality (VR) platforms? Each platform has unique technical requirements that developers should be familiar with.
• Game engine: Are you using a popular game engine like Unity or Unreal Engine or developing a custom engine? The developer should have experience working within the specific engine or framework.
• Multiplayer and online features: If your game has online multiplayer components, the developer should have expertise in networking, server architecture, and ensuring smooth multiplayer interactions.
• Graphics and performance: Do you need developers skilled in optimizing high-resolution graphics, rendering 3D environments, or ensuring high frame rates on low-end devices? Performance optimization skills are crucial, especially for mobile and cross-platform games.
• AI and NPC development: Does your game involve complex AI, such as enemy behaviors, NPC decision-making, or procedural generation? The developer should have experience building intelligent and engaging AI systems.
• Monetization and in-app purchases: If you plan to include microtransactions, in-app purchases, or ad integration, the developer should know how to implement these features effectively without disrupting gameplay.

Where to find Game Developers

There are several platforms where you can hire top-tier Game Developers. Job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, Jobshark, and Glassdoor are excellent starting points. Additionally, platforms like Toptal, Jobshark, Upwork, and Fiverr offer access to freelance Game Developers.

Engaging with Game Developer communities on forums like Reddit’s gamedev subreddit, Unity or Unreal Engine forums, and GitHub can help you connect with developers actively working in the industry. Participating in or sponsoring game jams (e.g., Global Game Jam) is a great way to network with developers and identify talented individuals who excel under creative and time pressure.

Attending events like GDC (Game Developers Conference), PAX, or E3 provides opportunities to network with Game Developers and find the right talent.

For quicker hiring, partnering with tech sourcing companies, like Jobshark, can help streamline the process.

Assess technical skills

When hiring a Game Developer, it’s important to assess their technical skills to ensure they can handle the complexity of modern game development. Some technical skills to evaluate include:

• Proficiency in game engines: Look for experience in game engines such as Unity (C#) or Unreal Engine (C++/Blueprints), depending on your project’s needs. Some developers may also have experience with custom engines for specialized projects.
• Programming languages: Game Developers should be skilled in languages such as C++, C#, Python, or JavaScript, depending on the engine and platform used. Knowledge of shader languages like GLSL or HLSL is useful for advanced graphics programming.
• Graphics and animation integration: The developer should have experience with 2D and 3D graphics, animation tools, and rendering pipelines, ensuring that visual elements run smoothly within the game engine.
• Physics and mathematics: For games that involve realistic movement or simulations (e.g., racing, sports, or strategy games), developers should be proficient in implementing physics engines and handling complex math, such as vector and matrix calculations.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): If your game involves NPCs or other AI-driven elements, the developer should have experience building AI systems for behaviors such as pathfinding, decision-making, and procedural generation.
• Networking and multiplayer: If your game features online multiplayer, the developer should understand client-server architecture, latency optimization, and how to handle matchmaking, leaderboards, and in-game chat systems.
• Performance optimization: Developers should have experience optimizing games for different platforms, ensuring smooth gameplay, fast loading times, and low power consumption (especially for mobile devices).
• Version control and collaboration: Game development often involves large teams, so familiarity with version control systems like Git, as well as project management tools like JIRA or Trello, is important for effective collaboration.

Assess these technical skills through coding tests, reviewing previous game projects, and conducting interviews focusing on game-specific challenges like rendering, AI, and networking.

Evaluate soft skills and cultural fit

Some soft skills to assess when hiring a Game Developer include:

• Communication: Game Developers often work with artists, designers, and sound engineers. Clear communication ensures that everyone on the team understands the technical and creative direction.
• Problem-solving ability: Game development can be unpredictable, with challenges related to performance, gameplay mechanics, or platform limitations. Strong problem-solving skills are essential for overcoming these hurdles.
• Collaboration: Game Developers often work in multidisciplinary teams, collaborating with animators, level designers, and UX specialists. Look for candidates who work well in cross-functional teams and thrive in creative environments.
• Adaptability: The game development landscape is constantly changing, with new tools, engines, and platforms emerging. A great Game Developer should be open to learning new technologies and adapting to changes in the game’s scope or mechanics.
• Creativity and passion for gaming: Game development is a creative endeavor, and developers who are passionate about games often bring fresh ideas and a deeper understanding of player experience. Look for candidates who have a genuine interest in gaming and game development.

Evaluating these soft skills through interviews, portfolio reviews, and practical scenarios will help ensure that the Game Developer integrates well with your team and contributes to the success of your project.

Benefits of hiring a skilled Game Developer

Hiring a skilled Game Developer offers several benefits for businesses looking to create games or interactive experiences:

• Expertise in game mechanics: Game Developers ensure that gameplay mechanics are smooth, intuitive, and enjoyable, creating a seamless experience for players.
• Cross-platform development: Experienced developers can build games that run on multiple platforms, including mobile, PC, consoles, and VR, maximizing your game’s reach and audience.
• Performance optimization: Game Developers are skilled at optimizing performance, ensuring that games run smoothly across devices and provide a high-quality experience for players.
• Integration of visuals and audio: Game Developers work with artists and sound engineers to ensure that visual and audio assets are integrated smoothly, creating an immersive experience for players.
• Scalability and multiplayer: For multiplayer games, developers can build scalable backend systems that handle matchmaking, servers, and network traffic efficiently.

A brief overview of game development tools and technologies

Game Developers rely on a variety of tools and technologies to bring games to life, from code editors to 3D modeling software. Some of the most used tools include:

• Unity: A versatile game engine used to build 2D, 3D, and VR games for mobile, console, and PC platforms. Developers use C# for scripting in Unity.
• Unreal Engine: A powerful game engine known for creating high-fidelity 3D graphics and immersive worlds. Developers use C++ and Unreal’s Blueprint visual scripting system.
• Blender and Maya: 3D modeling and animation tools used to create characters, environments, and assets for games.
• Photoshop and GIMP: 2D graphics tools used for creating textures, sprites, and UI elements.
• Git and GitHub: Version control tools that allow developers to collaborate and manage code repositories during game development.
• JIRA, Trello, and Asana: Project management tools that help teams collaborate, manage tasks, and track progress throughout the development cycle.
• Visual Studio and Rider: Integrated development environments (IDEs) commonly used for coding in C++, C#, and other languages during game development.
• Perforce: A version control system widely used in large game development teams to manage assets and source code in real time.