2009 Game Developer Salary Survey Reveals U.S. Game Industry Average Income
of $75,573

    
    Salary Average Declines More Than 4% from 2008 but 2009 Reveals that
Demand
    for Skilled Game Developer Professionals Remains




    
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<p><span class="xn-location">SAN FRANCISCO</span>, <span class="xn-chron">April 13</span> /CNW/ --Game Developer Research, the analysis arm of leading videogame industry publications Game Developer magazine and Gamasutra, has released the results of its ninth annual Game Developer Salary Survey, calculating an average American mainstream videogame industry salary in 2009 of <span class="xn-money">$75,573</span>, a decline of more than 4% from 2008's figure of <span class="xn-money">$79,000</span>.</p>
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<p>The Game Developer Salary Survey is the only major publicly-released analysis of salaries in the worldwide videogame industry, providing an exhaustive breakdown of salaries and benefits at major game studios by discipline, job function, experience level, region and gender.</p>
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<p>After a record game industry average salary in 2008, this past year saw the first case on record of a significant average salary decrease, as consumer confidence suffered in the midst of a recession and employers looked to cut costs wherever possible. Despite that, this year did not dip below 2007's figure, and 2009 still boasts the second-highest average salary ever.</p>
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<p>With the changing face of the game development community, which includes a growing independent segment and a proliferation of new business models, for the first time, this year's survey includes new special sections dedicated to accurately portraying today's game developers. "The Indie Report" consists of average reported income and development specializations of those who develop games alone, work with small independent teams, or work as individual contractors. More information on this part of the report will be released in the near future. In addition, "Developer Histories and Outlooks" provides a snapshot of how game developers see their industry's past, present, and future.</p>
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<p>Highlights of specific findings per category for the survey, which are available in further detail in the newly published <span class="xn-chron">April 2010</span> issue of Game Developer magazine, are as follows:</p>
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<p>Programming: Programmers are the highest paid talent in the mainstream game industry next to high-end businesspeople, with an average annual salary of <span class="xn-money">$80,320</span>. Experience pays in this particularly technical role, particularly when jobs are more rare -- programmers with more than six years of experience earned an incredible 36% more than the average annual salary in 2009.</p>
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<p>Art & Animation: Unlike those in most disciplines, artists saw a slight average salary increase this year to <span class="xn-money">$71,071</span>, up a modest 2% as more artists reported pay increases than those in any other creative field.</p>
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<p>Game Design: Like artists, game designers saw a modest salary bump on average, up 3% to <span class="xn-money">$69,266</span>. The design discipline also includes writers, who make an average of <span class="xn-money">$61,786</span>, a figure right in line with the average design salary of <span class="xn-money">$61,859</span>, once design leads and creative directors are not taken into account.</p>
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<p>Production: Of all the non-business game development disciplines, production - with a salary average overall of <span class="xn-money">$75,082</span> - is the most welcoming to women, with 18% of the workforce made up of females, down slightly from last year but still nearly twice the industry average. Producers also tend to be the most experienced game developers, with 49% having accrued six or more years in the industry -- higher than any other field.</p>
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<p>Quality Assurance: By contrast, testers tend to have the fewest years of experience, with nearly half having been in the industry less than three years. They are also the lowest-paid professionals, averaging $37,905--although for QA employees who do stick around for more than six years, that average salary more than doubles.</p>
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<p>Audio: Sound designers and composers, who earned an average of <span class="xn-money">$82,085</span>, are generally some of the most experienced professionals in the industry. But it seems audio may be opening up for new blood: this year, the number of audio developers with fewer than three years of experience rose to a high of 38%, and those with more than six years dropped significantly to 33%.</p>
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<p>Business & Marketing: The business field as a whole remains the highest compensated group in game development with an average salary of <span class="xn-money">$96,408</span>, even after a nearly 6% decline, and businesspeople are the most likely to receive additional compensation. Still, there is great variance within the field: marketing and PR employees average <span class="xn-money">$83,804</span>, while executives average <span class="xn-money">$129,167</span>.</p>
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<p>An extended version of the "Game Developer Salary Survey" includes much more detailed U.S. regional and growth data for year-over-year results from 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, plus international information from <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> and <span class="xn-location">Europe</span>. It will be of particular interest to business and HR professionals in the game industry, and is now available for purchase via the Game Developer Research division - more information is available at <a href="http://www.gamedevresearch.com">http://www.gamedevresearch.com</a></p>
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    About the UBM TechWeb Game Network
    
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<p>A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the  UBM TechWeb Game Network - formerly known as the Think Services Game Group - offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include the Game Developers Conference®, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com and network of sites, the Game Advertising Online ad network, the Game Developers Conference® Online, the Game Developers Conference(TM) <span class="xn-location">Europe</span>, the Game Developers Conference(TM) <span class="xn-location">China</span>, the Game Developers Conference(TM) <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>, Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Game Career Seminars and GameCareerGuide.com, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.</p>
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    About UBM TechWeb, a division of United Business Media
    
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<p>UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology.  Through its core businesses - media solutions, marketing services and professional information - UBM TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed brands, applications and services in the technology market. More than 14.5 million business and technology professionals (CIOs, IT and IT Support managers, Web & Digital professionals, Software and Game developers, Government decision makers, and Telecom providers) actively participate in UBM TechWeb's communities. UBM TechWeb brands includes: global face-to-face events such as Interop, Game Developers Conference (GDC), Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon; large-scale online networks such as InformationWeek,  Light Reading and Gamasutra; research, training, and certification services, including HDI, Pyramid Research, and InformationWeek Analytics; and market-leading magazines such as InformationWeek and Wall Street & Technology.  UBM TechWeb is part of UBM, a global provider of media and information services for professional B2B communities and markets.</p>
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    CONTACT:      Sibel Sunar / Brian Rubin
                  fortyseven communications
                  [phone] / [phone]
                  [email protected] / [email protected]
    
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                  Ben Veechai / Mellisa Andrade
                  UBM TechWeb Game Network
                  [phone] / [phone]
                   [email protected] /mandrade@think-
                   services.com










    

For further information: Sibel Sunar, [phone], [email protected], or Brian Rubin, [phone], [email protected], both of fortyseven communications, for UBM TechWeb Game Network; or Ben Veechai, [phone], [email protected], or Mellisa Andrade, [phone], [email protected], both of UBM TechWeb Game Network Web Site: http://gamedeveloperresearch.com/