As the games industry is constantly evolving, there is often confusion over job titles and the respective roles and responsibilities of similar positions. Because of the similarities of certain jobs, some titles are used interchangeably, despite differences that do not readily permit the skills used in one position to transfer to the other. This is the case in respect to game developer and software engineer jobs, as there are some fundamental similarities with a fair amount of crossover but some crucial differences.

Similarities and Differences

Although a software engineer typically requires involvement in developing gaming software, game developers are rarely involved in engineering software applications. Despite some convergence, game developers focus on creating game programs using their creativity and artistic skills. While art is a science, as it uses lighting and scale to create depth and volume, engineers use complex mathematical models to create a project. The easiest way to understand this all-important difference is to use the analogy of building a house by looking at the software engineer as the architect and the game developer as the builder.

The software engineer outlines the project by specifying the design, coordinating the construction, and overseeing the plan. The game developer executes the software engineer’s plan and writes the code that brings the project to life. Game developers try to solve problems using their creativity and methods they learned through hands-on experience. Game developers can be seen as the creative force steering software development as they collaborate with clients to develop a functional design. Software engineers, however, rely on systematic protocols to create software.

Software Engineer

Engineers are often involved in every developmental aspect and must be able to support the entire developmental life cycle for a given project by providing technical guidance across multiple teams. The position often requires taking on the responsibility for the entire engineering process and emphasizes skills in science rather than creativity. Software engineers apply mathematical engineering principles throughout the entire engineering process, from the software’s initial construct to testing, evaluation and maintenance. A bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline, such as computer science, is the typical education required for a software engineer. However, some engineers have less formal training and got started by attending an engineering boot camp. Software engineers have various areas of expertise and are trained to methodically tackle problems and use the scientific method to interpret, analyze and find comprehensive solutions for any and all of the parts of the project. Following is a list of the skills that must be taken into account when looking for software engineer jobs:

• Ability to debug software and networks.
• Able to stay on track to reach strategic objectives.
• Be able to develop and maintain IT databases and structures.
• Competence in advanced mathematics.
• Comprehensive knowledge of computer science.
• Experienced working with multi-core CPUs as well as cloud infrastructure.
• Have leadership qualities and management abilities.
• Interact with the developmental team members to create and improve test plans.
• Knowledge in constructing pipelines.
• Possess strong analytical skills.
• Proficiency in conducting automated testing.
• Strong evaluation and problem-solving skills.
• Understanding pattern design.
• Willingness and ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Working knowledge of multiple programming and domain-specific languages.

The combination of these skills allows software engineers to effectively communicate and collaborate with all the teams involved in the game’s developmental life cycle.

Game Developer

Game developers work closely with other team members that include graphic artists, team managers and customer service personnel. Developers optimize the game software by testing, debugging and redesigning the software where needed throughout the development process. Their job is to analyze concepts and document features to ensure the game software is performing as well as possible and as expected. Due to the ever-evolving nature of creating a new game, developers must be able to constructively give and receive both positive and negative criticism from and to team members and interpret user feedback throughout the development of the project. Game developers are quite frequently responsible for a specific feature of a game as opposed to the entire project. This results in many game developers becoming specialists in a specific area of game development. Following is a list of the basic skill requirements for software engineers:

• Able to give, take and analyze feedback.
• Be detail oriented and possess both creative- and critical-thinking skills.
• Conduct software tests to ensure the consistency and quality of the program.
• Execute prototyping as defined by the project’s requirements.
• Experienced in all phases of front-end application development using various programs and tools.
• Familiarity with test-driven and agile development practices.
• Have the ability to create easily maintainable code.
• Make continual enhancements to the user interface architecture.
• Possess the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with all team members.
• Provide the coding needed for game development.
• Research, develop and implement creative new front-end technologies, tools and systems.
• Understand and be able to troubleshoot cross-browser compatibility issues.
• Work effectively with front-end engineers and product managers.

Summary

The main difference between a software engineer and a game developer is the engineer is charged with developing a functional program architecture and the game developer’s focus is on the game’s mechanics and performance. The engineer is more concerned with the data and systems that control the overall performance of the software and the developer is more involved in creating the artistic aspects and enhancing the game’s flow. While the engineer does work in collaboration with other team members, the developer is much more involved in coordinating the workflow with other departments such as art, animation and design. Another way of looking at the difference between the two is to think of the engineer as a programmer and the developer as a designer.

When considering what role you are better suited for, consider what skills you have and what type of work you are better suited for and would enjoy more when looking for game developer and software engineer jobs. Job seekers should also consider the advantages of working with video game recruiting companies. DAM Agents is a video game recruiting company working with over 50 video game studios nationwide. Their mission is to maintain a database of high-quality job candidates to fill positions for the studios they work with. DAM specializes in hard-to-fill roles, including those of software engineers and game developers, as well as performing UE4 recruiting. DAM strongly encourages all job seekers to submit a resume and they offer career coaching and interview prep. The studio pays their fees, so there is never a charge to the job candidate.