What skills should a game developer have?

It depends on the role. Gameplay programmers need engine experience and a feel for mechanics; engine and graphics programmers need strong C++ or similar systems skills, mathematics, and performance optimisation; network programmers need multiplayer expertise. All benefit from collaboration with designers and artists and from shipping finished projects.

Should I hire for Unity, Unreal, or Godot experience?

Hire for the engine your project uses, but recognise that strong developers can transfer between engines with time. Engine-specific experience speeds onboarding, especially for engine internals or specialised tooling. For gameplay roles, demonstrated ability to build polished mechanics often matters more than which engine was used.

How do I test a game developer?

Review a playable portfolio and discuss decisions, then set a short role-relevant task, such as implementing a mechanic, profiling and optimising a scene, or designing a networked feature. Include a conversation with designers or artists to assess collaboration. Avoid generic puzzles unrelated to game development.

How to Hire Game Developers

Hire game developers by first defining the specific role, such as gameplay, engine, tools, graphics, network, or technical art, and the engine and platforms involved. Source through game communities, jams, portfolios, and specialist boards. Assess with a playable portfolio review and a small role-relevant task, and check teamwork and iteration habits, since games are built by multidisciplinary teams.

Define the role

Gameplay programmer: implements mechanics, player controls, AI behaviours, and interactions with designers.
Engine programmer: works on core systems such as rendering, physics, memory, and performance.
Tools programmer: builds editors and pipelines that make the rest of the team productive.
Graphics programmer: shaders, rendering techniques, and visual performance.
Network programmer: multiplayer systems, synchronisation, and servers.
Technical artist: bridges art and engineering, with shaders, rigs, and asset pipelines.

Also specify the engine, programming languages, platforms, and genre.

Where to find candidates

Game developer communities and forums, game jams, portfolio sites, and specialist game industry job boards reach developers who may not use general boards. Studios that have recently downsized can be a source of experienced talent. Universities and programmes focused on game development produce juniors with team project experience.

What to look for

Shipped titles, even small ones, show a candidate can finish projects. Playable portfolios let you judge feel and polish directly. Code samples show structure and clarity. For gameplay roles, look for responsiveness to design feedback; for engine and graphics roles, depth in performance and mathematics; for network roles, experience with latency, prediction, and security in multiplayer systems.

How to assess

Review the portfolio together and ask about decisions and challenges. Set a short task relevant to the role, such as implementing a small mechanic in your engine, optimising a slow scene, or designing a simple networked interaction. Keep it time-bounded and consider paying for longer tasks. Include a conversation with a designer or artist to see how the candidate collaborates.

Culture and working conditions

The games industry has a reputation for long hours near release deadlines. Candidates increasingly ask about crunch, team stability, and project funding. Being clear and honest about working conditions, release plans, and how the team manages scope improves acceptance rates and retention.

Remote and outsourced development

Many studios work with remote developers and external partners for porting, multiplayer infrastructure, or tools. Define ownership, communication rhythms, and how builds are shared. For long-term core work, invest in team members who will carry knowledge of the codebase across projects.

Writing the job description

A useful game developer job description names the specialism, engine and version, languages, target platforms, genre, team size, and the stage of the project. Describe what the person will build in the first months, such as a combat system, a level streaming tool, or a multiplayer lobby. List must-have skills separately from nice-to-have ones, since long wish lists deter strong candidates who do not tick every box. Include the pay range, location or remote policy, and expectations around release periods.

Junior, mid-level, and senior hires

Junior game developers often come from game development programmes, game jams, and personal projects. Look for finished small games, willingness to learn the codebase, and responsiveness to feedback. Mid-level developers should have shipped at least one title or major feature and be able to own systems independently. Senior and lead developers should show architecture decisions across projects, mentoring, and the ability to estimate and negotiate scope with production and design.

Common hiring mistakes

Studios often hire for general programming strength and ignore the specialism, use algorithm puzzles that say little about game work, or set unpaid take-home projects that consume a week. Others rely only on portfolio visuals without checking which parts the candidate actually built. Ask candidates to explain their own contributions to team projects, and confirm through references where possible.

Onboarding a new game developer

Game codebases and pipelines are often large and idiosyncratic. Give new hires a working build environment on day one, a walkthrough of the engine setup, asset pipeline, and branching strategy, and a small first task that reaches the shipped game quickly. Pair them with a developer who knows the systems they will own. Regular check-ins during the first months catch mismatches early, whether in skills, expectations, or team fit, and help new developers feel part of the project rather than a pair of hands.

Retaining game developers

Retention in games depends on more than pay. Developers value credit on shipped titles, stable funding between projects, realistic schedules, and opportunities to move between systems or specialisms. Studios that run post-release retrospectives, give time to pay down technical debt, and share plans for the next project early tend to keep experienced people longer, which preserves knowledge of the engine and tools.

Frequently asked questions

What skills should a game developer have?: It depends on the role. Gameplay programmers need engine experience and a feel for mechanics; engine and graphics programmers need strong C++ or similar systems skills, mathematics, and performance optimisation; network programmers need multiplayer expertise. All benefit from collaboration with designers and artists and from shipping finished projects.
Should I hire for Unity, Unreal, or Godot experience?: Hire for the engine your project uses, but recognise that strong developers can transfer between engines with time. Engine-specific experience speeds onboarding, especially for engine internals or specialised tooling. For gameplay roles, demonstrated ability to build polished mechanics often matters more than which engine was used.
How do I test a game developer?: Review a playable portfolio and discuss decisions, then set a short role-relevant task, such as implementing a mechanic, profiling and optimising a scene, or designing a networked feature. Include a conversation with designers or artists to assess collaboration. Avoid generic puzzles unrelated to game development.