How to get started in videogames

The Swedish videogame industry is rapidly growing. Despite slowing down somewhat in 2022 after a surge during the pandemic, experts believe it will rebound soon as the economy continues to recover.

This economic slowdown has forced some Swedish videogame studios to limit new hires. Still, there is a labor shortage in the industry, according to a recent report from Dataspelsbranchen (Swedish Game Industry), an industry organization.

And, said Marléne Tamlin, head of sustainability and EU-affairs at Dataspelsbranchen, there are plenty of ways to get started for those thinking about beginning a career in videogames.

• Education

«Higher vocational education or university can be the first step,» she explained. There are plenty of schools around the country that offer courses and entire programs dedicated to videogame production, including classes in 2D and 3D animation, programming, interaction design and videogame project development. There are also folk high schools that offer shorter and more hands-on classes; these can be great if you want to work with videogames, but aren’t sure in what way.

• Start your own studio

«Many people also open their own studios with their friends, some even while they’re still in school,» Tamlin said. If that feels daunting, there’s a growing number of organizations and incubators who provide support for new and emerging studios looking to become full-fledged businesses.

• Go to an industry event near you

Across Sweden, organizations and universities host events, meet-and-greets and career days with people in the industry. It’s a great way to get a taste of what options exist and get a foot in the door, said Tamlin.

The industry is facing several challenges when it comes to acquiring new talent. Here, she highlights digital creativity as something that should be nurtured early on and across society.

«Creativity is a commodity,» Tamlin said. «All children should know you can create things digitally. This foundation needed to foster creative competency in a society is something we really want to champion.»