Explore 10 Top Game Development Countries
Here are wonderful places to meet other drafters who work on similar projects as yours or who have similar interests in programming languages and frameworks!
USA
The United States is the largest market for games and gaming, with more players than any other country in the world. In addition to being home to most of the world’s biggest game companies, it also has more studios and producers than any other country. According to a survey by Game Developer Magazine, there are over 5,000 game drafters in the US alone — and that’s just scratching at the surface! The U.S. not only has tons of talented people making great content but also has some very supportive policies for developing them (more on those later).
Canada
Canada has a high standard of living and a great game development industry. It also offers a good work-life balance. If you’re looking for a place that’s safe, with a low cost of living and excellent quality of life, Canada is probably your best bet.
Denmark
The Danish game development industry is one of the largest in the world. Denmark has a large number of game producers and companies, studios, offices and hubs that are working on games.
There are many reasons why the Danish gaming ecosystem is so successful: from tax breaks to funding programs that can help you get off the ground; from a well-educated population to government support for innovation; from a strong local support network for startups to an excellent infrastructure with fast internet speeds (and free wifi).
Finland
Finland is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe, which makes it one of the best places for game drafters to set up their company.
- Finland has a high quality of life, excellent education system and high standard of living. The country is also the most stable economy in Europe with a GDP per capita of $42,000 USD in 2018. It’s no surprise that many global companies have established themselves in Finland such as Nokia and Microsoft.
- Finland is known for its innovation, with many global companies based there such as Rovio Entertainment (Angry Birds), Supercell (Clash Royale) and Remedy Entertainment (Alan Wake).
Germany
Germany is a country with a high standard of living. It has a large number of game development studios, game producers and the number is constantly growing. Germany also hosts a large number of events and conferences dedicated to video games and virtual reality technology.
The Game Developer Conference Europe (GDC Europe), which will take place in Cologne on June 4-6 this year, is one such event that brings together professionals from all over Europe to discuss new trends in the iGaming industry. The conference also provides an opportunity for specialists to network with each other as well as publishers and representatives from different tech companies.
Also worth mentioning are Gamescom, another important exhibition held annually in Cologne; Gamesconvention Showcase by German Game Developers Association (GAME); Casual Connect Europe; Gamescom Indie Arena Showcase; Independent Games Festival Germany (IGF), etcetera..
India
India is a great choice for game drafters looking to move abroad. The country has a large population and a rapidly growing middle class, so there are plenty of new customers to sell video games to. India also boasts an extensive English-speaking population, which makes communication with other English speakers easier than in other countries. Finally, it’s relatively inexpensive to live and work in India — especially compared with some other popular destinations for expatriate producers (like China).
In addition to its low cost of living, India also provides many opportunities for professional growth as well as personal development. Areas such as Kolkata have been designated “smart cities”, where residents can take advantage of improved technology such as Wi-Fi networks and smart parking meters that alert drivers when they’ve reached their time limit for parking in a particular spot.
Japan
Japan is the third largest game market in the world, and it’s also a great place to work as a game developer. Japan has created some of the most popular video games of all time, such as Pokemon, Final Fantasy and Resident Evil. The country has an established history of supporting video games on both console and mobile platforms.
Japan provides many benefits for foreign specialists who want to work in this industry:
- A vibrant gaming community with a strong consumer base
- A high standard of living and an excellent work-life balance (the average working weekday is 35 hours long)
- Tax incentives for companies that hire foreign nationals
Singapore
Singapore is a great place to start your game development career. The country’s game development community is one of the best in Asia, and it has a strong education system that produces talented people who are well prepared for the industry. Singapore also has a very attractive tax system—you can save up to 100% on taxes during your stay there. If you’re looking for a place where you can enjoy good weather, great food and health care benefits as well as other perks like discounts at restaurants or movie theaters then Singapore is perfect for you!
South Korea
South Korea is a great place to work as a game developer. The country has a lot of game development studios, jobs, gaming companies and conferences.
Switzerland
Switzerland is a small country with a population of 8 million people. It’s known as a hub for game makers due to its highly educated workforce and low tax rate. This makes it a great place to start a company, live, and work.
As you might expect from such an international nation, Switzerland has plenty of culture in all its forms: cuisine (Swiss chocolate!), music festivals (Montreux Jazz Festival), art museums (Basel Museum).
For the final
So if you want to be a game developer, there are many options where you can study and work. You may also want to consider going to an international conference or festival, where you can network with other professionals and make friends who can help you find opportunities in the industry.
Register to an international game developer conference to network with other professionals.
- Attend a game developer conference in your area. If you’re looking for opportunities to network with other professionals, there are many conferences that can help. For example, Game Developers Conference (GDC) is an annual game industry event attended by over 30,000 specialists, enthusiasts, and other professionals from around the world.
- You can find conferences in your area by Googling “game developer conference” or searching for “game developer conference” on Eventbrite.