10.3. Producers & Business¶

The people most directly responsible for keeping the production process on track are the producers. Producers manage the administrative details of the studio’s products and departments. Responsibilities include calling meetings, maintaining schedules, and keeping development costs within budget. Producers also help to ensure that a game is released on schedule, and they serve as liaisons between developers and executives.

What does that mean? Here the Extra Credits guys try to explain:

While producers are generally focused on the business of creating the game, someone also needs to focus on the business of marketing and selling the game as well as managing the overall company. Game companies have business and marketing employees who, while hopefully knowledgeable about gaming, are fairly far removed from the actual creation of the games.

Education

While there is no specific pathway to getting a job in production or in the business side of games, a college degree is almost a necessity. A solid grounding in business fundamentals (especially for marketing/business people), an ability to work effectively with people, and a passion for the industry are the main requirements.