business development manager gaming

Business Development Jobs in the Video Game Industry: The Ultimate Quick Guide

Introduction

Business development in the gaming industry involves the strategic planning and execution of initiatives aimed at increasing a company's market presence, revenue, and profitability. This may include identifying and pursuing new markets, forging partnerships with other industry players, negotiating licensing deals, and acquiring or merging with other companies. As the gaming industry continues to expand and diversify, the demand for talented business development professionals is on the rise, making it an attractive career choice for those with a passion for both gaming and commerce.

Roles and Responsibilities of Business Development Professionals in the Gaming Industry

Business development professionals in the gaming industry can specialize in various aspects of growth and revenue generation, with roles typically falling into one or more of the following categories:

Business Development Manager: Business development managers are responsible for identifying and pursuing new market opportunities, forming strategic partnerships, and driving revenue growth for their organization. They analyze market trends and competitor activities, develop and execute growth strategies, and manage relationships with partners and clients.

Licensing and Partnership Manager: Licensing and partnership managers focus on securing licensing deals and forging partnerships with other companies, such as game developers, publishers, technology providers, or merchandising partners. They negotiate agreements, manage relationships, and ensure that partnerships align with their organization's strategic objectives.

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Specialist: M&A specialists in the gaming industry identify and evaluate potential acquisition targets, conduct due diligence, and negotiate terms for mergers, acquisitions, or other strategic transactions. They work closely with legal, finance, and operational teams to ensure successful integration and value creation.

Market Research Analyst: Market research analysts gather and analyze data on market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive landscapes to inform business development strategies and decisions. They identify growth opportunities, evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and provide insights into customer behavior and preferences.

Sales Manager: Sales managers in the gaming industry oversee the sales process for games, hardware, or services, ensuring that revenue targets are met or exceeded. They develop sales strategies, manage sales teams, and maintain relationships with key accounts and clients.

Essential Skills for Business Development Professionals in the Gaming Industry

To excel as a business development professional in the gaming industry, you must possess a unique blend of analytical, interpersonal, and strategic thinking skills, including:

Strategic Thinking and Planning: Strong strategic thinking and planning skills are essential for identifying growth opportunities, developing effective strategies, and achieving business objectives in the competitive gaming industry.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Effective communication and interpersonal skills are crucial for building relationships with partners, clients, and internal teams, as well as for presenting and negotiating deals.

Analytical Skills: Business development professionals must possess strong analytical skills to evaluate market trends, assess growth opportunities, and make data-driven decisions.

Industry Knowledge and Passion: A deep understanding of and passion for the gaming industry, including knowledge of various game genres, platforms, and trends, is essential for crafting effective business development strategies and connecting with industry players.

Adaptability and Problem Solving: Business development professionals must be adaptable and able to think on their feet, as they often face changing market conditions and evolving industry landscapes that require creative solutions and strategic adjustments.

Negotiation Skills: Effective negotiation skills are crucial for securing favorable deals and partnerships that align with an organization's strategic objectives and create mutual value.

How to Secure a Business Development Job in the Gaming Industry

To secure a position as a business development professional in the gaming industry, follow these steps:

Education: Pursue a degree in business administration, marketing, finance, or a related field to gain a strong foundation in business principles and practices. Some institutions also offer specialized programs in gaming industry management or business development, which can provide valuable industry-specific knowledge and skills.

Develop a Portfolio: Create a portfolio showcasing your business development work, including strategic plans, market analyses, and partnership agreements. Include examples of gaming industry projects, if possible, to demonstrate your understanding of and passion for the industry.

Gain Experience: Seek internships, freelance projects, or entry-level positions in business development, marketing, or the gaming industry to gain hands-on experience and build your resume. Volunteering at gaming events or participating in industry conferences can also provide valuable networking opportunities and help you develop your skills in a practical setting.

Networking: Attend industry events, conferences, and meetups to connect with professionals in the gaming and business development fields. Networking can help you discover job opportunities, gain insights into industry trends, and develop relationships with potential employers or collaborators.

Tailor Your Application: When applying for business development jobs in the gaming industry, customize your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant skills, experience, and passion for gaming. Emphasize your proficiency in strategic thinking, communication, industry knowledge, and adaptability, as well as any industry-specific experience you possess.

Stay Current: Keep up to date with the latest developments in business development, gaming industry trends, and best practices by following industry news , attending workshops, and participating in online forums and communities. Staying current in your field will help you maintain a competitive edge in the job market and showcase your commitment to the industry.

A career as a business development professional in the video game industry offers a unique and rewarding opportunity to combine your passion for gaming and business acumen. By developing a diverse skill set, building a strong portfolio, and networking with industry professionals, you can secure a fulfilling role in this dynamic and vital field. As the gaming industry continues to expand and evolve, skilled business development professionals will play a crucial role in driving growth, forging strategic partnerships, and shaping the future of the gaming landscape.

Ready to play your part? Click here to see a full list of open business development vacancies!

JavaScript is not available.

We’ve detected that JavaScript is disabled in this browser. Please enable JavaScript or switch to a supported browser to continue using Hitmarker.

Business Development Manager

The gaming industry is shaped by rapid trends and emerging technology. Business Development Managers help sustainability and profitability by identifying areas for growth and new revenue streams for the game company.

Business Development Managers establish valuable relationships by researching and securing new customers, clients and partners through networking, social media and various online platforms.

Communication, relationship management and product knowledge are key to succeed in this career path.

• Being Organised
• Telling Stories
• Social Media

Is this information correct? Submit a correction

YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY

A lot of people working as a Business Development Manager have a degree in Games or Business. Above all, you should be someone who enjoys being strategic and is self-motivated, outgoing and determined. 

As a professional, you will be helping the company grow by identifying and mapping business strengths and needs. You will research leads and nurture relationships with potential clients, sponsors and partners. You’ll have experience with Customer relationship management (CRM) software, such as Salesforce and HubSpot. 

Working in the games industry is highly competitive and you’ll need to make sure your CV stands out to employers and course leaders.

As a Business Development Manager, you must demonstrate a deep knowledge of the game industry and who the key players are. Your experience should prove your ability to plan and execute valuable partnerships. Some Business Development Managers work their way into this career from a sales or marketing role. For more general ideas on developing your CV, see our top tips page .

Whatever role you are working in, it is essential that you understand the game making process. You can head to our build a game section for first steps; join a regular game jam to build up your skills & network; or start modding others games to gain experience. 

Education pathways

Where are you in your games journey?

13 and under

Try and build your first game  here

• GCSE or Level 2 options: Art and Design, Business Studies, Creative Digital Media, Graphics & Illustration, Computer Science 
• Start building a game portfolio with your first game  here
• Find free beginner art and animation tools  here
• A-Level or Level 3 options: BTEC Diploma/Extended Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, BTEC Diploma in Digital Games, Design and Development, Business Studies, English
• Start building a game portfolio  here
• Find intermediate or advanced animation and art tools  here
• See links to training or mentorships  here
• Level 4/5 or Degree options: Game Design, Business & Management

...no two days are really the same!

More info on this role

• What does Business Development mean in Games Watch video
• You Should Work in Video Games | Episode 3: Head of Global Business Development and Partnerships Watch video
• The Guide to Becoming a Business Development Manager Read article

Executive Games Producer

An Executive Game Producer is a senior role, managing all games in production.

Games in the City Festival hits Staffordshire University on 11-15th December!

Into Games Partners with Staffordshire University London

Sharkmob are joining as Into Games Industry Partners

How to Send your Game Jam Performance through the Roof with Anything World

Ubisoft UK are joining as Into Games Industry Partners

Sumo Group Wrapped

Free Tickets to UK Games Events for care-leavers and low-income backgrounds

Join us for a monthly mash-up of news, opportunities and bite-size learning for anyone that wants a career in the UK games industry.

Don’t fill this out:

Role of a Business Development Manager in gaming industry - Interview with Bijay Gurung

Bijay Gurung is the Business Development Director Europe at Sandsoft. Back 15 years ago, when Bijay started his career in the games industry, he was one of the first hires at Rovio, where he helped launching 20+ games. Bijay also worked in Real Networks and Huawei. Today we asked Bijay some key questions about getting into the games sector as well as the specifics of the business development role.

In the simplest terms, business development role covers all the ideas, initiatives, and activities that help make a business profitable, successful and prosperous: growing revenues and business expansion by exploring, identifying and entering strategic partnerships, as well as making strategic business decisions. “In the current state of the ever-changing mobile game industry, – says Bijay, – Business Development role is crucial. It allows to find synergies between companies, across platforms and across geos.” 

A business development role looks one of the most comprehensive ones and definitely requires a lot of skills. According to Bijay, “hard skills would be to identify the key industry trends, understanding the key metrics and being able to articulate to potential partners with clear data. Soft skills would be negotiation skills, relationship management, teamwork, problem solving skills, etc. It requires one to wear multiple hats.” 

“The most exciting things about the Business Development role is being able to talk to many developer friends from the industry and try to find synergies together. As this is an ever-evolving industry, it exciting to live and work in this industry.” – shared his experience Bijay.

Has the role of business development changed recently due to pandemic and market changes? How do you think the role of business development will change in the upcoming years? – we asked Bijay. “Major industry changes happened during or just before pandemic: (1) the mobile game players grew tremendously globally and (2) Apple made privacy policy changed the advertising for mobile games. We are seeing a huge level of investment and M&A activities in the gaming industry which makes the role of BD even more important.”

What would be your advise to young people / students pursuing a career in gaming and in business development in particular? “Gaming is here to stay as we reach more demography of players. It will still go through major changes which makes it an exciting industry to be in in the years to come. With the emergence of Web3 gaming, we are again heading for another exciting roller coaster in gaming.”

Related blog post

Importance of Localization and Culturalization in Gaming

Our very own Localisation Manager Abdulrahman has a vast experience in localisation and culturalization of games. He started his career in gaming industry early, as a result of his passion for cartoon movies and the animation industry

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Your games career as a: Business Development Manager

Game Development

Videogames are made in a myriad of different ways, by a myriad of different people with different skills. From experimental artistic games to billion-dollar corporations, it takes a huge range of different skills and different people to make games as we know them! 

However, the public image of what a game developer does has remained stagnant. In our new weekly column, we wanted to shed some light on what working in games looks like outside of programming and lead design roles. 

This week, we spoke to Gwen Foster of Robot Teddy about the role of a business developer in game development.

READ: Your games career as a: QA Analyst

Gwen’s games career has touched many different parts of the industry. She began her career as a producer working in independent games studios, going on to organise the Philippines – Manila chapter of the International Game Development Association (IGDA). She currently works full time as a Senior Business Development Manager and Senior Producer at Robot Teddy, a consulting firm that provides business and management support to games companies across the world. Through Robot Teddy, Gwen personally works with companies like Innersloth, developers of Among Us , Yogscast Games, and SUPERHOT’s publishing arm, SUPERHOT PRESENTS.

For her, business development is all about building strong relationships, and balancing seeing the big picture with the small, important details.

My work responsibilities include anything from release management, closing deals, pitching to platforms, maintaining relationships with platforms, filing for Age Ratings, figuring out who to hire! Gwen Foster, Senior Business Development Manager & Senior Producer, Robot Teddy

Screenhub: In your own words: What does a business developer working in game development do? What does a normal day at Robot Teddy look like for you?

Gwen Foster: There’s no normal day at Robot Teddy. As Business Developer you’re making sure that you’re supporting the business in the best way possible. I’m both a Senior Producer and a Senior Business Development Manager at Robot Teddy, so the lines blur. My work responsibilities include anything from release management, closing deals, pitching to platforms, maintaining relationships with platforms, filing for Age Ratings, figuring out who to hire!

READ: Serene narrative game ‘Lake’ banned from sale in Australia

If you were hiring a business developer, what qualities would you be looking for?

Attitude first and foremost, kindness, strategic thinking, ability to compromise, and the ability to see the forest and the trees at the same time.

What does a career path look like for someone interested in business development? What kind of jobs did you do before this?

The thing with Business Development is the only way to do it is for someone to take a risk with you, train you, and you’re more than happy to figure it out. A lot of business development in games heavily relies on the relationship you build with people, and that’s very important.

If you love people and figuring out a win-win situation for everyone, then you might enjoy working in business development. Gwen Foster

Was working in business development always your goal, or has your career trajectory changed over time?

Not really, my career has always been what work comes my way! 🙂 The reason I’m here is that I’m willing to learn, and I don’t say no to opportunities! That’s especially important if you’re someone from marginalized regions of the world.

Moving forward, I hope that these business deals and opportunities are made available to the larger games industry, and that people stop treating people like me as a minority. The reality is a lot of games get shipped and made because of the labor and “passion” of so many underpaid and marginalized folks!

READ: Your games career as a: Studio Manager

When you first started in business development, what surprised you about the role?

The subtle racism and a lot of times blatant sexism, which exists anywhere in society. It’s just that because Business Development is people-facing, you expose yourself more to these circumstances.

Just recently, I was told that I might not understand football (I play football with friends, FYI) because I’m a woman. On a business call! You laugh it out, call in and not participate in the cancel culture the internet has nurtured, to give people the opportunity to grow and change.

Complete this sentence: If you [love people and figuring out a win-win situation for everyone], then you might enjoy working in business development.

What about the opposite: If you [hate contract and deal terms] then business development might not be for you.

Finally: What do you like best about your job? 

The ability to take naps and manage my own time!

Share this:

Jini Maxwell

Jini Maxwell is a writer and curator who lives in Naarm. They are an assistant curator at ACMI, where they also host the Women & Non-binary gamers club. They write about videogames and the people who make them. You can find them on Twitter @astroblob

Related News

10 Key Games Industry Jobs, and Advice from Experts Who Work Them

Thinking about a job in the games industry? Read some expert advice from people working in specific roles.

How to apply for a job in games (and what not to do)

Applying for a job in the games industry is a daunting prospect for aspiring developers. Here is a stack of…

Mind Games: crafting better conversations around mental health, gaming and tech

Immersive artist Darren Vukasinovic wants to see more nuanced conversations around mental health and video games.

Rochelle Siemienowicz

The best board games for parties

The best party board games are easy to learn, simple to set up, and great fun for everyone.

Leah J. Williams

Apply for the WordPlay 2023 Games Writing Mentorship Program

GamesHub and Melbourne International Games Week are pleased to announce the return of the WordPlay Games Writing Mentorship Program

Want more content?

Get free newsletters full of the latest in video game news, reviews and more delivered to your inbox!