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The differences between game developers and lead software developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a game developer and a lead software developer. Additionally, a lead software developer has an average salary of $115,072, which is higher than the $91,009 average annual salary of a game developer.
The top three skills for a game developer include unity, game development and game engine. The most important skills for a lead software developer are java, architecture, and application development.
| Game Developer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,009 | $115,072 |
| Hourly rate | $43.75 | $55.32 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 173,596 | 309,029 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Game developers are professionals who are responsible for designing and producing video games for computers, mobile devices, or game consoles by taking the concept of video game designers and turning them into playable games. By using their background in software development and mathematics, game developers must work with teams to create visual content for a game and writing code to implement all the game's features and functionality. They are required to handle new game feature requests and make improvements to the game even after production. Game developers must also demonstrate their skills in artificial programming intelligence for non-player characters.
A lead software developer is responsible for creating and designing software applications and systems to support business functions and client requirements. Lead software developers analyze specifications to build efficient applications, conduct multiple quality testing, and enhance the user's interface. They also coordinate with the design engineers to modify and improve the features of existing software applications for optimal performance. A lead software developer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in considering the current technology trends to meet demands.
Game developers and lead software developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Game Developer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Average salary | $91,009 | $115,072 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $127,000 | Between $87,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a game developer and a lead software developer in terms of educational background:
| Game Developer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between game developers' and lead software developers' demographics:
| Game Developer | Lead Software Developer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |