So you're a beginner and wanna break into the game industry? Pay first play later. Get yourself an internship.

A couple of years ago when the economy began to tank, many people wrote to me in a panic about finding new jobs. Many of them sought as an opportunity to break into the game industry which was completely new to them. Also, I literally get hundreds of emails from underqualified just graduated students who have great ideas and want to get into the game industry. I totally get it.

At that time there were a bunch of news articles that suggested that if you had enough money and you can find a job and internship would be the way to go. Many people turn their unpaid internships into jobs. Something to keep in mind, everybody has to start somewhere and you should be humble enough to think that an internship is actually paying you information and experience that you can get anywhere else.

Here's some links and ideas about game internships.  I did a quick Google search and this is what came up at the top.

Here's one from the amazing "Blizzard."

Sample Internship Job Description

PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A SAMPLE INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION, FOR REFERENCE ONLY. INTERNSHIP NEEDS CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR. FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION REGARDING INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, PLEASE REFER BACK TO OUR INTERNSHIPS PAGE HERE.

SAMPLE INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION – GAME DESIGN INTERN

Blizzard Entertainment is seeking creative, talented, imaginative, and eager interns to join our design team. Potential duties for this internship include designing and implementing game entities, creating levels, tuning, balancing game systems, review mechanics, or content creation. Candidates must be able to collaborate with other designers, develop their own thoughts, and implement and follow through on team and lead ideas.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a degree in a related field (game design/development, social sciences, history, political science, literature, history, etc.).
• Passion for games and game development.
• Demonstrated ability to create full games, game entities, and balance complex systems.
• Extensive knowledge of and experience with Blizzard Entertainment games and associated universes (StarCraft, Warcraft and Diablo).
• Extensive knowledge of electronic games, game genres, player types, and what makes games enjoyable.

“WHAT DO GAME DESIGN INTERNS DO ON A DAILY BASIS?”
Former Blizzard Entertainment game design interns answered this question commonly asked by students. On a day-to-day basis, game design interns could be doing any or all of the following:

• Analyzing existing designs and design concepts.
• Contributing to design discussions and decisions.
• Implementing design changes to existing game content.
• Updating and revamping existing content to bring it up to current expansion standards.
• Performing general clean-up of game data, and fixing design-related bugs.
• Scripting and designing new content - missions, quests, levels, monster and player abilities, etc.
• Working on system design tools.
• Assisting in balance and tuning of the game.
• Playtesting the existing game with the team.

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