Game Design CV examples

Game designers do more than just dream up ideas – they refine, prototype, and collaborate to make those ideas playable. Your CV should mirror that mindset: a carefully crafted document that communicates both your creativity and your reliability.

This guide will walk you through how to write your CV, what to include, and how to showcase your game design experience so studios and employers take notice – whether you’re a junior looking for your first break or a seasoned dev ready for your next project.

A clear structure helps present your ideas in a way that feels cohesive and considered – just like any good design document. Think of each section like a new level, with consistent formatting as your UI and bullet points as your tooltips. If your layout is cluttered, inconsistent, or hard to read, it will distract from your actual value – so aim for a layout that supports your content without stealing the spotlight.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Place your name and personal details prominently at the top of your CV for quick access. Adding a photo is up to you.
• Profile – Give a short paragraph summarising your design focus, experience, and career goals.
• Core skills – Bullet points highlighting your strongest tools, methods, and areas of expertise.
• Work experience – List your roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on game dev involvement.
• Education & certifications – Provide details on your academic background, including certifications or specialised training.
• Additional info – Optionally add personal game projects, game jams, portfolio links, and related hobbies.
  

Stick to a two-page length limit, use bullet points for clarity, divide each section with clear headings, and choose a font that keeps your CV looking clean and professional. Your CV format should feel more like a polished UI and less like a cluttered debug screen: recruiters don’t spend long reading your CV, so keep it readable and mistake-free if you want them to stick around.

Your CV profile isn’t just a warm-up – it’s your elevator pitch, and one of the first things a hiring manager will read. Instead of trying to list everything you’ve ever done, focus on showing what kind of designer you are and what excites you about the work you do.

It’s also where you highlight your niche. Whether you’re systems-focused, narrative-driven, or somewhere in between, this is your chance to communicate the themes and approaches that define your design style – without needing a 10-minute portfolio video.

Here’s what to include:

• Where you’ve worked – Mention studios, indie projects, freelance gigs, or internships.
• Your top qualifications – Note degrees or courses in game design, computer science, or interactive media.
• Essential skills – Highlight skills like level design, balancing, or user experience.
• Genres or platforms – Specify if you’ve focused on console, mobile, VR, or particular genres.
• Collaboration and production experience – Touch on tools or team environments (e.g. Agile, Unity, Unreal).

This section should offer a quick overview of your strengths – but it’s not the place to overwhelm with tools and buzzwords. Instead of turning this into a checklist, use it to reinforce the kind of designer you are and the value you bring to a team.

Your CV skills could include your approach to design, familiarity with collaborative workflows, or the kinds of problems you like to solve. Think of it as a snapshot of your perspective, not your entire loadout: keep it all relevant and tailored to the jobs you’re applying for.

Game studios want to see that you’ve contributed to actual projects – so your work experience section should focus on how you turned ideas into interactive experiences. Whether it’s shipped titles or student games, make your contributions clear and measurable.

List roles in reverse chronological order. For each, include your title, studio name, and dates. Use bullet points to describe your contributions – level layouts, system balancing, prototyping – and include achievements or metrics where possible.

• Outline – Describe the studio, scope of the project, and the nature of your role within the team. This helps the reader quickly understand the context of your work.
• Responsibilities – Focus on what you actively worked on, using action words like “prototyped,” “refined,” “collaborated on,” or “adjusted.” Mention how you contributed to gameplay systems, level flow, or narrative structures.
• Achievements – Show the results of your input – and as a bonus tip, sprinkle in some numbers where possible to make them seem more tangible.

Formal education is valuable, but in game design, your portfolio often says more than your diploma. Still, list your most relevant qualifications – especially game design or computer science degrees.

Also include courses in tools (Unity, Unreal, etc.), certifications (e.g. UX Design), or workshops from recognised providers. If you’ve completed any mentorship programmes, mention those too.