Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Software engineering / 15-1255.01

Video Game Designers

Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines, and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. Guide and collaborate with production staff to produce games as designed.

US jobs
113,330 (SOC 15-1255 group, "Web and Digital Interface Designers")
Median wage
$104,000 a year
Job family
Software engineering

Can agents do the work of video game designers?

We read the evidence for the whole job family, Software engineering: Most tasks (no change in 12 months)

Agents complete 60% or more of the tasks (or projects) on two direct benchmarks from independent institutions.

Evidence: SWE-Bench Pro V2, 99.4% of tasks completed; Aider Polyglot leaderboard, 88% of tasks completed.

44% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark (figures for the SOC 15-1255 group).

  • 19%Communicate with others about specifications or project detailsMeasured
  • 16%Design computer or information systems or applicationsMeasured
  • 9%Create visual designs or displaysNot measured
  • 7%Test performance of computer or information systemsMeasured
  • 6%Document technical designs, procedures, or activitiesNot measured
  • 6%Process digital or online dataNot measured
  • 5%Develop technical specifications for products or operationsNot measured
  • 4%Maintain current knowledge in area of expertiseNot measured

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in software engineering, not always this occupation's tasks.

Direct evidence

Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.

Also relevant

These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.

Context only

These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.

Retired

Their maintainers or a major evaluator stopped using them as a frontier measure. They do not count.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product.
  • Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
  • Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for a new video game or game franchise.
  • Solicit, obtain, and integrate feedback from design and technical staff into original game design.
  • Conduct regular design reviews throughout the game development process.
  • Develop and maintain design level documentation, including mechanics, guidelines, and mission outlines.
  • Document all aspects of formal game design, using mock-up screenshots, sample menu layouts, gameplay flowcharts, and other graphical devices.
  • Provide feedback to designers and other colleagues regarding game design features.
  • Create and manage documentation, production schedules, prototyping goals, and communication plans in collaboration with production staff.
  • Provide feedback to production staff regarding technical game qualities or adherence to original design.
  • Create gameplay prototypes for presentation to creative and technical staff and management.
  • Guide design discussions between development teams.
Other job titles for this occupation (33)

Design Director · Designer · Environmental Artist · Game Design Consultant · Game Designer · Gamemaster · Level Designer · World Designer · Computer Game Designer · Computer Video Game Designer · Concept Artist · Content Creator · Environment Artist · Game Developer · Game Engineer · Game Master · Game Tester · Gameplay Engineer · Interactive Multimedia Designer · Mobile Game Engineer · Motion Designer · Narrative Designer · Prototype Developer · Technical Artist · Three Dimensional Artist (3D Artist) · Video Content Creator · Video Game Creator · Video Game Designer · Video Game Developer · Video Game Engineer · Video Game Maker · Video Game Tester · Videogame Designer