Career Profile: Video Game Programmer

Playing video games is fun, but what's it like to create them for a living? Youthink talks to a video game programmer at Electronic Arts to find out!

If you’ve ever taken any sort of career exploration course, you might remember one piece of advice that your teachers stressed: keep work and play separate. But for James Banting, a hockey fan and lead programmer on the NHL series developed by EA Sports, it was the exact opposite that led him to success in the field of software engineering.


Developing an interest in programming during high school, James moved on to study computer science at the University of British Columbia. During his studies, he was able to get a co-op work term placement at EA Sports in Burnaby, which eventually led him to a permanent position with the company.


Youthink recently caught up with James to find out more about his exciting career in video game programing.

YT: What are your main responsibilities as an NHL game programmer?

JB: I design and implement various features for the game including broken sticks, body checking, defensive controls and fighting. Once I have a solid design, I write the game code to bring these features to life.



YT: How important was the co-op program in your career development?

JB: It was a huge factor in my career development. It gave me 16 months of paid work at several different tech companies before graduating. It allowed me to build my personal network and gave me valuable work experience. 


YT: How does being a hockey fan affect your work on the NHL series?

JB: Because I have experience playing hockey, it makes it easier for me to design and implement features for the game. I’ve also always been a video game fan of the EA hockey titles. This motivates me to work hard and make a high-quality game since it’s a game I play with my friends.



YT: I’m sure programming can be quite tedious. How do you stay motivated?

JB: The game gets better each year and there is always something new we add to the game. Each year, I face a whole new set of challenges that keeps my work fun and interesting. Being able to play hockey during work also keeps me motivated. I’ll step away from my desk to play ball hockey in the gym or some ice hockey at a local rink. We have hockey nets set up all around the office to shoot at. Every year the development team will have a ball hockey tournament. We even have the real Stanley Cup brought to the studio for everybody to take pictures with!



YT: In your opinion, what personal qualities are necessary to be a great programmer?

JB: Hard-working, motivated, quick learner, organized, good communication skills, effective teamwork skills, creative.


YT: What’s it like to see a video game you’ve created in stores?

JB: It’s a great, rewarding experience. It’s something tangible that shows all my work in school and at EA was worth it.



YT: What advice do you have for high-school 
students who are interested in entering 
your field?

JB: Definitely take computer programming if it is offered in high school. I suggest looking at several post-secondary schools and see what high-school courses are required to enter. I took grade 12 math and physics, which were some of the courses needed for computer science at UBC. It’s a good thing I took those courses; I used math and physics when I worked on the body checking feature on NHL. In addition to schooling, students can learn video game programming on their own. There are plenty of books and online material that teach people how to make simple games.



YT: Where do you foresee the future of video game programming?

JB: It will grow as technology grows. There will always be new game consoles, PC hardware, phones and handheld devices, all of which will have video games made for them – and the need for video game programmers.