If you look at what a game designer does, it’s obvious that he needs knowledge from different spheres: programming, design, marketing, people management, psychology. And of course you need to have a good knowledge of games – you won’t be able to become a game designer without it. Here is a sample list of what a specialist should be able to do:

1. Understand the target audience of a game.
2. Understand the psychology of gameplay.
3. Be able to communicate his thoughts to other team members. That’s why it’s important for a game designer to learn how to communicate.
4. Know the classification (types) of games by content and mechanics.
5. Understand the business models of games and the basics of game marketing. A game designer is a creator, but with a commercial bias.
6. Have an excellent grasp of the “inner workings” of games:

• Understanding the basics of game production and being able to work with documentation.
• An idea of the main platforms for which games are created and what tools may be needed to do this. Which engine to choose, which programming language to use.
• Know the principles of creating game interfaces.
• What gameplay and game mechanics are.
• Narrative design and storytelling in games.

Be able to work with game analytics, manage the game after release.