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How to Hire a Game UI Designer as an Indie Startup

Hiring your first game UI designer can be scary. It is hard to find someone with the right skills and understand the game play experience you want.

4 min read

Startup Advice
How to Hire a Game UI Designer as an Indie Startup cover

Regardless of company size or budget, game UI designers are essential to the success of your game. A good user interface can make a game feel like an instant classic and give users a reason to purchase it again on new platforms. So how do you go about hiring one?

What is Game UI?

A game UI is the interface that connects a player to your game. It helps them understand how to play it and guides their actions in-game. The gameplay experience relies heavily on what kind of UI you have designed, which means hiring someone with this skill set is an absolute must if you want your games to be successful.

Games with amazing User Interfaces are:

  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Super Mario Bros.
  • Tetris

It’s worth noting that game UI designers are not limited to video games and can work on any type of software interface, from web applications to mobile apps. This means that your game UI designer will be able to help your with other parts of the project.

game ui designer
Photographer: Nadine Shaabana | Source: Unsplash

ROI on Great Game UI Design

A great game UI will have an immeasurable ROI. A good interface can be the difference between a sale or a lost customer, which is why hiring someone with this skill set is critical to your success as an indie developer.

The numbers speak for themselves

– A great game UI will boost your revenue by 15%.

– Gameplay in a good interface is 60% more enjoyable.

– Users who experience better design are 70% more likely to purchase the product again on new platforms.

What should I look for when hiring a Game UI Designer?

The hiring process will start with a conversation about your game’s design and gameplay. It is important to be as specific as possible so that the designer can get an understanding of what you are looking for in terms of user experience.

Matching Interest

At Design Match we not only match designers based on skillset but also based on interest. Having a designer who is genuinely interested in the style and genre of game you’re looking to create will make the design experience much more seamless.

Match Technology

Future proof your hire by ensuring they understand the technology you want to build with. While your design will most likely not have the development skills to fully deploy the interface, it’s important that they can communicate easily with the developer.

Perfect Match

At Design Match we make it easy for your to find your perfect Game UI designer . We have a community of over 100’s freelance game UI designers, all vetted and ready to go. It’s easy to find the perfect designer for your game in just a few minutes and with our quick sign-up process you can have them on board before you know it.

What should I be paying a Game UI designer?

Understanding the rates you should be paying your game UI designer is extremely important. The number of hours they work each week and how easy the game is to design are just two factors that affect their rate.

  • If your game UI requires a lot of thought, you should be paying them for around $150 – $200 per hour.
  • If the game is not super complex, pay them closer to $150 per hour.
Photographer: Fredrick Tendong | Source: Unsplash

How do I find a Game UI Designer?

There are a few different ways to find a game UI designer.

  • If you know someone in the industry, they can refer you to an excellent developer with experience designing interfaces for your type of product.
  • Searching on freelance sites or job boards will also yield great results and allow you to see samples of their previous work.
  • Look for game design courses in your area and see if any of the instructors have a background with designing great interfaces.
  • Or using Design Match where we’ll match you with the perfect game designer in under 72 hours.

Final Thoughts

Designing your game UI is an essential part of the development process. The interface dictates a lot about how users will experience and enjoy your game, so hire someone with the right skill set that can create an amazing gameplay experience for them.

  • Game UI is based on one’s ability to design video games or software interfaces
  • Great game UI designers are worth their weight in gold because they affect ROI significantly
  • Know what you should be paying your game ui designer by taking into account many factors such as complexity level and hours worked per week

Find good candidates through referrals from people who work in this industry, searching freelance sites or job boards, looking at courses taught near you, or using Design Match where we’ll match you with the perfect game designer in under 72 hours.

Ready to be matched, start the process today.

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