5 Top game development colleges abroad

Game development is an exciting career opportunity

A career in gaming sounds exciting, and it is just as profitable. It has grown into a thriving industry, with a predicted net worth of more than 180 billion dollars in 2021. With an estimated 2.2 billion people playing video games worldwide, this industry’s growth has increased the demand for professionals. The best game development colleges abroad offer culture, lifestyle, and a vibrant community, making them an ideal place to study.

What is video game development?

The process of bringing a video game to life is known as game development. This includes coding, software programming, sound effects, engineering, rendering, testing, and a variety of other procedures for completing the required video game.

A video game developer turns the game designer’s ideas and concepts into an actual game which then gets a public release. The primary requirement for a video game developer is exceptional coding and programming abilities.

To create a playable game, a game developer incorporates the designers’ concepts, sketches, drawings, layouts, and storylines into thousands of lines of code.

What is the difference between video game design and video game development?

Video game design and video game development are similar. The former is concerned with how the game will look and feel, whereas the latter is concerned with how the developer will develop the game. Game designers are the video game’s visualizers, whereas game developers make the vision a reality.

Proper integration of design and development is a must to create a good game. Development, at its core, entails computer science learning, whereas design entails exceptional artistic and visual abilities. It is up to you to choose which options are best for you.

Let’s look at the best game development colleges abroad to get you started on your game development adventure.

University of Southern California

USC is considered one of the best universities to study video game design. It offers four-degree programs in various areas of game design, two for undergraduates and two for graduate students.

When it comes to video game development, USC is one of the best game development and tech schools in the country. It also has an affiliation with the Viterbi School of Engineering Degrees and the School of Cinematic Arts Degrees.

Course details- M.F.A. in Interactive Media program

Duration- 3 years

Staffordshire University

There are many compelling reasons to select this university, including experienced professors, excellent education, and high graduate employability. They offer a game design course accredited by TIGA, one of the UK’s gaming authorities. The department’s curriculum incorporates both development and programming. This course will help you develop both of these skills. Training in a facility like this will give you the skills you need to start your job immediately.

Course details- BSc (Hons) Computer Games Design

Duration- 3 Years 

University of Utah

 The University of Utah houses the Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE) program. This highly regarded program combines humanities, social sciences, computer sciences, and game design courses. This means that EAE treats games as a science.

Some of their courses cover how to use games in a K-12 learning environment and how to use games in medical settings. You will also learn the societal implications of game interaction. All this is far from the entire scope of the EAE program. When it comes to teaching video game design, game design colleges offer a variety of levels and specialties.

Course details- Masters of Entertainment Arts and Engineering

Duration- 2 years

Manchester Metropolitan University

MMU is Manchester’s top university, with over 300,000 successful alumni worldwide. It is also the best university in Manchester for game design, ranking second in the world.

Their curriculum includes mobile gaming as well as traditional game design. MMU is the place to be if you want to develop the next Subway Surf or Ludo king.

You can also defer from the course after your third year and take up a placement year in one of the top game development companies. Stepping into the real job market with one year of experience as soon as you graduate is better than perfect.

The location of MMU is also apt, as it hosts upcoming creative industries with cheerful locals.

Course details-BSc (Hons) Games Design

Duration- 4 Years 

Falmouth University

Falmouth University lies on England’s south coast in the beautiful county of Cornwall and has an international reputation for the arts. Its campuses are only a short commute from the stunning scenery of the Cornish coastline, making it a highly desirable place to study.

The MA in Game Design is a full-time one-year course that allows students to take advantage of Falmouth University’s excellent facilities while working with leading academics.

Towards the end of the year, you will work on a major project, with assessments submitted as coursework.

Course details- MA Game Design

Duration- 1 Year 

Key takeaways

• A career as a game developer can be very exciting, and it is just as profitable. When you study at some of the best game development colleges abroad, you can experience their culture, lifestyle, and vibrant community, making them an ideal place to study.
• There is not much difference between video game design and development. The former deals with how the game will look and feel, and the latter deals with how the game will be developed. 
• Falmouth University, Staffordshire University, the University of Utah, and the University of Southern California are some of the world’s most high-ranking game development universities. 

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FAQs

Q1. Which college course is best for studying game development?

Ans- Courses like Computer Science, Video Game Programming and Development, Computer Animation, Interactive Media Design and Game Art, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Sound Production, and Graphic Design are ideal for making a successful career in game development.

Q2. Where can I study game programming?

Ans- Harvard, and MIT are great universities offering introductory courses in video game design, where you will learn the fundamentals that game programmers require to create new games. You’ll learn the fundamentals of the game engine and be able to create your first game.

Q3. Is there any future scope for game developers?

Ans- Every year, new game development trends emerge. As technology advances, game development studios have more opportunities to innovate. Hence, game developers have more opportunities to succeed in the field.