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Have you been a passionate game player since your childhood? To quench your insatiable thirst for gaming, you must have played a countless number of games on your computer or on your PlayStation. But have you ever wondered, what it takes to be a successful game developer? Working with top gaming companies like Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Tencent Games or Sony Computer Entertainment is a dream come true for enthusiastic game lovers. In this blog, we will help you understand the concept of Game Development and provide you with a list of courses that students can master to become successful developers.
Why Study Masters in Game Development?
Game Development is an imaginative and technical art-form of creating games. It involves a series of steps starting from concept generation to building game design to testing and finally the release of the game. Developing your own virtual world where you are the master of your game characters is something that makes you feel satisfied. A career in Game Design and Development is booming with countless opportunities to explore. From the past decade, the gaming world is getting elaborated and realistic. It is quite surprising to see how a single sequence in a game requires a team of dozens of game developers. For graduates pursuing a master’s degree in Game Development from a distinguished university or institution can be their gateway to being part of their desired gaming company.
The courses offered in the gaming field can be related to Designing and Arts or they can be more inclined towards programming and technical aspects of gaming. Below is a list of major master’s degree courses in Game Development:
[optin-monster-shortcode id=”xf2mlnjiouddzrshykdb”]- M.Sc. in Gaming
- M.Sc. in Multimedia and Animation
- M.Sc. in Game Design and Development
- Master in Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality
Eligibility Criteria
In order to pursue a master’s in game development, students must meet the eligibility criteria specified by university. The eligibility criteria varies from university to university. However, the basic eligibility criteria remains the same. Mentioned below is the basic eligibility criteria for pursuing a Master in Game Development –
- Students must have cleared XII from a recognized board.
- Students must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any relevant subject.
- Students must clear the entrance exam of the university they are applying for.
Skills Required
To pursue a master’s in game development, in addition to meeting the eligibility criteria candidates must also possess a required skill set.
- Passion
- Awareness of gaming platforms
- Coding knowledge
- Organizational skills
- Creativity
- Imaginative Skills
- Problem Solving Skills
- Analytical Skills
- Knowledge of software programming
- Adaptability
Subjects Covered
The subjects under the course vary from university to university. However, there are certain subjects that remain generic. These topics are –
- Game Theory
- Game Concept Art
- Concept Design
- Basics of Art
- Games Texturing
- Environment Modelling
- Character Modelling
- Digital Sculpting
- Pre visualization of level design
- Animation concept
- Game Engine
Top University for Masters in Game Development – Abroad
Studying Game Development from a globally recognised institution would not just provide you with an academic qualification but also train your technical and creative skills which are efficient for working with top gaming companies. Below-mentioned are some of the renowned universities offering master level courses in Game Development.
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Utah
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- RMIT University
- Heriot- Watt University
- Tokyo Polytechnic University
- Abertay University
- Universal Arts School
University of Pennsylvania
Located in Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania offers a 1-year master’s degree in Computer Graphics and Game Technology which integrates Computer Science, Technology and Art, giving a robust atmosphere to game developers for learning. A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Technology will count for your eligibility for this course. If you do not have a bachelor’s degree then this 1-year course will further stretch to 2-years, providing you with the required experience for an extra year in order to complete your master’s at the university.
Also Read: BSc Computer Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
One of the premier institutes around the world, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a reputation for providing intensive technical courses in Engineering, Computer Science and related fields. MIT also has a ‘Game Lab’ which helps students who are interested in games to create and develop their own program of study. The university offers advanced graduate courses and research opportunities in games under Comparative Media Studies.
Heriot-Watt University
One of the leading universities in the United Kingdom with other campuses in Dubai and Malaysia, Heriot-Watt University offers a Master of Design (MDes) program in Games Design and Development. Students who are interested to explore their creativity, develop game ideas and launch their own games can definitely opt for this course.
University of Utah
With a master’s program in Game Studio, the University of Utah can be the destination for you if you are seeking a course solely for getting into the gaming industry. It is a public research university in Salt Lake City of Utah in the United States.
Universal Arts School
Offering an intensive course in Game Programming and Development with a two-year masters program in Video Game Programming, the Universal Arts School with its campuses in the US and Spain is the place you might be looking for.
Abertay University
For professional game developers and gaming enthusiasts, Abertay University of Scotland offers a 1-year graduate program in Professional Masters in Games Development.
RMIT University
With the world-class facilities in Game Design and Development, RMIT University in Australia offers both degree and certificate courses in Game Design, Animation and Interactive Media.
Tokyo Polytechnic University
Allowing you to choose from various elective subjects in gaming which includes Planning, Designing, Developing and Programming, Tokyo Polytechnic University is the ideal university if you are aspiring to study in Japan. In fact, Japan is known to be the hub of some of the top gaming companies which enable students to smoothly transition to design and programming roles in the Gaming industry.
Also Read: Game Designing Courses After 12th
Top University for Masters in Game Development – India
To pursue a master’s in game development, students can opt for the top colleges in India –
- ICAT Design and Media College, Bangalore
- School of Animation, Kolkata
- S.A.G.E, Delhi
- SRM Institute, Chennai
Career Scope with a Master’s Degree in Game Development
The market for Game Development is quite competitive and having a skill set required for the job you are applying for can prove to be beneficial. Depending upon your interest you can choose to work on the aesthetic part of the game like creativity, storyboarding and layout, or you can work on the technical aspect of development and programming of games such as coding and designing. Graduates in Game Development can wish to work with some of the top gaming companies with most of them located in Silicon Valley, California. The average salary for a game developer can range from INR 30 lakh to INR 90 lakh a year. Given below are some job profiles a candidate with masters in game development maybe interested in –
- Game Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Asset Artist
- Product Demo Artist
- Graphics Simulator
- Game Tester
FAQs
The tenure of the masters in game development course is usually of 2 years. However, it depends on the choice of university and the kind of program chosen.
The average salary for a game developer can range from INR 30 lakh to INR 90 lakh a year.
It is preferred that students have a bachelor’s degree in any subject related to this field.
Hence, Game Development is one of the most sought-after and exciting jobs in the world. The demand for new and innovative games is rising day-by-day. If you have a certain apprehension about the institution or country from where you should pursue your master’s in Game Development, the experts at Leverage Edu can help you in picking out the perfect university and country for you.
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