The best game design schools, ranked by the Princeton Review 2024

Games Designer. Unquestionably a dream job. You get to flex your creative muscles, work at the cutting edge of technology and craft the kind of compelling experiences that thrill players on a daily basis.

But it’s also an incredibly broad field, taking in everything from coding to storytelling, systems design to audience management, and a huge number of other specialities.

As an aspiring game designer you’ll have an array of disciplines to choose from and master, as you begin your journey towards that first shipped title. 

The Princeton Review is your guide to the huge range of game design courses on offer throughout North America and Europe’s finest further education institutions, whether you’re a recent high school graduate or looking for a career change.

Here you’ll find a rundown of graduate and postgraduate programs, with information on staff and facilities, as well as key statistics on employment rates and salaries, plus details on notable graduates.

We also take a look at some of the problems, dilemmas and issues facing modern game designers, and how some of the biggest and most successful titles out there have tackled them. 

We don’t have all the answers (that’s what the colleges are for), but our goal is to help you make a successful first choice as you embark on your game design journey.

For more information on game design programs visit princetonreview.com/game-design.

UNDERGRADUATE RANKINGS

1. New York University (#1 Northeast)  

2023 Grads Hired: 20
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $76,400
Faculty: Eric Zimmerman (founder, GameLab), Dr. Clara Fernandez-Vara (Fiction Control, author of Game Analysis)
Graduates: Carol Mertz (PixelPop Festival, Insatiable Cycle), Robert Meyer (God of War: Ragnarok)
https://gamecenter.nyu.edu/

(Image credit: New York University)

2. University of Southern California (#1 West)

2023 Grads Hired: 85
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $75,000
Faculty: TreaAndrea Russworm (Author of Gaming Representation: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Video Games), Marianne Krawcyzk (Writer, God of War I, II & III)
Graduates: Laird Malamed (COO of Oculus VR), Jenova Chen (Creator of Journey)
https://games.usc.edu/facilities

(Image credit: University of Southern California)

3. Clark University (#2 Northeast)

2023 Grads Hired: 65
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $65,600
Faculty: Ezra Cove (3D art for Lord of the Rings Online), Terrasa Ulm (VR/AR/XR, interactive fine art, virtual avatars, interactive theater)
Graduates: Stanley Pierre-Louis (CEO/President of the Entertainment Software Association), Gary Goldberg (President/Founder FableVision Studios)
https://www.clarku.edu/schools/becker-school-of-design-and-technology/

(Image credit: Clark University)

4. University of Utah (#2 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 62
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $82,305
Faculty: Michael Young (PhD, Division of Games Chairman), Joe Barnes (Sr. Technical Director Disney and Epic Games)
Graduates: Doug Bowser (COO of Nintendo of America), Nolan Bushnell (Founder of Atari)
https://games.utah.edu/

(Image credit: University of Utah)

5. University of Central Florida (#1 South)

2023 Grads Hired: 52
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $57,409
Faculty: Dr. Maria Harrington (Associate Professor, Aesthetic Computing)
Graduates: Richard Ugarte (Senior Producer, Epic Games), Ana Beltran (Disney Live Entertainment)
https://communication.ucf.edu/games-and-interactive-media/

6. Rochester Institute of Technology (#3 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 86
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $73,500
Faculty: David I. Schwartz (Director and Lecturer, Game Design and Development)
Graduates: Elan Lee (Founder and creator of Exploding Kittens), Misko Hevery (Google)
https://www.rit.edu/computing/school-interactive-games-and-media

7. DigiPen Institute of Technology (#3 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 54
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $81,337
Faculty: Claude Comair (co-founded Nintendo Software Technology, 19 US patents in game design)
Graduates: Kim Swift (Xbox Game Studios), Matt Rosen (Audio Programmer, Baldur’s Gate 3)
https://www.digipen.edu/academics/game-design-and-development-degrees

8. Drexel University (#1 Mid-Atlantic) 

2023 Grads Hired: 67
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $63,000
Faculty: Tony Rowe (Senior Game Designer, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, The Force Unleashed), Dan Rose (Shadow of the Colossus, Lord of the Rings Online), Dr. Youngmoo Kim (PhD from MIT, Founder of Drexel’s ExCITe Center)
Graduates: Girish Balakrishnan (Director, Virtual Production at Netflix), Glen Winters (Rockstar Games, Red Dead Redemption 2)
https://drexel.edu/westphal/academics/undergraduate/GDAP/

9. Michigan State University (#1 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 80
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $58,000
Faculty: Ricardo Guimaraes (Blizzard Entertainment, Ubisof, Eidos, Critical Studios, Wizards of the Coast), Cory Heald (Underbite Games, Disney, Zynga)
Graduates: Scott Brodie (Heart Shaped Games, Microsoft Game Studios), Geoff Johns (Mad Ghost Productions, DC Entertainment)
https://gamedev.msu.edu/

10. Northeastern University (#4 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 84
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $80,000
Faculty: Celia Pearce (IndieCade), Casper Harteveld (Serious games, StudyCrafter, DARPA Award Winner)
Graduates: Zhuo Chen (Ubisoft, AMD), Rachel Ellis (Blizzard Entertainment)
https://games.northeastern.edu/

11. Abertay University (#1 International) 

2023 Grads Hired: 75
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $45,000
Faculty: Professor Ruth Falconer (Professor of Complex Systems and Mathematics), Andrew MacDonald LEGO, King, Mindshapes)
Graduates: David Jones (DMA Design, Creator of Grand Theft Auto and Lemmings), David Hynd (Rockstar Games)
https://www.abertay.ac.uk/course-search/undergraduate/game-design-and-production/

12. Champlain College (#5 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 48
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $64,114
Faculty: Edmar Mendizabal (NVIDIA, Ubisoft Company), Nathan Walpole (Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 4, Elder Scrolls)
Graduates: John Nagle (JPMorgan Chase & Co), Brenton Woodrow (Bungie)
https://gamestudio.champlain.edu/

13. Vancouver Film School (#2 International)

2023 Grads Hired: 15
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $65,000
Faculty: Rasmus Dahl Tindborg (Klei Entertainment), Derek Tam (Microsoft and Electronic Arts)
Graduates: Armando Troisi (MY.GAMES, Ubisoft), Elliot Hudson (Game Director, Blackbird Interactive)
https://vfs.edu/programs/game-design

14. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (#6 Northeast)

2023 Grads Hired: 65
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $82,000
Faculty: Ed Gutierrez (Disney/Pixar), Gillian Smith (Indiecade award-winner, HEVGA fellow)
Graduates: Michael Gesner (Riot Games), Beth Beinke (Respawn Entertainment, Zynga)
https://www.wpi.edu/academics/departments/interactive-media-game-development/prospective-students

15. Savannah College of Art and Design (#2 South) 

2023 Grads Hired: 44
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $62,500
Faculty: Cyril Guichard (Electrotank, Meta Quest Game Shock Troops), Aram Cookson (Epic Games)
Graduates: Harrison Pink (Diablo IV, Blizzard Entertainment), Zach Parrish (Netflix, Academy Award Winning, Walt Disney)
https://www.scad.edu/academics/programs/interactive-design-and-game-development

16. Laguna College of Art and Design (#4 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 70
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $66,000
Faculty: Javier Perez (Sony PlayStation), Donald Ott (Amazon Games, 3dmotive Founder)
Graduates: Gabriel Gonzalez (Blizzard Entertainment), Alexander Gonzalez (Ubisoft)
https://www.lcad.edu/courses/game-art-program/

17. Falmouth University (#3 International) 

2023 Grads Hired: 57
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $42,627
Faculty: Professor Tanya Krzywinska (Game studies, digital economy), Terry Greer (Microprose, Blitz Games)
Graduates: Rex Crowie (Media Molecule, Foam Sword, Return to Monkey Island), Andrei Pantilie (Ubisoft)
https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/games-academy

18. Bradley University (#2 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 54
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $46,000
Faculty: Lynette Fernandes (DoubleDown Interactive), David Abzug (Deep Silver/Volition)
Graduates: Austin Holt (Amazon Games), Emily Berger (Blizzard Entertainment)
www.bradley.edu/im

19. The University of Texas at Dallas (#1 Southwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 20
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $98,950
Faculty: Bryon Caldwell (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Star Wars: Visions, Rocket League, League of Legends), Nelson Lim (Fortnite, Warcraft Pacific Rim, Transformers: Age of Extinction)
Graduates: Veena Sommareddy (Neuro Rehab VR), Steven Billingslea (900lbs of Creative)
https://www.atec-animgames.com/

20. Full Sail University (#3 South) 

2023 Grads Hired: 25
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $60,476
Faculty: Jason Hinders (Gorilla Systems Corporation), Rodney Moye (Activision)
Graduates: Alejandro Garcia-Tunon (Ghostpunch Games), Kerry Allen (id Software)
https://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/game-development-bachelor

21. Quinnipiac University (#7 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 18
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $65,000
Faculty: Elena Bertozzi (Ardea Arts), Peter Zoppi (Treyarch, AAA game development)
Graduates: Zaria Brogdon (Rockstar Games), Diego Holguin (MIT Lincoln Laboratory)
https://games.qu.edu/student-work.asp

22. Shawnee State University (#3 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 6
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $70,000
Faculty: Greg Lyons (3D Art, Technical Art, Motion Capture), Dr. James Hudson (Computer Graphics, Software Engineering)
Graduates: Dan Clark (Epic Games), Sam Bushman (Wizards of the Coast)
https://www.shawnee.edu/game-design-programs

23. LaSalle College Vancouver (#4 International)

2023 Grads Hired: 41
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $52,000
Faculty: Ivaldo de Sosa (Doctor of Philosophy – PhD Mathematics, Certificate in Machine Learning and Neural Networks), John Appleby (Master’s in Game Design)
Graduates: Greg Findlay (Eidos-Montreal: Rise of the Tomb Raider, Thief), Dustin Stevenson (FIFA, LBC Studios)
https://www.lasallecollegevancouver.com/game-design

24. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (#8 Northeast)

2023 Grads Hired: 37
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $80,539
Faculty: Maurice Suckling (BAFTA-award winner), Victoria Ransom ( Wildfire Interactive, Google)
Graduates: Karthik Bala (Activision, Velan Studios), Ben Esposito (Donut County, Glitch City)
https://hass.rpi.edu/gsas/games-and-simulation-arts-and-sciences

25. New England Institute of Technology (#9 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 64
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $50,000
Faculty: Jim McClure (38 Studios, Idol Minds, Sony Online Games), Prof. Scott Lambert (Seeds for Change)
Graduates: Daniel Laba (Diablo 2 Resurrected, Vicarious Visions), Morganne Crosby (AppNeta, FireForge, WB Turbine)
https://www.neit.edu/academics/video-game-development-design

26. University of Silicon Valley (#5 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 20
Faculty: Evan Skolnick (Game Writer), Jason Loia (COO/Game Designer)
Graduates: Raymond Crook (Double Fine Games), Rosie Wrede (Sledgehammer, Twin Sun Games)
https://usv.edu/programs/game-design-development/

27. Howest University of Applied Sciences (#5 International) 

2023 Grads Hired: 80
Faculty: Alexander Delagrange (Airbornstudio, Guerrilla Games), Tristan Clarysse (Larian Studios, Bioware, Argonaut)
Graduates: Alena Dubrovina (Larian Studios), Leslie Van den Broeck (Gravity Well)
https://www.digitalartsandentertainment.be/

28. Miami University (#4 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 27
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $48,500
Faculty: Geoffrey Long, PhD (MIT, USC, Microsoft, Disney, Amazon, HBO), Ben Nicholson (Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Adidas, League of Legends)
Graduates: Sue Hoang (GIANTY), Michael Frazzini (Amazon Games)
https://www.miamioh.edu/cca/academics/departments/etbd/index.html

29. University of Wisconsin-Stout (#5 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 20
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $46,000
Faculty: Dave Beck, MFA (Paverson Games), Dr. Seth Berrier (computer graphics, photogrammetry, web interfaces)
Graduates: Margaret Rigotti (Dreamworks Animation), Jose Estrada (Riot Games)
https://www.uwstout.edu/animation-and-game-design-development-studio-lab

30. Purdue University (#6 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 76
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $63,979
Faculty: Robert Howard (Game Design), Tim McGraw (Game Programming)
Graduates: Dioselin Gonzalez (VR/AR/Metaverse, Microsoft), Tyler Kupferer (Disney)
https://polytechnic.purdue.edu/degrees/game-development-and-design

31. Abilene Christian University (#2 Southwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 5
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $68,000
Faculty: Karen St. John, PhD (game engine scripting, 2D Game Dev), Arisoa Randrianasolo (Computer Science, AI, Game Programming)
Graduates: Camila Rodrigues-Valesquez (Raven Software), Michelle Brothers (Sony Bend)
https://acu.edu/academics/undergraduate/bachelor-of-science-in-digital-entertainment-technology/

32. Marist College (#10 Northeast)

2023 Grads Hired: 60
2023 Grads Mean Salary: Not reported
Faculty: Dr. Karen Schrier (WHO, Nickelodeon), Dr. Ron Coleman (IBM)
Graduates: Darren Sugg (Fortnite), Grace Sin (Nickelodeon)
https://www.marist.edu/games-emerging-media

33. Academy of Art University (#6 West) 

Faculty: Patrick Kenney (3D Modeling), David Goodwine (Producer)
Graduates: Audrey White (Game Taco), Tala Furniss (Playtika)
https://www.academyart.edu/art-degree/game-development/

34. DePaul University (#7 Midwest) 

Faculty: Allen Turner (Disney Interactive Studios/Wideload Games, Council of Fools), Anna Anthropy (Dys4ia, Queers in Love at the End…, author of Rise of the Videogame Zinesters)
Graduates: Monica Fan (Pipeworks Studios), Mark Nauta (Firaxis Games)
https://www.cdm.depaul.edu/landing/gaming/index.html

35. University of Florida (#4 South)

2023 Grads Hired: 33
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $65,000
Faculty: Dr. Amelia Winger-Bearskin (AI and the Arts), Dr. Hyo Jeong Kang (Digital Arts & Sciences, UI/UX)
Graduates: Riley Knutson (Insomniac Games), Kendall Robertson (Microsoft)
https://digital-worlds-institute.itch.io/

36. Dakota State University (#8 Midwest)

2023 Grads Hired: 36
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $42,480
Faculty: Konrad Lightner (3D Art and Design), Erik Pederson (Business Development, Game Design, Product Management)
Graduates: Matt Engesser (Rockstar), Jimmy Chattin (Aristocrat Games)
https://dsu.edu/programs/computer-game-design-bs.html

37. ArtCenter College of Design (#7 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 100
2023 Grads Mean Salary: Not reported
Faculty: Ross Berger (Writing), Tim FitzRandolph (Game Design)
Graduates: Zack Snyder (Blockbuster Filmmaker), Michael Bay (Blockbuster Movie Director and Producer)
http://www.artcenter.edu/admissions/beyond-game-design.html

38. University of Michigan-Dearborn (#9 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 30
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $80,000
Faculty: Prof. Bruce Maxim (Sweetspot Games), Prof. Jennifer Proctor (Film Studies)
Graduates: Camile Lagman (Unity), Shane Costello (Counterplay Games)
http://gamelab.cis.umd.umich.edu/

39. New York Film Academy (#8 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 50
Faculty: Andrew Allen (Showrunner, AAA Game Writer, Feature Film Writer), John Zuur Platten (AAA game designer/writer, TV showrunner, screenwriter)
Graduates: Guillermo Quesada (Amazon Studios), Obinna Eze Ajoku (Microsoft)
https://www.nyfa.edu/game-design-school

40. Ringling College of Art and Design (#5 South)

2023 Grads Hired: 57
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $79,000
Faculty: Morgan Woolverton (Game Development), Cesar Rodriguez (Game Development)
Graduates: Bret Iwan (Lead Voice – Mickey Mouse), Jeff Fowler (Film Director, Film and Visual Effects)
https://www.ringling.edu/game-art/

41. Cleveland Institute of Art (#10 Midwest)

42. Ferris State University (#11 Midwest)

43. Stetson University (#6 South) 

44. Kent State University (#12 Midwest) 

45. Cornell University (#11 Northeast)

46. Indiana University Bloomington (#13 Midwest) 

47. University of Miami (#7 South) 

48. High Point University (#8 South) 

49. University of the Incarnate Word (#3 Southwest)

50. Arizona State University (#4 Southwest) 

GRADUATE RANKINGS

1. University of Central Florida (#1 South) 

2023 Grads Hired: 85
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $80,539
Faculty: Nick Zuccarello (Sony), Jonathan Annand (Disney)
Graduates: Carlos Barbosa (WB Games), Brian DeSanti (Blizzard)
https://fiea.ucf.edu/industry/alumni-games/

(Image credit: University of Central Florida)

2. New York University (#1 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 51
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $73,003
Faculty: Dr. Mitu Khandaker (Glow Up Games), Shawn Pierre (Philly Game Mechanics, Independent Games Festival)
Graduates: Atlas Chen (thatgamecompany, Echostone), Noelle Mazurek (Diablo IV)
https://gamecenter.nyu.edu/

(Image credit: New York University)

3. University of Southern California (#1 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 90
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $85,000
Faculty: Mark Bolas (Fakespace Labs, Microsoft), Danny Bilson (The Rocketeer, The Flash, Da 5 Bloods, The Sims, Homefront)
Graduates: Laird Malamed (Oculus VR), Brandon Beck (Riot Games)
https://catalogue.usc.edu/content.php

(Image credit: University of Southern California)

4. University of Utah (#2 West)

2023 Grads Hired: 88
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $96,785
Faculty: Joe Barnes (Disney, Epic Games), Michael Young, PhD (AI for Games)
Graduates: Doug Bowser (Nintendo America), Nolan Bushnell (Founder of Atari)
https://games.utah.edu/current-students/meae/

(Image credit: University of Utah)

5. Southern Methodist University (#1 Southwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 68
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $76,500
Faculty: Elizabeth Stringer, PhD (Atari, Activision, Xatrix), Myque Ouellette, MSCS (Origin Systems, Retro Studios, Atari)
Graduates: Chris Schmidt (Infinity Ward), Grace Liu (Netflix Games)
https://www.smu.edu/Guildhall/About

(Image credit: Southern Methodist University)

6. Abertay University (#1 International) 

2023 Grads Hired: 75
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $59,000
Faculty: Dr. Kenneth Fee (DMA Design), Martyn Lynagh (Media Molecule, Axis Animation, I-Play)
Graduates: Richard Jolly (Splash Damage), David Hynd (Rockstar Games)
https://www.abertay.ac.uk/news/2023/network-of-movie-magic-labs-to-keep-uk-on-cutting-edge-of-future-visual-effects-technologies/

7. Clark University (#2 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 72
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $70,000
Faculty: Ezra Cove (Lord of the Rings), Amanda Theinert (Digital art, Design, Game Psychology)
Graduates: Gary Goldberg (Fablevision), Matthew Sylvia (Microsoft)
https://www.clarku.edu/academics/graduate/programs/masters/master-of-fine-arts-in-interactive-media/

8. Rochester Institute of Technology (#3 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 83
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $103,300
Faculty: Shaun Foster (4D Productions), Flip Philips (Professor of Psychology, Skidmore College)
Graduates: Steven Van Slyke (Co-inventor of the OLED), Anna Sweet (Bad Robot Games)
https://www.rit.edu/computing/school-interactive-games-and-media

9. Northeastern University (#4 Northeast)

2023 Grads Hired: 84
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $80,000
Faculty: Celia Pearce (IndieCade), Christopher Barney (GDC speaker, Poptropica)
Graduates: Kyros Jalife (Warner Bros), Wendi Zhang (Activision Blizzard)
https://camd.northeastern.edu/program/game-science-and-design-ms/

10. Drexel University (#1 Mid-Atlantic) 

2023 Grads Hired: 90
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $74,000
Faculty: Dr. Paul Diefenbach (Founder of OpenWorlds Inc.), Dr. Youngmoo Kim (PhD from MIT, Drexel’s ExCITe Center)
Graduates: Anna Nguyen (Schell Games, Injustice 2), Glen Winters (Rockstar Games)
http://drexel.edu/westphal/graduate/DIGM/

11. Michigan State University (#1 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 63
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $60,000
Faculty: Ryan Thompson (intersections between gameplay and audio), Wei Peng (games, design, UX design, usability, and health applications)
Graduates: Brian Murray (Electronic Arts), Geoff Johns (Mad Ghost Productions, DC Entertainment)
https://gamedev.msu.edu/graduate-serious-games-certificate/

12. DigiPen Institute of Technology (#3 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 56
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $105,000
Faculty: Mark Henne (Pixar, worked on 6 Academy Award-winning films), Brian Schmidt (Founding member GameSoundCon & Game Audio Network Guild)
Graduates: Luis Villegas (Bungie, Destiny), Taralyn von der Linden (Trixter, Walt Disney)
https://www.digipen.edu/academics/digital-art-and-animation-degrees/mfa-in-digital-arts

13. The University of Texas at Dallas (#2 Southwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 20
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $98,950
Faculty: Bryon Caldwell (Brazen, Riot Games, Industrial Light Magic, Agora Studio, Cloud 10 Studios), Troy Griffin (Walt Disney Studios, Reel FX, Encanto, Raya & Last Dragon, Frozen II, Moana, Frozen)
Graduates: Dr. David Hanson (Hanson Robotics), Steven Billingslea (900lbs of Creative)
https://bass.utdallas.edu/degrees/graduate-degrees/game-development-graduate-programs/

14. Falmouth University (#2 International) 

2023 Grads Hired: 80
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $47,204
Faculty: Professor Tanya Krzywinska (Game studies, digital economy), Terry Greer (Microprose, Blitz Games)
Graduates: Rebecca Haigh (Playground Games), Sophie Shepherd (Respawn Entertainment)
https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/games-and-computing-masters-degrees

15. Savannah College of Art and Design (#2 South) 

2023 Grads Hired: 77
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $61,333
Faculty: Nye Warburton (AI in games, Generative Media, Character Systems), Cyril Guichard (game design, gamification, VR game development)
Graduates: Lucas Slominski (Zenimax), Whitney Taylor (YouTube)
https://www.scad.edu/academics/programs/interactive-design-and-game-development/degrees/ma

16. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (#5 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 77
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $82,000
Faculty: Ben Schneider (Narrative design), Ed Gutierrez (Disney/Pixar)
Graduates: Michael Gesner (Riot Games), Jon Radoff (Beamable, gamerDNA)
https://www.wpi.edu/academics/departments/interactive-media-game-development/graduate

17. Full Sail University (#3 South) 

2023 Grads Hired: 29
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $60,475
Faculty: Dr. Shawn Stafford (Wargaming, UX Science), Dr. Robert Kennedy (Organizational Psychologist & Ergonomics Consultant)
Graduates: Narie Kay (Zynga), Erin Eberhart (Dreamhaven)
https://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/game-design-master

18. Laguna College of Art and Design (#4 West) 

2023 Grads Hired: 100
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $82,000
Faculty: Stefano Gualeni PhD (Game Design Philosophy), Chris Ulm (Velan Studios)
Graduates: Ben Thompson (Moonshot Games), Nicole Tan (Blizzard Entertainment, Crystal Dynamics)
https://www.lcad.edu/courses/game-design-mfa/

19. University of Wisconsin–Stout (#2 Midwest) 

2023 Grads Hired: 20
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $42,100
Faculty: Karl Koehle (Forensic & Litigation Animator), Dave Beck (Sculpture, Digital Arts & Sciences)
Graduates: Hue Vang (Dreamworks Animation), Andrew Murphy (Apple)
https://www.uwstout.edu/programs/mfa-design

20. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (#6 Northeast) 

2023 Grads Hired: 50
2023 Grads Mean Salary: $80,539
Faculty: Maurice Suckling (BAFTA award-winning game writer), Rob Hamilton (Musical game innovator)
Graduates: Zach Barth (Opus Magnum, Eliza), Curtis R. Priem (Co-Founder, NVIDIA)
https://hass.rpi.edu/gsas/critical-game-design-co-terminal-program-0

21. Bradley University (#3 Midwest) 

22. American University  (#2 Mid-Atlantic) 

23. DePaul University (#4 Midwest) 

24. University of Florida (#4 South) 

25. University of Miami (#5 South) 

Homework: Intellectual property & adaptation 

Game design is world building. Even before massive sandbox-style games offered players vast environments to explore, even the simplest of worlds had characters, locations, and deep lore to be built from scratch.

Take Doom, the classic first-person shooter. Crude by today’s standards, Doom still had a world (you are on the moon, and later in hell), characters (you are a marine, they are demons) and rules (if the demons hit you enough times, you will die).

Fast forward and modern games feature worlds, characters and lore every bit as complex as any other entertainment medium, with success or failure likewise dependent on how compelling and creative they are.

With this in mind, it’s perhaps surprising that games based on pre-existing, popular intellectual property aren’t more successful, usually underperforming compared to games that rely on their own world-building.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Mighty brands from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings have all made attempts at adapting their universes to everything from first-person shooters, to real time strategy to massively multiplayer online role-playing games.

Many of these have been enjoyable games that have often, initially, sold extremely well (in fact, Hogwarts Legacy was the best-selling Playstation game of 2023), but in the vast majority of cases they quickly fall far behind the competition in terms of critical acclaim and, more importantly, active player counts.

For example, at the time of writing, no game based on major third party IP even breaks the top 20 MMOs in terms of active player count.

Consider why this may be, addressing the pros and cons facing a developer working with existing intellectual property. 

Monetization & thinking outside the loot box 

Once upon a time, gamers would walk into a shop and buy a box with a game disc in it. They’d take that game home and play it to completion. Developers would pocket the cash and make the next one. Maybe a sequel.

Those days are long gone. From monthly subscriptions, to regular DLC to controversial premium cosmetics and purchasable in-game currencies — modern developers’ revenue streams are often as creative as the games themselves.

One Diablo Immortal player famously spent a staggering $100,000 on in-game upgrades. This led to an unforeseen consequence — he could no longer play the game’s PVP mode as there were no comparable characters for him to fight. 

It’s an absurd, but instructive example of how in-game monetization can skew a game’s balance. It also demonstrates how it’s simply too lucrative a model for many studios to ignore.

One of the most common methods for creating revenue beyond the game’s sticker price is also the most controversial: loot boxes.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Used in games as diverse as EA’s FIFA series and Star Wars: Battlefront, loot boxes are designed to deliver a potent combination of randomized player progression alongside the kind of audio-visual dopamine hit you get from slot machines. 

So a chorus of chimes would sound alongside a shower of sparks as it’s revealed what you’ve got for your money, whether it be a double-ended lightsaber or Thierry Henry.

As such, loot boxes have come in for some heavy criticism (they’re now removed from Star Wars games entirely) and their use is becoming increasingly subject to gambling regulation.

Studios’ search for in-game revenue streams hasn’t gone away however, and while random loot boxes are on the way out, it’s a rare modern title that doesn’t have some kind of in-game currency you can ‘collect’ with a swipe of your credit card.

The key question for developers then is — what exactly should players be able to do with their virtual bucks? 

If wealthy players can buy too many advantages, or are even perceived as being able to do so, then your title can get hit with the dreaded ‘Pay 2 Win’ tag and players leave in droves.

But what exactly is ‘Pay 2 Win’? Ask 100 gamers and you’ll get 100 different answers, but any game where real-world cash can be used to obtain a gameplay advantage, particularly but not exclusively in a PVP or other multiplayer environment, risks being labeled Pay 2 Win.

Offering cosmetic rewards for purchase are one way to avoid this — things that are superficially desirable but don’t provide a power boost. 

Even cosmetics can cause controversy though. A player’s avatar is a big part of their investment in the game. Outfits that can be earned without effort and skill will immediately lose a big part of their appeal. 

Another lucrative option can be selling various forms of access. For example, early access to the finished version of a latest patch or expansion as part of a special edition.

Again though, this has to be carefully balanced to make sure that players coughing up the extra cash won’t be at an advantage over the rest of the playerbase when they show up three days later.

Ongoing monetization isn’t something modern developers can afford to ignore, but tread carefully. You also can’t afford to charge for whatever makes your game unique. 

Homework: Theorycrafting & player choice 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s a well-known axiom among game designers that, given the opportunity, players will remove all the fun from your game.

That sounds counter-intuitive, so let’s unpack it a little.

The goal of every game is to successfully inspire desire. Whether that be to get to the top of the platform without the big gorilla hitting you with barrels, or to possess the most powerful magic sword of all time.

The point is to create something the player wants and then put obstacles in their path as they try to achieve it.

The problem is that people will, by nature, pick the most efficient method to reach their goals: the path of least resistance. In doing so, they may well end up ignoring all the fun you’ve so carefully crafted for them.

And, thanks to the internet and the power of crowdsourcing, even the tiniest fraction of advantage will be amplified to deafening levels, whether that be Twitch streamers detailing how OP their latest build is or exhaustive guides posted to your game’s subreddit.

Take a recent patch in the world’s biggest MMORPG, World of Warcraft. 

Among the many, many systems for player progression was the process of getting friendly with a group called the Dream Wardens. You could eventually reach Renown Level 20 with this group, earning a powerful magic item.

It was technically possible to reach level 20 just days after the patch first came out. But the more enjoyable methods for doing so — mostly story-driven quests — would only reset on a daily or weekly basis, as the designers wanted players to take their time and enjoy the story. For most players, reaching level 20 through normal play would take many weeks. However, to achieve this milestone earlier than intended, players would have to grind out continuous, repetitive tasks. Many did exactly that.

Why? Well, a handful of cutting-edge guilds were demanding the item as a prerequisite for coveted group content spots, but more significantly it became a badge of honor in the community — a sign that you were a ‘serious’ player.

This is an extreme example, but it serves to illustrate the point. When offered a choice between fun and efficiency, many players will often sacrifice the former for the latter. In fact, it’s something every player does to some degree or another.

Think about how you can design your in-game systems to offer meaningful progression choices without forcing the most determined of players onto a hamster wheel.

Live service gaming & the infinite narrative 

With more and more games adopting the risky but potentially lucrative live service model, modern titles require an almost endless flow of content — new levels, new challenges, new zones to explore and new powers to acquire.

From simple update patches, to new DLC, and major expansions, all this new content requires games that are effectively infinitely scalable. 

This can be challenging from both a systems and storytelling perspective, as designers need to carefully deliver increasingly powerful antagonists and constantly raised stakes to drive the progression of the title.

Let’s examine how some of the industry’s longest-running franchises deal with this issue.

The Total War franchise, with its unique mix of turn-based campaign play and RTS battlefield simulations, dates back to the year 2000, with the release of Shogun: Total War. 

Initially the series had a simple, elegant solution to the infinite narrative problem, setting their succession of games in different historical eras, from the Napoleonic Wars to the Roman Empire.

Even this couldn’t go on forever though, and in 2016 things changed when Creative Assembly acquired the rights to Games Workshop’s Warhammer brand. 

A superb example of the use of existing IP, the massive success of the game coincided with the growing popularity of the live service model.

Sequels were inevitable, and in-between them came a whole host of DLC packs with new characters, units and factions drawn from Games Workshop’s extensive lore, itself dating back to the ’70s.

Even with all this material at their fingertips, the success of Total War: Warhammer was by no means guaranteed. A controversial early decision was to make the franchise’s key antagonists, the spiky Warriors of Chaos, only available to players as a DLC. You could fight Chaos in the base game, but you couldn’t play as Chaos without buying the DLC.

This strategy would be refined across two sequels and innumerable DLC and character patches. The world map was not only expanded but more detail was added to existing areas. New factions came with their own unique economies and units, with existing factions being tuned as necessary to compensate. 

Both chart-topping and critically acclaimed, TW:WH is still delivering a stream of new experiences for players.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The longest-running game narrative in history, World of Warcraft has experimented with a large number of systems over the years. These include the dynamics of character class interactions, the acquisition and selection of new abilities, ways to earn player power, new cosmetics to collect, and a variety of quests and missions. The game has been through many changes, but with a few exceptions — the ‘Empowered Spells’ available to the new Dracthyr Evokers, for example — the core combat mechanics of movement and targeting have remained the same. Ultimately, with a two-decade legacy, there’s only so much the core gameplay can be changed without a lot of redevelopment. And there are strong arguments for not doing so, especially when it remains the most popular MMO in the world.

However, building on Blizzard’s own IP, developers enjoyed completely free rein when it came to story, and were able to constantly raise the narrative stakes from its inception in 2004 to the game’s current iteration.

Player characters that had begun their careers rescuing cats from trees and fighting bandits quickly graduated to battling dragons, then demons, then bigger demons, then the demons that were in charge of the demons they fought the last time. 

WoW players saved the cat, then the village, then the city, then the world, then the galaxy, then the universe and then… what? 

The critically and commercially mauled ‘Shadowlands’ expansion tried to solve this problem by pitting the players against the very concept of death itself, but this wasn’t enough to stave off antagonist fatigue and active player numbers dropped substantially.

Whether your choice is more systems, more story, or something else entirely, live service is a challenge for every member of a design team.

About Post Author