Study Game Development in UK

Contrary to popular belief, working in the game industry is actually a lucrative and rewarding endeavour. A successful game project involves levels of ability, dedication, and pure hard work that rival some of the toughest ‘traditional’ industries, even though the result is hours of relaxing couch-time for the consumer. If we talk about why you should study game development, one major advantage is that the rewards are high both in terms of creative freedom and salary.

It is only fair to say that the gaming industry has taken the world by storm and will continue doing so for decades. The game sector is a significant employer of recent graduates with a creative bent. Universities are increasingly offering industry-focused degrees that encompass digital animation, 3D modelling, game art, and programming for gaming. Also, many artists and voice actors have become well-known in the industry, and big-budget games are adding well-known "Hollywood" stars to their credit lists. The format, architecture, and aesthetics of games, as well as the characters and plotlines, are typically created entirely from scratch by game developers. Therefore, this field offers a wide range of prospects for creative grads and  game enthusiasts who are painters, animators, writers, actors, sound engineers, designers, and programmers.

According to The Guardian, these UK universities fall among the top universities to study game development in UK.

1. University of Hertfordshire: This university ranks first in The Guardian’s subject ranking for animation and game design/development. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in game design, animation and game art. Hertfordshire graduates work for most major games organisations, including BAFTA-winning UK games studio Creative Assembly, Frontier, Splash Damage, Guerrilla Games, Epic Games and Rare.

• Course: MA/BA (Hons) Games Art and Design

• Fees: £1290 - £14750

2. UWE Bristol: The Guardian ranks this university second to study games development in UK. It is a PlayStation First partner, providing students with direct experience and the chance to develop games for Sony PlayStation using official kits. This university is an ideal choice for someone looking to gain direct industry exposure with classroom learning.

• Courses:

BSc (Hons) Games Technology
            MSc Comercial Games Development

• Fees: Around £16,000

3. Manchester Metropolitan University: It is one of the top-ranking universities known globally for its high-quality courses. It ranks third in the UK for game design and development courses.  

Courses:

BA (Hons) Game Art, BA (Hons) Animation, BSc (Hons) Game Design, BSc (Hons) Computer Games Development

MA Games Art, MSc Computer Games Development

Fees: £18,500 per year for Bachelor programmes,  £19,000 per year for Master’s

4. University of the Arts London: UAL ranks second in the top institutes in the UK for Art and Design ranked by QS World University Rankings 2023. It also ranks fourth in the best universities to study game development in UK ranking list by The Guardian. If you are looking to indulge your creative side along with some of the most innovative minds, then this is an ideal choice for you.

Courses: BA/MA Games Design; BA (Hons) Games Art

Fees: £25,970 per year

5. Birmingham City: This university offers various course options in game development, production and design. Some of these include courses like video game development, video game enterprise, production and design, computer games technology, etc.

Courses: MA/MSc/BSc Video Games Development

Fees: £16,870

Other top universities to study game development in UK include:

• Glasgow Caledonian  

• Bolton

• Nottingham Trent      

• Bucks New University           

• Brunel

• Hull    

• Edge Hill        

• Teesside         

• Kingston        

• Derby 

• Sheffield Hallam

Every university has a different set of prerequisites for admission. Here are a few common prerequisites that you must meet to enrol in your ideal institution.

• A high class (12th grade, A+/A/B) from a reputable school or institution

• Good student profile and a compelling statement of goal

• Prior experience with graphic design applications

• A collection of your best works in a portfolio

Before submitting your application, make sure you improve in these areas. If you notice that you are falling behind in any of these areas, don't give up. For students with strong applications, several universities will relax their admission standards. To submit the best possible application, get assistance from our expert Meridean education counsellors. We will help you tailor your application according to the universities you have chosen.

Game Development is a lucrative field with endless job opportunities, given you have the appropriate skills. Through its Making Games in the UK 2022 report, the trade association for the games industry TIGA revealed that the games development sector in the UK grew by almost a quarter between April 2020 and the end of 2021, with the number of creative staff in games studios increasing to 20,975 full-time employees.

If we talk about the average salary of game developer in UK, starting salaries typically range from $19,000 to $25,000. With a few years of expertise, you might make between £35,000 and £50,000 per year. Your income can range from £55,000 to more than £75,000 once you are at a senior position, such as team leader or technical director.

Here are some of the different roles one can play in the game industry:

1. Animator: The artistic heart of video game design lies in animation. Your artistic abilities will determine how the game looks. As soon as you accept this position, you will be responsible for designing and animating the backdrops, buildings, and landscapes.

2. Game Designer: This is where the core energy of the game lies. Game designers play a huge part in the game's storyline, along with planning how the game progresses.

3. Computer Game Tester: If you are looking for something fun, this is for you. Computer game testers play the games developed by the company for quality control testing. Then, they find and report any faults or bugs and suggest changes to make the game better for its target audience.

4. Computer Games Developer: This job role includes coding for the game. Through software development, computer game developers give life to the game. 

Other job prospects related to the field of study are:

• Game artist

• Multimedia programmer

• Multimedia Specialist

• Software engineer

• Concept artist

• Artworker

• Cyber security analyst

• Data scientist

• Database administrator

• Forensic computer analyst

• VFX artist

• Penetration tester

• Software Tester

• Graphic designer

• Applications developer

To conclude, there is an increasing need for experts who can apply game concepts to a variety of fields. Hence, the industry is booming and so are the job prospects. Additionally, many international students frequently choose to study in UK given the country’s excellent academic history. There are so many options available to students at a wide selection of universities that provide a variety of courses. Each university takes pride in providing top-notch instruction from accomplished professors. A UK degree in game development is a wise investment in your future because degrees earned there are highly valued internationally. So, don't let anyone define your dreams for you. Take up what you desire to study and excel at it. We wish you all the best!

Furthermore, if you require help, we are there to help you with the best of our abilities. Our team of UK education counsellors are dedicated to making your dream to study in UK come true. You can receive counselling from them by visiting any branch of Meridean Overseas or avail free video counselling through our website. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Contact us at application02@meridean.org or call us at 1800-1230-00011.