Games Design

Games design is the discipline concerned with creating the systems, mechanics, levels, and experiences that make video games engaging and meaningful. Unlike games art, which focuses on the visual output, or games programming, which focuses on the code, games design addresses the fundamental questions of how games work and why people want to play them: how rules create challenge, how narrative and environment combine to produce immersion, how difficulty curves shape experience, and how the social dimensions of multiplayer design affect behaviour. It is a creative and analytical field that requires both imaginative conception and systematic thinking.

At Teesside University, this three-year, full-time degree develops your skills using contemporary game engines, giving you the technical fluency to realise your design ideas in a professional development context. You will study the fundamentals of modern game development including scripting, asset creation, and level design, building a thorough understanding of the production pipeline from concept to playable game. The programme includes a sandwich placement year and work placement opportunities, which give you the chance to develop professional experience in real game development environments before you graduate.

Graduates from games design programmes work in the video games industry in roles including level design, game design, narrative design, systems design, and production. The design and project management skills are also valued in interactive media, virtual reality and augmented reality development, serious games and educational technology, and simulation. Some graduates move into games journalism, community management, or business development within the industry.

Postgraduate study in games design, interactive media, or digital arts is an option for those who want to develop specialist expertise or pursue research and academic careers.