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THE BEST SCHOOLS FOR ASPIRING GAME DEVELOPERS

THE BEST GAME Whether you’re taking your first steps or refining your skills, there’s DESIGN PROGRAMS, a game design program for anyone. Check out the 50 best RANKED BY THE undergraduate and 25 best PRINCETON REVIEW. graduate programs out there. Even in these ridiculous times, video games you want to use your artistic flourish to are there to comfort, challenge, and inspire design fascinating worlds and new us. It takes a lot of work to make your characters? Do you want to manage the favorite games, though, and a lot of business of running a studio? Or do you smarts. It’s dangerous to go alone, as one want to get your hands dirty in the coding famous adventure told us, and that’s where and programming that makes games run? awaiting new image these game design programs come in. Maybe you’re also looking to master your The Princeton Review has done all the skill set with a graduate degree. & cut out heavy lifting of researching the absolute Every adventurer knows that the first best game design programs across North steps can often be the most important. America and Europe. Whether it’s If you’re ready to take that leap, read teachers, the most prestigious graduates, on to find out where you should start the best facilities, or the highest average your journey. salary, you’ll find a great school for you. Want to know more? Check out The So take a moment to think about what Princeton Review’s website for further info: kind of game developer you’d like to be. Do www.princetonreview.com/game-design THE TOP 50 2021 BEST GAME DESIGN 2021 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

5. DIGIPEN INSTITUTE OF 14. UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL TECHNOLOGY FLORIDA Graduates: Kim Swift (Portal, Google Fun Fact: One of 16 Microsoft Stadia), Adam Brennecke (Pillars of Flagship Schools Eternity) Graduates: Richard Ugarte 2020 Grads Salary: $81,500 (Producer, Epic Games), Alex Madeville ( Games) 6. WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE 15. ABERTAY UNIVERSITY Faculty: Keith Zizza (sound designer, 2020 Grads Hired: 40% BioShock Infinite), Ed Gutierrez Graduates: David Jones (creator of (Disney/Pixar) Grand Theft Auto), Timea Tabori Graduates: Alex Schwartz (Job (Engine Programmer, Rockstar UNIVERSITY Simulator), Michael Gesner (Riot BECKER Games) 1 OF SOUTHERN 2 COLLEGE Games) 16. BREDA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED CALIFORNIA 7. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SCIENCES Faculty: Ricardo Guimaraes (concept 2020 Grads Hired: 60% Total Courses: 277 Total Courses: 125 artist, , 2020 Grads Hired: 90% 2020 Grads Hired: 54% Ubisoft), Elizabeth LaPensée Graduates: Jendrik Illner (3D 2020 Grads Salary: $65,000 2020 Grads Salary: $62,321 (Indigenous game designer) Programmer, Ubisoft), Nathalie Faculty: Gary Schyman (Composer, Faculty: Keo Heng (Senior Animator, 2020 Grads Hired: 81% Jankie (Level Designer, Remedy) BioShock series), Artem Kovalovs Sony Computer Entertainment), (Programmer, The Last of Us) Christina Alejandre (Director of 8. UNIVERSITY OF UTAH 17. CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE Graduates: Ryan Coogler (Black Publishing & Esports, WB Graduates: Doug Bowser (President, 2020 Grads Hired: 77% Panther), Jeff Kaplan (Overwatch) Entertainment) Nintendo), Nolan Bushnell (Founder, Faculty: Nathan Walpole (Character Graduates: Lawrence Preston Atari) Animator, Halo, ESO), Christopher (Environment Artist, Sony Bend), Katelyn 2020 Grads Hired: 40% Cao (Character Artist, Bethesda) Anthony (QA Lead, Riot Games) 9. BRADLEY UNIVERSITY 18. COGSWELL UNIVERSITY OF 2020 Grads Salary: $63,683 SILICON VALLEY 2020 Grads Hired: 60% 2020 Grads Salary: $62,000 Fun Fact: Recently added a program 10. SHAWNEE STATE UNIVERSITY focusing on business, marketing, and 2020 Grads Hired: 60% production of games. 2020 Grads Salary: $59,200 19. RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC 11. LASALLE COLLEGE VANCOUVER INSTITUTE 2020 Grads Hired: 69% 2020 Grads Salary: 68,400 Graduates: Greg Findlay (Tomb Graduates: Zach Barth Raider, Thief), David Larmour (ZachTronics), Curtis R. Priem (Capcom) NEW YORK ROCHESTER (NVIDIA) 4 INSTITUTE OF 12. VANCOUVER FILM SCHOOL 20. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT 3 UNIVERSITY Faculty: Scott Henshaw (EA), Jeff TECHNOLOGY DALLAS Plamondon (Capcom Vancouver) Graduates: Armando Troisi Graduates: Matt Charles (Gearbox Total Courses: 564 Total Courses: 133 (Narrative Director, Ubisoft), Boris Software), Ricardo Flores (Animator, 2020 Grads Hired: 40% 2020 Grads Hired: 90% Wong (EA) ) 2020 Grads Salary: $55,000 2020 Grads Salary: $65,000 2020 Gender Breakdown: 50% Faculty: Dr. Bennet Foddy Graduates: Elan Lee (Exploding Kittens), 13. DREXEL UNIVERSITY Male, 50% Female (Getting Over It) Alex Kipman (Microsoft Hololens and 2020 Grads Hired: 50% Graduates: Carol Mertz (Designer, Kinect) Graduates: Anna Nguyen (Injustice 21. HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE Exploding Kittens), Robert Meyer Fun Fact: Recently launched a new 2, I Expect You to Die), Glen Winters 2020 Grads Salary: $60,000 (Designer, Just Cause)including Ape Out Geogames Lab in partnership with ( 2) 2020 Grads Hired: 60% and others. Pokémon Go creator Niantic Game TOP 50 GAME DESIGN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS (CONT)

22. SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND 2020 Grads Salary: $75,000 DESIGN Fun Fact: Largest provider of 2020 Grads Salary: $43,667 graduates to North Carolina games Graduates: Chad Dezern (CCO, industry, which includes Epic Games, Insomniac), Harrison Pink (Quest Ubisoft and more. Designer, Blizzard)

34. BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE 23. LAGUNA COLLEGE OF ART + 2020 Grads Salary: $50,000 DESIGN Graduates: Greg Baldwin (Character Graduates: Josiah Hunt (Sony Santa Artist, Insomniac), Nicole Tan (Level Monica), Corey Delorenzo (Level HOMEWORK: Architect, Arkane) Designer, Sony Santa Monica)

24. HOWEST UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED 35. MIAMI UNIVERSITY Amnesia: Rebirth SCIENCES Graduates: Chris Carney (Level 2020 Grads Hired: 70% Designer, Valorant), Stephanie Tsirlis Can “normal” mechanics Faculty: Tristan Clarysse (Artist, (Producer, Riot) Larian, BioWare), Kevin Hoefman 2020 Grads Salary: $52,465 undermine your vision? (Larian)

36. INDIANA UNIVERSITY 25. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - Frictional Games, the makers of Amnesia: 2020 Grads Salary: $60,000 STOUT The Dark Descent, SOMA, and more 2020 Grads Hired: 85% Graduates: Kees Luyendijk (Game Graduates: Mitchel Clayton Designer, Nintendo), Jess Tompkins recently Amnesia: Rebirth, definitely (Environment Artist, Naughty Dog), (User Researcher, EA) know their way around horror. But even Mic Rooney (Gameplay Programmer) professionals can fall victim to tropey 37. KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY game design mechanics, get a bit too 26. MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE 2020 Grads Salary: $60,000 OF ART 2020 Grads Hired: 40% comfortable, and undercut their own 2020 Grads Salary: $64,000 vision. How can you keep gruesome 2020 Grads Hired: 66% 38. NEW ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF monsters still terrifying without taking TECHNOLOGY 27. FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY your player out of the experience when Faculty: William C. Culbertson (R&D, 2020 Grads Hired: 80% they get caught? Fun Fact: Partners with Michigan Hasbro), Jim McClure (Environment non-profits to develop game projects. Artist, Sony Online) Total Courses: 57 EXAMPLE: Frictional Games learned from their 28. FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY earliest titles that forcing a player to replay a level after Graduates: Rex Crowle (Media 39. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN dying only served to reduce the horror and increase the Molecule), Sophie Shepherd Graduates: Richard Garriott (, frustration a player might feel. Since Rebirth still (Animator, Creative Assembly) Astronaut), Warren Spector (Thief, incorporated a “fear” system that encourages players to ) avoid darkness and monsters, they tied that into what 29. ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY 2020 Grads Salary: $59,000 2020 Grads Salary: 70,000 happens when a player fails. If the player is taken down 2020 Grads Hired: 71% by an enemy, the main character experiences an 40. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA onslaught of cryptic visions, then awakens in a different 2020 Grads Salary: $55,000 30. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY spot. Failure also impacts the main character’s health, 2020 Grads Salary: $49,402 2020 Gender Breakdown: 50% Male, Graduates: Alisa Bricker (User 48% Female impacting their journey in meaningful ways that an Researcher, Harmonix), Zhuo Chen (UI invested player will take care to avoid. Design, Sony) 41. DEPAUL UNIVERSITY 42. OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN HOMEWORK: If you’re making a game that tells a 31. UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI UNIVERSITY story or sends a message, consider how the gameplay 2020 Grads Hired: 66% 43. ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY mechanics we’ve taken for granted might impact that Graduates: Evan Carroll (Animation 44. MARIST COLLEGE Artist, II), Randy Pagulayan narrative. Part of being a game designer is thinking 45. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN- (Director of Research, Xbox) outside the box, even in a game that might already DEARBORN 46. QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY follow an established formula in many ways. It might 32. NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY turn a gimmick you tossed in into something much more 2020 Grads Salary: $55,000 47. ARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN 2020 Grads Hired: 70% 48. CORNELL UNIVERSITY meaningful in the end. 49. FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY 33. NORTH CAROLINA STATE 50. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF READING MATERIAL: https://bit.ly/2M7d8VE UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY TIPS FOR GETTING INTO A GREAT GAME 2021 DESIGN COLLEGE

If you’re on your way to graduating high school, or just looking for a new start in education, odds are that imposter syndrome is hitting you hard. Even the brightest and most accomplished students wonder if they’ve got what it takes to get into a great school. You’re in good hands, though. We talked with leaders at some of the biggest game design colleges about what they want to see from applicants.

MAKE GAMES ALREADY student who produced speedruns of Perhaps one of the best things any potential games and streamed them out to an new student can do is demonstrate a audience. Almost anyone in the games industry proven interest in making games. “We looked at that applicant and will tell you that successful, fun games are Thankfully, no one has to be a master of the immediately said ‘that’s a natural-born often the result of countless attempts. craft already to do so. If you’ve dabbled with producer,’” Kelly says, noting the student’s Even games that seem perfectly designed Unity or another major engine, great, but ability to organize and see such a technical at first glance may not look or feel that way schools also love to see students using and community-focused project through to until near the end of development. This Twine, Scratch, or even RPG Maker, much the end. principle -- of learning from failure, but also more accessible engines that still offer a ton Some schools are really looking for being able to ship a finished game, even a of opportunity for self-expression. collaborative spirits who can fill specific modest one -- is indicative of students that “We’re looking for games that have roles, or even multiple. colleges love to welcome. something to say,” says Collin Kelly, a “We build our classes kind of like we’re “Even more specifically than just program coordinator at USC Games. designing a studio,” says Dylan McKenzie, making games, we love to see people “Making a Mario clone to show you program coordinator and Incubator making and completing games,” NYU’s understand Unity is fine, but we like games director at NYU’s Game Center. “So we McKenzie said. “The full loop of game that capture who you are.” need programmers, artists, project design is challenging. If you’ve got design managers, and designers. So we want to documents, illustrations, art, that’s great. If A VARIETY OF INTERESTS see what you bring to the table because you’ve got a prototype, even if it’s just made Go figure, schools like to know that new you’re working with all sizes of groups and of paper, or the functions of the game are in students will be bringing in a diverse array all kinds of people. The more you bring to code, and if you’ve published it on itch.io, of lived experiences that can translate to our group of developers, the more then even better. You know what it’s like to game design, learning, and teamwork. That productive you’ll be and the more people build an audience and launch a game. The can come from unexpected places, too. will want to work with you as a team more that we can help you accelerate your Kelly uses an example of a high school member. The rising tide of our abilities will practice and not just start, the better.” raise all boats of the class.” “Getting into a great game design And even if you’re looking more towards college requires passion, curiosity, and grad school, or just getting to college later commitment. At Becker, we look for those than usual, life experiences are invaluable traits first. That cognitive reckoning is what material to pull from. Previous applicants to we’re trying to get people into. Getting a NYU’s Game Center have used their skills student to move from curiosity to passion in architecture, fashion, or even baking a and then a dedicated commitment shows cake (and sending it to the school) to show us they’ve got a lifelong path in this,” says how their creative side works. Ritacco. Ultimately, these programs are (usually) LEARN FROM FAILURE, BUT part of an art school, and so colleges will COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT want students who want to make the future “I want my students to be centered and of video games, McKenzie says. Anyone confident,” says Dr. Alan Ritacco, Dean who has the heart to do something of Becker College’s School of Design different and do it well will have greater and Technology. “If you fail quick, you odds at getting into their dream school and can iterate faster. No one has ever won going on to create games that last in all the time.” players’ minds for years to come. THE TOP 25

BEST GAME DESIGN 2021 GRADUATE PROGRAMS

5. ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF 14. LAGUNA COLLEGE OF ART TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN 2020 Grads Salary: $70,000 2020 Grads Salary: $54,000 Graduates: Elan Lee (Exploding Faculty: Dave Jaloza (Producer, Kittens, Chief Design Officer of Xbox Bandai Namco), Chris Ulm (Founder, Entertainment), Alex Kipman (Kinect, Jam City) Hololens)

15. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 6. UNIVERSITY OF UTAH 2020 Grads Salary: $84,655 AT DALLAS Graduates: Doug Bowser (President, 2020 Grads Salary: $34,000 Nintendo) John Warnock (Founder, Graduates: Matt Charles (Producer, UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK Adobe) Gearbox Software), Ricardo Flores 1 CENTRAL FLORIDA 2 UNIVERSITY (Animator, Naughty Dog) 7. BECKER COLLEGE 2020 Grads Salary: $70,000 16. SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART 2020 Grads Shipped Game: 87% 2020 Grads Shipped Game: 73% Graduates: Matthew Hopkins AND DESIGN (Technical Artist, Rockstar), Yuka 2020 Grads Salary: $73,000 2020 Grads Salary: $72,000 2020 Grads Hired: 48% Graduates: Dennis Brannvall (Design Faculty: Dr. Bennett Foddy (Getting Ninohara (UX, WB Games) 2020 Grads Salary: $60679 Director, EA DICE), Over It) Billy Bramer (Lead Programmer, 2020 Gender Breakdown: 55% 8. ABERTAY UNIVERSITY 17. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY Epic) Female, 39% Male 2020 Grads Hired: 65% 2020 Grads Salary: $80,000 Faculty: Benjamin Noel (VP, COO, 2020 Grads Salary: $68,000 Tiburon), Fun Fact: AU’s program pushes Richard Hall (EA Sports) 9. DIGIPEN INSTITUTE OF students to engage with games for TECHNOLOGY change. 2020 Grads Salary: $78,000 Graduates: Luis Villegas 18. UNIVERSITY OF (Engineering Lead, Destiny), Arturo CALIFORNIA—SANTA CRUZ Jauregui (Artist, Nintendo) 2020 Grads Hired: 75% Faculty: 10. WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC (, Funomena) INSTITUTE 2020 Grads Hired: 63% 19. NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY 2020 Grads Salary: $72,350 2020 Grads Hired: 71% 11. DREXEL UNIVERSITY Graduates: Jon Webb (Director of 2020 Grads Salary: $74,000 Global Product Strategy, SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY 2020 Gender Breakdown: 75% PlayStation), Tim Schafer (Double 3 METHODIST 4 OF SOUTHERN Female, 25% Male Fine) UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA 12. MICHIGAN STATE 20. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY 2020 Grads Hired: 50% 2020 Grads Hired: 85% 2020 Grads Hired: 90% 2020 Grads Hired: 73% Faculty: Ricardo Guimaraes 2020 Grads Salary: $67,400 2020 Grads Salary: $65,000 Total Courses: 63 (Concept Artist, Blizzard), Jeremy Graduates: Katie Sabin (Artist, Graduates: Ryan Coogler (Black Gibson Bond (Programmer/ Raven Software) Panther), Jeff Kaplan (Overwatch) 21. BRADLEY UNIVERSITY Chris Cole (Technical Artist, Blizzard) Faculty: Richard Lemarchand (Game Designer, ) 22. UNIVERSITY OF MALTA Faculty: Michael Porter (Art and Designer, 1-3), Artem 23. FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY Design, Sierra, Microsoft, Bungie), Kovalovs (Programmer, The Last of 13. BREDA UNIVERSITY OF Elizabeth Stringer (Atari) Us) APPLIED SCIENCES 24. UNIVERSITY OF 2020 Grads Hired: 60% WISCONSIN - STOUT 2020 Grads Salary: $46,000 25. DEPAUL UNIVERSITY HOW ESPORTS IS CHANGING GAME DESIGN COLLEGES HOMEWORK: Imagine brightly lit arenas, flashy technology, and athletes The Pathless pumped up to show off all their talent. Only it isn’t on a basketball Hitting the mark court or football field. It’s eSports tournaments played on PCs and consoles, with everything from Smash Bros. to League of Legends. like a pro Colleges of all sizes have realized just how valuable the world of Archery and video games go together eSports can be for students and academic programs, offering up like peanut butter and chocolate, and ways for students to form community bonds and learn valuable plenty of video game protagonists business skills and artistic principles in the process. are supposedly perfect shots. But if we’re supposed to be heroes, why do We spoke with some of the folks journalism, and colleges like Becker games let us whiff so many shots and leading the charge in competitive and USC offer classes focused on collegiate eSports to ask them how its content creation that forms the stumble while aiming, and is there a changed campus culture, and what it backbone of vibrant fanbases. better way? offers students. As you can imagine for “What esports means for us is to a multi-million (soon to be billion) dollar ensure we’re getting students EXAMPLE: When Giant Squid made 2020’s The industry, it’s quite a lot. connected with companies that are at the forefront of technology and where Pathless, they knew they wanted their protagonist FROM THE PC TO THE DEGREE we think the industry is going, and to come across as a fast-paced master archer, able “ESports is the hardest, newest, and making sure we get input from them to bound across huge landscapes with the inertia most exciting thing to hit campuses and update our curriculum for these of her bow. But they needed a way to make players since the internet. From varsity and students’ futures,” USC Trojan Esports believe that fantasy. At first, they came up with club teams to the business of esports Union faculty advisor Jim Huntley. management, the opportunity has In a year where “community” means the maxim “never miss a shot,” but pulled back a been clearly shown,” says Dr. Alan something very different for colleges, little when that got too dull. Rather than focus on Ritacco, Dean of Becker College’s esports has been one of the few bright aiming, Giant Squid determined that timing your School of Design and Technology. spots to keep students feeling close. shots (with a generous window) would be the key Esports, like traditional sports, is an “It’s ironic,” Huntley says. “Our to traversal. The player needed to be able to miss, entire ecosystem of career paths medium, from a professional beyond just being a star athlete. perspective as well as an academic but Giant Squid wouldn’t make that the default Students also have the opportunity to perspective, has been the one thriving result. The end result was a simple, yet satisfying learn business and team management because you can develop games and rhythm to archery that sacrified none of the thrill principles, marketing strategies, and compete and socialize in the medium of landing a shot while speeding along. event planning. Becker College’s of games. Aside from the personal program also includes classes on drain, our work hasn’t suffered.” esports industry trends and “There’s still so much going on with HOMEWORK: Much like the previous community development, something esports that I think is under- example, consider how “standard” game that will help students ensure they can discovered,” says Dylan McKenzie, mechanics that have been around for ages adapt to the constantly evolving program coordinator at NYU’s Game might break the immersion a player needs to gaming landscape. Center. “Our role as a university is to feel invested in the world you’ve created. If “You know what sports help our students and the public make management is. You’re taking care of sense of this either through making new you tell a player one thing, but punish them Tom Brady,” Ritacco says. “ types of games that fit in that or you for being something they’re not in real life (in “But it’s also business, continuity, want to go into casting, YouTube, other this case, an incredibly gifted archer), then change management, economics, IT, stuff. We help you understand how to they might not want to spend time engaging executive leadership. Now you go to the break it down in a nuanced way.” with your world. Don’t be afraid to pull away esports side and it’s taking care of Whether it’s from the bleachers or [former League of Legends pro-turned- from behind a PC monitor, esports is from old ideas even if it means dramatically commentator] Crumbz.” almost certainly the future of collegiate simplifying something. There can’t be any sports competitions. The only question is: Are community without a little bit of sports you ready to play? READING MATERIAL: https://bit.ly/38YLpPY