Kick-Starting Your Career as a Games Designer

California may be the world capital of games design but the UK’s gaming industry has long secured its place on the global gaming stage. British cities, including Dundee, Liverpool, Sheffield and Rotherham, have cemented their reputation as game development hubs but the UK’s top spot for gaming goes to Guildford in Surrey, which ranks alongside Silicon Valley, Vancouver and Stockholm as top games development centres. While you may want to go global with your gaming degree, it’s reassuring to know that you can ascend to the top of your industry without leaving the UK.

In terms of opportunities to work with one of the world’s great studios, it means that the UK is the place to get a games design degree and to begin to build your professional network of contacts. Games design jobs may be highly sought after, but getting your degree at the University of Bolton in Greater Manchester and leveraging the professional connections you make during your time with us could be the advantage you’re looking for.

Futureproofing Your Career

Why can’t you turn your hobby into a rewarding and fulfilling career? Gaming isn’t going anywhere. In the UK alone, one in two people turned to gaming to help them get through the pandemic lockdowns. This means that the British video game marketing valued at £5.3 billion.  

Even in its relatively short life span, gaming has evolved from the iconic arcade games of the 1980s, to the consoles of the 1990s and the smartphone games which help to put in a few moments here and there today. Regardless of the device or style of playing, every game developed needs a skilled and experienced team to bring it to life. Game design jobs include:

Animator

Computer games developer

Computer games tester

Software developer

Visual Effects Artist

While the end product may see the consumer grabbing their spot on the sofa for a marathon gaming session, securing a role as a video games designer takes grit, determination and a passion for both the creative and the technical side.

What’s involved with a Games Degree?

Our students need to be able to manage the conceptual side of game development and work through the creative design, alongside the coding and computer science that will ensure smart play and a glitch-free game. Our students create characters and narratives, bringing them to life through animation and programming, making sure the gaming experience is consistent, exciting and experimental in all the right places.

Why Gaming at the University of Bolton?

While you will get up to speed with the evolution of the gaming industry and spend time in lectures, most of your week will be spent in the studio. At the Centre for Games Development, you’ll be working in a multi-million-pound facility where you can access passionate and visionary teaching staff who will make sure your hands-on development time gets you the results you’re looking for. Many of our teaching staff have come from industry so they understand the gaming process and can give you the support and advice that will help you to make the most of your time with us.

Ranked No.1 in the UK for Student Satisfaction* with the course, our small class sizes mean that you’ll get valuable one-to-one time with your course teacher.

One of the first universities to offer pure gaming degrees in the UK, our industry connections are second-to-none. Our gaming degrees have been professionally developed to ensure that our graduates are ready to step into employment and up to speed with the latest trends in the industry. As well as guest lecturers from industry leaders – and potential employers – you’ll be able to work collaboratively with your peers and take part in regular game jams that help you to improve your knowledge and understanding of games development.

Get your career in gaming off to a great start – check out our gaming courses at the University of Bolton and come and enjoy #UniAsItShouldBe.

*Complete University Guide 2022