The League of Legends Season 7 World Championship recently concluded at Beijing's Bird's Nest. Regardless of the outcome, this immensely popular event proves the enduring appeal of this classic game.
And the recent nationwide phenomenon “Honor of Kings” further highlights the untapped market potential and promising future of the gaming industry. It's been rumored that the Honor of Kings project team's year-end bonus could be 120 months' salary (averaging 1.4 million RMB). Although this was later debunked by the official (this year's bonus has not yet been calculated), the industry's growth prospects cannot be overlooked.
As a sunrise industry, the gaming sector offers highly attractive compensation. Whether in China or abroad, gaming careers are universally recognized as high-paying.
If you want to fulfill your gaming dreams and reach the pinnacle of life, to pursue the most passionate job in history, you must not miss the game design major! So, today Pomelo Tea will introduce you to the game design major~
Game Design
Based on the curriculum definition from American universities, game design is a major focused on designing, developing, and programming interactive media entertainment, including computer and video games, virtual environments, internet applications, and other interactive media.
Game design, or game planning, is the process of designing game content and rules. The term can also refer to the specific implementation and documentation describing the design details. Game design involves several areas: game rules and gameplay, visual arts, programming, production, sound effects, scripting, characters, props, scenes, and interfaces—all elements essential for a game design project.
The game design major typically lasts two to three years, covering game theory, turn-based games, real-time games, visual and interaction design, story development, animation, simulation, and programming.
Curriculum
In the U.S., the game design major is primarily referred to as Game design/Video game design, and at some schools, it is called Entertainment design. The major covers animation and special effects, computer graphics, computer science, digital arts, digital communication and multimedia, graphic design, web development, and more.
The core courses include 3D animation, game design and development, audio-visual arts, game design, game production, game programming, computer game graphics elements, interaction design, and introduction to computer science.
Advantages of U.S. Game Design Programs
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Top U.S. game design programs offer highly systematic curricula, allowing students to master complete game design theory over 2 to 3 years of study.
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Accompanying the theoretical courses are numerous hands-on game development opportunities. Students often need to find teammates, form teams, and create games under professors' guidance. The faculty members typically have industry backgrounds and are well-known professionals who have worked on major titles, so learning from them brings substantial benefits.
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U.S. universities have close ties with the industry and frequently collaborate. For example, the game design program at the University of Southern California offers scholarships sponsored by Blizzard Entertainment to reward outstanding students.
Career Opportunities
01 Renowned Game Companies & More Internship Opportunities
There are many well-known game companies in the U.S., such as Glu Mobile, Electronic Arts, and Blizzard Entertainment based in California, and PopCap Games based in Seattle. These companies recruit many talented interns each year, giving students the chance to get up close with design experts and cutting-edge design philosophies.
02 Advanced Educational Models & Abundant Teaching Resources
U.S. universities maintain close industry connections and frequently engage in collaborations. For instance, renowned game design programs offer scholarships sponsored by game companies to reward outstanding students. Such collaborations help students prepare for entering the industry while still in school. The highly systematic game design curriculum is another advantage, and because professors have industry backgrounds, students can learn even more under their guidance.
It should be noted that applying for game design is different from computer science. Someone once summed up gaming as "a perfect combination of arts, technologies and interaction." This description is spot-on for the game design major—it is an interdisciplinary field requiring not only computer knowledge but also artistic appreciation.
Program Recommendations
1 University of Southern California Interactive Media & Game Division
The Interactive Media & Games program (University of Southern California, Interactive Media & Games) is a three-year program like other majors in the School of Cinematic Arts. The curriculum requires 50 credits, including 36 required credits and 14 elective credits. Core courses include advanced game design theory, business practices in game production, innovative game system design, and more. Students may also take electives from other departments in the film school, such as film production, screenwriting, and sound production. Upon completing the three-year program, students earn a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree.
Application Tips: To apply for the dazzling and glamorous IMD program, students need to work hard! The minimum TOEFL score is 90, and the higher the better, as you need to convince the admissions officer that your English proficiency allows you to deeply express your creativity and ideas. A GPA of 3.5 or above is also very important. Most crucially, a portfolio is essential for this program, and its quality may directly determine your final result, so put extra effort into your design work~ Of course, relevant game project experience (not just in name but having truly made contributions) will significantly boost your application success rate~
2 New York University Game Center
New York University's Game Center, part of the Tisch School of the Arts, offers entirely game-focused courses with a strong emphasis on the artistic expression of games. Required courses include Game Design, which centers on physical games, encouraging students to unleash creative thinking with fewer technical constraints, exploring different game design methods through paper prototypes or physical games. Semester projects include board games, tabletop role-playing, and live games. Another course, Game Studio, focuses on video games and introduces tools like Game Maker and Unity 3D, giving different themes for students to form teams and design games, with individual projects as well. Students typically make three to four games per semester!
Application Tips: Since this program leans heavily toward artistic design, you must highlight your perfect fit with it in both your application and interviews, clarifying why you want to pursue this program and what you hope to gain from it. Of course, as with other programs, a TOEFL score of 100+ will reassure the admissions committee about your English ability—after all, if your English isn't strong enough, how can you express your wildly creative and colorful ideas?
3 Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center
In the field of computing, CMU's immense influence is widely recognized. Thus, its game design program under the Entertainment Technology Center naturally becomes the top choice for tech enthusiasts. The entire program lasts two years and encourages learning by doing. From enrollment to graduation, students are constantly under the “tyranny” of hands-on projects, making it a high-investment, high-return process in terms of the effort required and the training received.
Application Tips: Similar to other CMU programs, GT scores and GPA are key metrics for admissions. A TOEFL score of 90+, GRE score of 318+, and GPA of 3.0+ are just the basic requirements. In addition, your personal statement and portfolio presentation are crucial weapons for gaining entry to this “computer mecca.” Due to the school's atmosphere and the program's emphasis, applicants with strong technical backgrounds are highly recommended.
