Game Designer (Specialization)

About the education

The industry is in need of Game Designers!

Game and Level Design, Narrative, Scripting and QA – get the experience you need to work as designer in the game industry! This educational program provides specialization choices.

Transform your passion for game design into your dream career!

Regardless of whether it is level design, gameplay design, system design, scripting, narrative design, quality assurance, or game production management that ignites your creativity and passion, this program will get you into the industry with credibility, through hands-on development experience in game design.

  • 2,5 years (5 terms/semesters).
  • 30 weeks of internship (LIA).
  • Specialization semester.
  • Degree: Higher Vocational Education Diploma

 

Specializations in Game Designer 

In the fourth semester of the education you will pick between one of two possible areas of specialization, allowing you to prepare even better for your internships.

  • Level designer – Choosing the level design as specialisation means that you will get a deeper knowledge of the level design’s advanced principles, including layering, progression, tempo, increase of difficulty, etc. You will also learn how level design and storytelling relate to each other in professional game design. You will also get a thorough understanding of writing in-depth level design documentation, iterations and how to communicate your ideas.

 

  • Technical and/or Systems Designer – By choosing this specialized role you will get an advanced understanding of scripting, prototyping and iteration, game mechanics and game systems using industry standard tools. You will be able to design and implement advanced flexible gaming systems and customize them to enhance the player experience. You will also have the skills needed to create sustainable and scalable gaming systems with an improved workflow that meets the needs of the professional gaming industry. 

Game Designer course learning outcomes

  • Designing and analyzing game experiences
  • Designing and building levels
  • Designing and crafting game systems
  • Thorough understanding of Unity and the latest Unreal Engine
  • Strong gameplay scripting skills (C# and visual scripting)
  • Adopting a player-centric approach and understanding of target audience
  • Strong team and communication skills
  • Designing games for multiple platforms (PC, mobile, VR, etc.)
  • Designing in a data-driven way
  • Understanding the entire development and distribution process of games

Learning by Doing, Learning by Reflection

Learn from industry professionals
Develop core competencies in game development by learning from industry professionals and teachers from leading companies in the industry.

Creative environment
Get access to our creative environment including equipment and relevant software where you grow and build your skills together with talented classmates and senior game developers at Futuregames.

Game projects
You will actively participate in intensive game projects together with coursemates from our other programs that runs concurrently, such as: Indie Game Developer, Game Programmer, Game Artist, and QA/Game Testers, where you will be simulating professional projects to reflect the reality of working in the gaming industry, and prepare for an exciting and progressive career in the games industry.

LIA (internship) as part of the education

LIA (lärande i arbete), also known as internship is a part of the program. The practical part of your internship/LIA deepens your learning and provides you with the work experience required to develop today’s and tomorrow’s game design. You will also get the opportunity to build your network and create relationships with potential future employers during the education.

The gaming industry needs you!

Sweden has world leading developers within AAA, console, PC. mobile, VR/AR, digital distribution and specialized subcontractors. The biggest challenges of the sector are indirect such as access to skills and talents.

We have close working relationships and are in direct cooperation with the games industry. Some of these companies and studios includes King, Avalanche Studios, Ubisoft, EA DICE, Fatshark, Paradox Interactive, Starbreeze Studios, Glorious Games Group, Uprise, NEAT Corporation, Epic Games, Really Interactive, and the list goes on. Many companies support this higher vocational education, and around 20-30 game studios are actively involved in Futuregames every year.

We are supported by solid business networks that works with a sustainable model:

Boden Game Camp is an eco-system for every individual and company to learn, grow, and thrive in Boden. They could be the start or the accelerator for your career in the game industry.

Arctic Game is one of northern Europe’s fastest growing game cluster, located in campus Skellefteå, which connects companies to students, and creates environments where the community can learn from each other.

Apply as an international student?

Start your games career in Sweden with Futuregames.
Read more on how to apply here ▶

Educational plan

Advanced Game Design
15YHP / 3w
Board Game Design
15YHP / 3w
Game Project 1
15YHP / 3w
Game Project 2
20YHP / 4w
Game Project 3
35YHP / 7w
Game Project 4
20YHP / 4w
Graduation Project
50YHP / 10w
Internship (LiA)
150YHP / 30w
Introduction to C# Scripting Language
20YHP / 4w
Introduction to Visual Scripting
25YHP / 5w
Level Design and World Creation
25YHP / 5w
Narrative Design
15YHP / 3w
Professional Development
15YHP / 3w
Prototyping
20YHP / 4w
Quality Assurance
10YHP / 2w
UX and Interaction Design
20YHP / 4w
Specialization - Advanced Level Design
80YHP / 16w
Specialization - Technical and System Design
80YHP / 16w
TOTAL:
550YHP / 110w

Eligibility

REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY

  • Grades or proof of post graduate qualifications from upper secondary school/high school or equivalent.
  • CV and a personal letter (letting us know why you have chosen the specific program).
  • English 6 from upper secondary school/high school or proof of equivalent knowledge.
  • Work Sample (read “How To Apply” section below for instructions).

Term times

We will give you more information about the term times when you are admitted to the education.

Most terms have different lengths and it is important that you report the right time period and the right amount of HVE-credits (Yh-points) to CSN. Each study week corresponds to five (5) HVE-credits, ie one (1) HVE-credit per day. This is provided that you continuously pass your courses with approved results.

How to apply

HOW TO APPLY TO GAME DESIGNER AT FUTUREGAMES

 

To apply as an international student, please proceed to our international student page to read through the application process.

 

Information required to complete your application

 

  • -High school diploma or equivalent.
  • -Documentation for special prerequisites.
  • -CV and personal letter.
  • -Work sample (more information below).
  • -Possible certificates and other grading documents.

 

Usually, when you apply, you need to state the desired location where you wish to study. But in 2023, Game Designer Specialization is only being offered in Stockholm.

 

Please note
Your CV, personal letter, and work sample(s) are all required to be written in English.

 

 

 

 

 

WORK SAMPLES
Game Designer application

 

Check out the video to Game Designer’s work sample for your application on Youtube here.

 

What to submit?

 

Showcase a small game you have created and developed, and include all the assets or designs (for example, GIFs, links to playthrough videos, flowcharts, in-editor captures, and so forth), that you think are relevant to its game development, and your intended Futuregames program.

 

Please note that your game prototype will not be played.

 

For this reason, we recommend you choose the right content that showcases your potential in a broader scale as a junior game developer, someone with the proper mindset, design thinking and insights.

 

In addition, please explain and document in detail, the process of the game creation, reasoning behind the design decision you took, and how you overcame its obstacles.

 

 

We need to see how much time and effort you have invested into your future career in the games industry, and if Futuregames is a good fit for you and your development.

 

 

You can apply with a previous team project, but please specify in detail in which you have contributed to the project.

 

 

Format?

 

Maximum ten (10) pages.

Name the file [firstname_surname.pdf].

 

The structure of the document is free choice. We strongly recommend that you treat your application as a job application to a game studio.

 

Is prior tech knowledge mandatory?

 

All applicants have different levels of knowledge and expertise.

 

If you have prior technical expertise, and you are already familiar with some game engines such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Lumberyard, Godot, or any other game engine, you should use this as your working prototype.

 

However, if you don’t have any prior technical knowledge, don’t worry, you can still apply to Futuregames. A rough-and-dirty prototype where you test out a single mechanic, a camera system, a feature, or any such, is more than enough.

 

And if you feel this is still too challenging, please present us only your game idea. We’re interested in knowing more about your mind-set and design thinking rather than how good you are at making games. That’s something we can teach you when you are accepted into the program.

 

 

Futuregames will assess your work sample in the 3 following areas:

 

  • -Visualization ability – assesses the artistical ability to express oneself through illustrations and texts.

 

  • -Technical ability – assesses proficiency of utilization of the machine as tool.

 

  • -Industry relevance – assesses the relevance of the presented content towards the games industry and game development.

 

 

 

 

 

Selection Process

 

If we receive more applications than we have seats, we will assess applicants by the score in their work samples and in written tests.

 

The applicants with the highest score, regardless of location, will be offered a seat to the program, and other eligible applicants will be in our wait list.

 

 

Admission Process

 

-You will receive an offer letter via our admission system in the end of June.

 

-In the acceptance letter it will be stated how many days you have to accept/decline the offer.

 

-If the school does not receive your confirmation until the set deadline, we will automatically offer your seat to the next applicant on our wait list.

 

 

Read more about the application process here

CSN

For Swedish nationals: This course is eligible for CSN. Please apply on their website at www.csn.se.

As soon as you have received your offer letter from Futuregames, you can apply for CSN. If you need extra documentation from the school, please contact your course manager.

 

The school reports to CSN regularly to verify that students are continuing their studies, as part of the agreement between CSN and each student.

Career

Careers & Employability

 

  • Game Designer
  • Level Designer
  • Gameplay Designer
  • Narrative Design
  • Game Producer
  • Technical Designer
  • Quality Assurance
  • Game Project Management

Educational board

Each educational program has a Board of Education that ensures the quality of the education, and that makes decisions about admission and examination. The board meets twice per semester. One or more students from the class are also selected to be part of the board as representatives for the class.

The board can consist of representatives from the industry, the business community, the school management, the public school system, universities / colleges, industry organizations and students. One of the board’s main tasks is to ensure that the educational program meet the labour market’s needs for qualified workforce.

Course manager

Course manager

Clara Parona

Head of Education
Game Designer

clara.parona@futuregames.nu

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Skellefteå
Stockholm
Boden
Umeå