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2023 Ranking of UK Video Game Schools and Studios
2023 Ranking of UK Video Game Schools and Studios
A significant player in the video game industry
The United Kingdom is home to many well-known video game development studios such as Rockstar North, Creative Assembly, and Codemasters. According to the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), the video game industry in the UK generated approximately £3.9 billion in sales in 2020, equivalent to €4.4 billion, representing an 11.2% increase from the previous year.
The country is also host to numerous video game industry events, such as the London Games Festival and EGX (formerly known as Eurogamer Expo). For schools, there are the TIGA UK Games Education Awards. The UK has a strong community of gamers and video game fans, with many e-sports competitions and tournaments held each year.
Regarding revenue, the UK ranks fifth in the world for the video game industry, following the USA, Japan, China, and France. However, it should be noted that these figures do not take into account online video game sales, which have grown significantly in recent years and can significantly influence the overall revenue of the video game industry in each country.
TOP 5 UK video GAME SCHOOLS
TOP 5 UK video GAME SCHOOLS
with the Highest Video Game Job Placement Rates
with the Highest Video Game Job Placement Rates
TOP 5 uk VIDEO GAME STUDIOS
TOP 5 uk VIDEO GAME STUDIOS
studios that recruited the most graduates in 2022
studios that recruited the most graduates in 2022
☆ top 5 video game schools in the UK ☆
☆ top 5 video game schools in the UK ☆
Dozens of schools in the United Kingdom offer training programs in video game development, and their students produce game projects, some of which remain confidential.
There are many game development competitions organized in the country, such as the BAFTA Games Awards, the UK Games Fund, and the TIGA Awards. These competitions provide students with an opportunity to showcase their skills and talents and to win prizes and recognition for their projects.
#1 Staffordshire University
#1 Staffordshire University
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
15,190 students, including approx. 800 enrolled in video game programs
Public University
Tuition fees 2023:
Bachelor's £9,250 (UK), £16,750 (non-UK)
Master's £9,830 (UK), £16,750 (non-UK)
Staffordshire University opened its first video game program in 1997. Originally specializing in sciences, the university has since expanded its program offerings to include digital arts and has become a recognized player in higher education for video game studies in the United Kingdom. It boasts modern facilities and state-of-the-art equipment specifically designed for training in these fields.
In 2019, Staffordshire University opened a new campus, the London Digital Institute, entirely dedicated to digital careers, which also offers a BSc in Computer Games Design.
ACADEMICS:
Undergraduate
Computer Games Design BSc (Hons)
Computer Gameplay Design and Production BSc (Hons)
Computer Games Design and Programming BSc (Hons)
Computer Games Development BSc (Hons)
Computer Games Programming BSc (Hons)
Concept Art for Games and Film BA (Hons)
Games Art BA (Hons)
Esports BA (Hons)
Postgraduate
3D Computer Games Design MSc
STUDENT PROJECTS:
Kai N Tonga (2022) Platform adventure game with stunning scenery and color palettes. Awarded first prize in Level Design at GradEx22. Nominated for the TIGA Education Awards 2022..
Cyberunner 2054 (2022). Dystopian Cyberpunk Future-style action game. Featuring a dark and atmospheric setting accentuated by neon colors, this Final Year Project showcases exceptional quality and sophistication in its environments.
RECRUITMENT:
The major video game studios that have hired alumni from Staffordshire University since 2018 include:
Flix Interactive AAA
Codemasters AAA
Frontier Developments AAA
Cloud Imperium Games AAA
Rockstar Games AAA
Electronic Arts (EA) AAA
Playground Games AAA
*
Half of the former graduates from Staffordshire University who have entered the video game industry since 2018 hold artistic roles. Among Game Artists, the most prominent position is 3D artist, accounting for 32%.
#2 abertay university
#2 abertay university
Dundee, Scotland
Dundee, Scotland
Over 4,500 students enrolled
Public university
Tuition fees 2023:
Bachelor's £1,820 (Scotland), £9,250 (UK), £15,500 (non-UK)
Master's £7,700 (Scotland), £10,200 (UK), £17,000 (non-UK)
Abertay University was the first university in the world to offer a degree in game development and has since become a leader in the field.
Many professionals in the game industry have studied at Abertay, and the university has partnered with leading game companies to provide internship and career opportunities for its students. All of this has contributed to making Abertay one of the most renowned universities in the world for game development education.
ACADEMICS:
BSc Computer Games Applications Development
BSc Computer Games Technology
BA Game Design and Production
BA Computer Arts
MSc Computer Games Technology
MProf Professional Masters in Games Development
STUDENT PROJECTS:
Mankind's March (2022)
Retracked (2022)
RECRUITMENT:
The following is a list of the main video game studios that have recruited Abertay University alumni since 2018:
Build A Rocket Boy (UK) AAA
Rockstar Games (UK) AAA
Hyper Luminal Games (UK) AA
Outplay Entertainment Ltd (UK) A
4J Studios (UK) A
Out of all the schools in this UK ranking, Abertay University alumni who entered the video game industry since 2018 are mostly employed in technical roles, with 35% of them being in technical positions, including 28% as programmers. Additionally,
Abertay has the highest proportion of alumni employed as game designers (36%), engineers (7%), and producers (7%).
#3 teesside University
#3 teesside University
Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
21,276 students enrolled
Public university
Tuition & fees 2023:
Bachelor's £9,250 (UK), £15,000 (non-UK)
Master's £7,365 (UK), £15,000 (non-UK)
Teesside University offers a Bachelor of Science in Video Game Development program that aims to equip students with the technical and creative skills required to succeed in the video game industry.
The curriculum covers the use of the latest tools and technologies for developing games on various platforms, as well as game design principles and project management.
Additionally, TU offers other programs related to video game development, such as the Master of Science in Video Game Development and the Master of Science in Video Game Design.
ACADEMICS:
BA (Hons) Games Design
BA (Hons) Games Art
BA (Hons) Concept Art
BA (Hons) Music Production
BSc (Hons) Games Development
BSc (Hons) Games Programming
MA Games Design
MA 3D Games Art
MA Concept Art
MSc Computer Games Programming
STUDENT PROJECTS:
Teesside University students produce around 20 video game projects annually, which are of high quality and available on the Expotees website.
Shadow Shifter (2022)
Platform Pursuit (2022)
RECRUITMENT:
The following is a list of the main video game studios that have recruited Teesside University graduates since 2018:
Double Eleven (UK) AA
Radical Forge (UK) AA
Rockstar Games (UK) AAA
Sumo Digital Ltd (UK) AAA
Frontier Developments (UK) AA
SockMonkey Studios (UK) AA
Coatsink (UK) AA
*
The overall profile of Teesside University alumni who have entered the video game industry since 2018 is heavily focused on art, with a high proportion of 55%, including 52% game artists, the highest rate in this ranking. Of these, 30% are 3D artists and 7% character artists.
In addition, 24% are game designers and 19% are programmers.
#4 Falmouth University
#4 Falmouth University
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth, Cornwall
6,245 students enrolled
Public university
Tuition & fees 2023:
BA/BSc from £9,250 (UK) to £17.460 (non-UK)
MA/MSc from £8,950 (UK) to £19.300 (non-UK)
Falmouth University was one of the first academic institutions in the world to offer video game training programs, and it continues to be recognized as a leading university in the field.
The university offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in video games, as well as doctoral courses in video game research. Falmouth's video game education programs cover a wide range of topics, including game design, game development, game animation, game audio, and interactive storytelling.
ACADEMICS:
BA (Hons) Game Art
BA (Hons) Game Development
BA (Hons) Esports & Livestreaming
BA (Hons) Game Animation
BSc (Hons) Computing for Games
BSc (Hons) Computer Science
BSc (Hons) Immersive Computing
MA Game Art
MA Game Design
MA (Online) Indie Game Development
MSc Game Programming
MSc Artificial Intelligence for Games
STUDENT PROJECTS:
Every year, Falmouth University students create approximately 30 video game projects, many of which are accessible through the Game Academy Digital Expo website.
BladeGunners (2022)
ChronoMania: Blast From The Past (2022)
RECRUITMENT:
The following is a list of the main video game studios that have recruited Falmouth University alumni since 2018:
AntiMatter Games Ltd (UK) AAA
Supermassive Games Ltd (UK) AAA
Codemasters (UK) AAA
Firesprite (UK) AA
Frontier Developments (UK) AA
Creative Assembly (UK) AAA
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Since 2018, the majority of Falmouth University alumni recruited into video game professions have been oriented towards artistic roles (47%). Of these, 23% are 3D artists and 9% character artists.
33% are employed as game designers, and 19% as programmers.
#5 Bournemouth University
#5 Bournemouth University
Bournemouth, Dorset
Bournemouth, Dorset
17,390 students enrolled
Public university
Tuition & fees 2023: Bachelor's: £9,250 (UK), £17,595 (non-UK)
Master's: £8,500 (UK), £15,750 (non-UK)
Bournemouth University has a strong reputation for video game programs. It has a School of Game Design that offers degrees in game design, game programming, game art and game storytelling. The university also has a video game research center called BU GameLab, which focuses on video game research and its impact on society. In addition,
BU regularly hosts events and conferences on video games, and welcomes professionals from the gaming industry to talk about their work and experience.
ACADEMICS:
BA (Hons) Computer Animation Art & Design
BA (Hons) Computer Animation Technical Arts
BSc (Hons) Games Design
BSc (Hons) Games Software Engineering
BA (Hons) Visual Effects
BA (Hons) Music and Sound Production
MA 3D Computer Animation
MA Digital Effects
STUDENT PROJECTS:
Polyworlds (2022)
Cybersprint (2022)
RECRUITMENT:
The following is a list of the main video game studios that have hired Bournemouth University graduates since 2018:
Frontier Developments (UK) AA
Creative Assembly (UK) AAA
Supermassive Games Ltd (UK) AAA
Rockstar Games (UK) AAA
Playground Games (UK) AAA
Firesprite (UK) AA
Freejam (UK) AA
The overall profile of Bournemouth University alumni who have entered the video game industry since 2018 is very strongly art-oriented, with 60% of positions held, including the highest rate of technical artists at 16%.
44% are game artists (including 25% 3D artists and 7% core game artists), 19% are game designers and 18% are programmers.
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