Is It Still Worth Investing 4 to 5 Years in a Video Game Degree in the Age of AI?

This is one of the biggest questions on the minds of students and parents in 2026.
The short answer is YES ! But the "WHY" and the "HOW" have radically changed

Why a 4–5 Year Video Game Degree Still Pays Off

1. The Industry No Longer Needs "Executors" — It Needs "Architects"

If a student spends years training to become nothing more than a "chair modeler" or a "basic script coder," they are taking a significant risk. AI will soon be able to perform many of those tasks faster, better, and at a lower cost.

What studios are actively looking for, however, are professionals who understand how an entire game comes together. A four- or five-year degree helps students develop this systemic understanding: connecting game design, technology, production, art, and business objectives into a coherent vision.

AI may be a powerful engine but it does not know where the car should go.

2. Hard Skills Are Gradually Giving Way to Soft Skills

Ten years ago, education focused heavily on mastering software and technical tools such as Photoshop, Unreal Engine, or C++.

Today, those tools are becoming increasingly conversational. We give them instructions, collaborate with them, and use them to accelerate production.

As a result, success is no longer defined solely by knowing which buttons to click. What matters is knowing what to ask for, why it matters, and how to evaluate the result.

• Studying Game Design means learning human psychology, motivation, and player engagement.

• Studying Game Art means understanding composition, color theory, visual storytelling, and what makes an image emotionally impactful.

• Studying Game Programming means learning to think architecturally: analyzing complex systems, making sound technical decisions, and maintaining a holistic view of a project.

These abilities are not created by AI. AI simply reproduces patterns learned from human creativity and expertise.

3. Four to Five Years Are Necessary to Develop Maturity and Expertise

Video games remain among the most complex products created by modern industries.

As AI continues to simplify repetitive production tasks, creators will be able to dedicate more time to what truly matters: experimentation, innovation, deeper gameplay experiences, and the polish that separates good games from great ones.

Because of this, the industry will continue to need qualified professionals capable of supervising, directing, and integrating all these elements into successful projects.

Video game schools immerse students in a continuous cycle of creation through the many projects they complete during their studies. This accumulation of experience gradually builds both creative judgment and a comprehensive understanding of game production.

That is why graduates holding a Master's degree often possess the maturity needed to join professional teams, contribute to emerging projects, or take ownership of specific aspects of larger productions. Studios also know how to give junior talent opportunities to experiment and grow without putting critical production pipelines at risk.

Our Advice for Choosing the Right School

When evaluating a video game school, focus on three essential criteria.

1. Does the School Treat AI as a Normal Production Tool?

If a school completely bans AI or behaves as though it does not exist, that should raise concerns.

It would be similar to teaching accounting without using computers.

It makes sense for a Game Art program to limit AI usage during the first year in order to help students build strong fundamentals before introducing these tools progressively in later years.

However, banning AI throughout an entire curriculum would ultimately hurt graduates' employability.

2. Does the School Teach Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration?

Learning how to communicate with other professions is becoming increasingly important.

An artist who understands programming constraints, or a designer who understands data and analytics, holds a significant advantage.

The ability to collaborate across disciplines is likely one of the strongest protections against automation.

3. Does the School Showcase Recent Student Projects?

Are the projects genuinely interactive?

Do they demonstrate a level of quality comparable to current industry standards?

The best schools are usually proud to showcase the latest projects created by their students.

(You can see many examples in the GAMEducation rankings.)

In Summary

The profession is not disappearing, but some jobs will disappear while new ones emerge.

In many ways, this may be one of the most exciting moments in history to enter the video game industry.

Experienced professionals have always valued junior talent for their ability to challenge established habits, introduce new methods, and explore emerging technologies.

Students often have more time to experiment with the latest innovations than professionals working within long production cycles and demanding deadlines. Industry veterans do not always have the opportunity to continuously test every new tool or production method entering the market.

In this environment, graduates will continue to bring tremendous value to studios through their willingness to explore, experiment, and embrace the rapidly evolving production landscape.

The future belongs not to creators who compete against AI, but to creators who learn how to become enhanced by it.

➔ Read also Which jobs remain stable with AI ?