Game Design School

Hands-On Degrees, Programs and Workshops at NYFA

Game designers make use of their technical and creative skills to build immersive experiences with compelling gameplay. In the degree, certificate, and workshop programs at NYFA’s Game Design School, students are given the opportunity to develop these skills through hands-on projects, lectures, workshops, and rigorous coursework.

Under the guidance and mentorship of experienced industry designers, students learn to use sophisticated industry-standard tools and gain experience turning their ideas into playable games. In our advanced programs, students create a playable game every semester. In our short-term workshops, students build a functional game.

As NYFA strives to make education in game design and the visual arts accessible to the most diverse, international, and broadest spectrum of students, students work and study in a supportive creative setting. Upon successful completion of our game design programs, students possess a digital portfolio of games, preparing them to pursue creative goals in game design and development, animation, virtual reality, media, entertainment, and more.

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Game Design Degrees

At NYFA’s Game Design School, students can choose from our graduate and undergraduate degrees at our NYFA Los Angeles campus, including Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), or Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) in Game Design.

Throughout the degree programs, students learn fundamental and advanced skills in game design and development, and create a number of original games for their portfolio.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Game Design

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Game Design

Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) in Game Design


1-Year Game Design Certificate Program

The 1-Year Game Design Certificate Program, offered at NYFA Los Angeles and NYFA New York, is ideal for students looking to build practical creative and technical skills while learning the latest technology and game design software.

In this hands-on program, students gain practical training while creating two original games.

1-Year Game Design Certificate Program


Game Design
Workshops

The Game Design School at NYFA offers short-term workshops at our New York and Los Angeles campuses. The workshops are designed for students looking to gain introductory knowledge of visual storytelling and the fundamentals of game design. In these condensed, rigorous programs, students create a playable game. For students who wish to join virtual programs, NYFA offers a selection of online game design workshops.


Game Design
School Faculty

NYFA’s Game Design School has a distinguished and experienced faculty, as each member has extensive professional experience in the game design industry. Our roster of esteemed faculty members have worked at major AAA studios including Disney, Activision, Warner Bros, and Microsoft. They have also worked on several popular games – from massive online worlds, to beloved franchises such as Pokemon, Call of Duty, and Jurassic World. NYFA’s game design faculty are also well-versed in other forms of new media, and host podcasts such as Ethics & Video Games and Ludology, have written comic books such as St. Mercy from Top Crow, and have appeared in established game development textbooks.

Any Ashcraft - Headshot  
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Andy Ashcraft

 
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Craig Caton

Creative Director of Media Arts Department

Brandii Grace - Headshot  
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Brandii Grace

game design  

Game Design
School Alumni

NYFA’s Game Design School strives to offer an intensive and focused education that provides practical training and hands-on experience. The achievements of any NYFA alumni are the result of their hard work, perseverance, talent, and circumstances, and many of NYFA’s Game Design School alumni have gone on to have extensive, successful experience in the game design industry, helping to develop popular games for development studios such as Playstation, UBISOFT, Microsoft, Riot Games, Electronic Arts, and Twin Crown.

Obinna Eze Ajoku  

Obinna Eze Ajoku

Game Designer

 
Leandro K.I. Ribeiro  

Leandro K.I. Ribeiro

3D Animation & VFX Artist | Game Design

 
Guillermo Quesada  

Guillermo Quesada

3D Animator | VFX Artist | Game Designer

 
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Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.