What is game development?

Game development encompasses all the steps needed to conceptualize and craft a video game, including its music, graphics, and mechanics. Although some games are developed by a solo individual, most projects require the talents of multiple people. In fact, when it comes to the most complex projects, multiple studios and thousands of people may collaborate to produce a single game.

What kind of people are best suited for roles in game development?

Game developers tend to be very creative individuals who are passionate about gaming and storytelling. Not all video games succeed. So, game developers should be willing to accept criticism and ambitious enough to keep trying until they find a winning concept. Game developers also need to be analytical as well as curious enough to stay on top of the latest tech developments.

What jobs can I get in game development?

You can find a variety of jobs in the game development field, including game designer, music composer, programmer, animator, and game tester. Game designers conceptualize games. They may have a role in everything from writing the storyline to designing the stages and mechanics. Whether a game's score features simplistic eight-bit tunes or dramatic orchestral music, composers or audio engineers are needed on game development teams. Jobs are also available for programmers. These individuals tackle the technical aspects of game development, creating complex code that allows players to interact with the elements on the screen. Animators and artists have the task of creating a game's visuals, ranging from character designs to background scenery. Game testers spend plenty of time playing games. However, rather than playing for sheer enjoyment, they spend their time searching for glitches and testing the difficulty and functionality of each stage.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn game development?

Online courses can introduce you to core principles of game design, including how to tell stories through gameplay and how to generate and build on unique game ideas. You can also find courses on Coursera that focus on building specific skills, such as programming, designing characters, and creating pixel art. Other courses focus on the business side of the field, helping you learn how to pitch your creations to audiences or even start your own company.

What are the benefits of taking an online Game Development course?

Online Game Development courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Game Development skills. Choose from a wide range of Game Development courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Game Development courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Game Development, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Game Development Courses - Learn Game Development Online

Explore the Game Development Course Catalog

University of Minnesota
Software Development Lifecycle
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Agile Software Development, Software Design Patterns, Design Thinking, Software Development Methodologies, Agile Methodology, Agile Project Management, Process Mapping, Software Engineering, Kanban Principles, Software Development Life Cycle, Application Security, Scrum (Software Development), Object Oriented Design, Software Architecture, Software Quality (SQA/SQC), Requirements Analysis, Application Deployment, Lean Methodologies, Lean Manufacturing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9.6K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Packt
Advanced Unity Scripting, AI, & Complete 3D Game Development
Skills you'll gain: Mobile Development, User Interface (UI) Design, Version Control, Android (Operating System), User Interface (UI), Git (Version Control System), Cross Platform Development, Program Development, Interactive Design, C# (Programming Language), Computer Graphics, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Scripting, Artificial Intelligence, Debugging
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Packt
C# and Unity by Example — 20+ Mini Game Development Projects
Skills you'll gain: Android Development, Mobile Development, C# (Programming Language), Scripting, Application Development, User Interface (UI), Software Installation, Program Development, Computer Graphics, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Human Computer Interaction, Computer Programming, Development Environment, Interactive Design
Beginner · Course · 3 - 6 Months
University of California, Davis
Introduction to Web Development
Skills you'll gain: Version Control, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), GitHub, Git (Version Control System), HTML and CSS, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Web Design and Development, Web Development, Web Design, Web Content, Front-End Web Development, Web Servers, Image Analysis, Semantic Web, Performance Tuning, Cloud Hosting
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Learning HTML, CSS and JavaScript through Game Development
Skills you'll gain: HTML and CSS, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Javascript and jQuery, Web Design and Development, Javascript, Web Development, Front-End Web Development, Computer Graphics, Event-Driven Programming
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Minnesota
Agile Software Development
Skills you'll gain: User Story, Agile Software Development, Agile Methodology, Agile Project Management, Scrum (Software Development), Sprint Planning, Software Development Methodologies, Sprint Retrospectives, Backlogs, Continuous Integration, Test Driven Development (TDD), Release Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
7.4K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IBM
Java Development from IBM
Skills you'll gain: Spring Framework, Software Development Life Cycle, Java, Java Programming, Hibernate (Java), Git (Version Control System), GitHub, Relational Databases, HTML and CSS, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Spring Boot, Development Environment, Version Control, Web Design and Development, Restful API, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Generative AI, Interviewing Skills, CI/CD, Professional Networking
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
4.8K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Michigan State University
Game Design and Development 5: Capstone Project
Skills you'll gain: Software Design Documents, Prototyping, Software Design, Conceptual Design, Ideation, Design Thinking, Usability Testing, Storytelling, Peer Review, Creativity
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
36 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Software Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Software Design Patterns, Requirements Analysis, Systems Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Acceptance Testing, Software Development Methodologies, Unified Modeling Language, Software Development Life Cycle, Configuration Management, Software Quality Assurance, Debugging, Engineering Software, Software Design, Process Driven Development, Software Engineering, Software Testing, Object Oriented Design, Functional Requirement, Data Modeling, Systems Design
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
471 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
IBM Back-End Development
Skills you'll gain: Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Istio, Software Development Life Cycle, Linux Commands, Unit Testing, Application Deployment, Kubernetes, NoSQL, Bash (Scripting Language), MongoDB, Shell Script, Django (Web Framework), Object-Relational Mapping, OpenShift, Git (Version Control System), Cloud Applications, Containerization, GitHub, Jupyter, Grafana
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
47K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Generative AI: Elevate your Software Development Career
Skills you'll gain: Generative AI, CI/CD, ChatGPT, Software Development, Software Development Life Cycle, DevSecOps, Data Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, OpenAI, Natural Language Processing, Prototyping, Software Architecture, Software Testing, Debugging
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
132 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IBM
Generative AI for Mobile App Developers
Skills you'll gain: ChatGPT, Generative AI, Mobile Development, OpenAI, CI/CD, Software Development, Apple iOS, Software Development Life Cycle, DevSecOps, Data Ethics, Application Development, Natural Language Processing, Cloud Development, Prototyping, Marketing Analytics, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Artificial Intelligence, IBM Cloud, Software Development Tools, Image Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7K reviews
Advanced · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months