Game Design
Experience the entire game development cycle and develop specialized skills in coding, game art, and level design.
You don't just play games – you create them from concept to completion. You know that a great interactive experience comes from combining unique game mechanics, inspiring graphics, compelling levels, and expert coding. You see high-tech game engines and analog pen-and-paper games as equal ways to create memorable player challenges. You are a game designer.
An Education in Game Design
GAME CONCEPTS AND MECHANICS
Develop the theory and fundamentals you need to create great games. You'll start with analog board games to highlight concepts like game mechanics and player rewards.
INTERACTIVE 2D GAMES
Take your skills to the next level by designing a playable 2D-based interactive game, developed using Unity.
FINAL PROJECTS
Devote your creative and problem-solving energy into collaboratively developing a 3D game. Pitch this to an industry audience to show them what you're capable of.
Program Breakdown
Establish fundamental skills in game theory, pre-production techniques, and storytelling. Engage with basic visual design principles, level design, and coding.
Build on your game design foundation and start to work effectively in teams. Create your own playable 2D game in Unity.
Shift from theoretical to practical with hands-on work on detailed design documentation and front-end interfaces. Start your chosen specialization.
Expand your role as a designer with online, multiplayer design. The core part of this term is dedicated to designing and planning a major team-based final project.
Concentrate fully on the game production cycle. Conceive, plan, and execute a final project that delivers a rewarding interactive experience.
Engage with ongoing play-testing and complete your final project. Develop your presentation skills to prepare for unveiling your work to the industry.
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Program Length
12 months
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Time spent with instructors
1000+ Hours
Specializations
Coding / Game Art / Level Design
See program breakdown and full course descriptions for more information.- A Diploma in Game Design
- A professional quality online portfolio
- Access to the VFS Alumni Directory and Job Board
- A lifetime network
Student Work
Brian Atuh, Derek Brouwer, Kurin Laing, John Pine
Final Project
Anomaly: Opening Night is a Third-Person thriller created in Unity in collaboration with Programming for Games, Web + Mobile student Bruno Tamer. While investigating a theatre, the player must deal with possessed mannequins, an unstoppable creature and hallucinations which change their perceptions of reality.
Teofilo Gonzalez, Joseph Kazma, Diego Lopez, Jake Waugh
Final Project
Hikari, a 2.5D rhythmic platformer where you play as Hikari, the light keeper of the planet Harmonia tasked with driving off the darkness that engulfs her world. Developed in the Unity 5 engine by a team of four.
Melvin Kwan, Justin Ostensen, Charles Park
Final Project
An anime-inspired isometric card-based tactics game where a squad of four heroes fight robots, developed in the Unity engine in collaboration with Programming for Games, Web + Mobile student Brian Yich.
Rafael Andrade, Sebastian Figueroa, Jean Leite, Nigel Sampson
Final Project
Fruit Punch is a 2.5D dungeon crawler for Facebook in which the player must control a group of fruit heroes in order to explore and defeat the insect menaces. Developed by four students using Unity engine.
Richard Coburn, Valerio Terreri, Ian Longiaru, Dale Schollen
Final Project
This action-horror, first-person shooter is set in an overgrown, derelict spaceship. Arc is a final project developed by four students using Unreal Engine 4.
Asaf Kasachinsky, Ethan Maddix, Marlon Franz, Kris Lee, Aleah Martin
Final Project
Set in a dystopian futuristic city, “Carrion” is a tactical pseudo-turn-based RPG developed by five students using Unity3D.
Key Faculty
Our Game Design instructors come right from the industry, and offer an unparalleled education based on decades of real-world experience, designed to give students the skills, contacts and confidence to kick start their careers.
Peter Walsh
Head of Department
Peter is a game industry software development veteran with over 12 years' expertise as a technical leader, senior software engineer, and consultant for large projects. He is the author of several books on game engine design.
Chris Mitchell
Senior Instructor
Chris is an educator and industry veteran with over 10 years' experience as an award-winning writer and game designer. He is one of the first people in the game industry to receive a nomination from the Writers Guild of America.
Glen Hamilton
Instructor – Project Management
Glen has managed over 20 titles on a wide range of gaming platforms, from first gen Super Nintendo, Xbox 360/PS3 to mobile. He worked at Hothead Games as a producer on the DeathSpank series, which was awarded the IGN Editors' Choice Award and Top 3 Action-RPGs on PS3.
Mike Hayes
Instructor - Game Art
Following more than a dozen years as an artist in games production, Mike has now transitioned to teaching his craft at VFS. Working on game franchises such as Need For Speed, Sleeping Dogs and Battlefield, Mike has had the opportunity to work with some great teams and amazing people. His passions include a love of automotive culture (racing, tuning and lifestyle), animation (Pixar, Disney and Miyazaki) as well as a long history of playing and designing games.
See more Instructors and staff
Faculty Career Highlights
Campus Life
The VFS Game Design campus looks and feels just like the professional game developer studios you'll find throughout downtown Vancouver. Surrounded by some of the city's best cafes, restaurants, and cultural attractions, you'll have all the resources you need at your fingertips: a massive game library, arcades, screening theatres, and your own dedicated workspace.
Program Events
Industry Night: Pitch + Play
Towards the end of your year in Game Design, you will complete your team-based final project and pitch it to an invite-only audience of professional game designers and industry recruiters from 30 to 40 companies.
Guest Speakers
Gain valuable career insights from industry guest speakers who will give demonstrations or answer questions about their specialties. Recent guests include Game Director Tuomas Pirinen of Slant Six Games, Level Designer Chris Haluke from 343 Industries (Halo 4), and Ubisoft's Creative Director Patrick Plourde.
Hat Jam
You will have the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular game design competitions that rely on your growing skills for productive collaboration. One of these events is known as a “Hat Jam”, in which student teams create playable games within a 48-hour time frame.
CAREERS IN GAMES
As a graduate of Game Design at VFS, you’ll be trained to perform in a variety of roles across the entire industry – from AAA console games to indie games, mobile games, social games, and web-based games.
Game Designer
Game designers are often the originator of the game's concept. Depending upon the project, company, or production style, your responsibilities may include creating the core gameplay elements, writing a game's story and/or dialogue, specializing in a single aspect of game design, or supervising the entire game project.
Feature Designer
As a Feature Designer, you'll report to the lead designer or producer and take on the very specific task of conceptualizing and designing a component (or a group of components) for a game's play system. Normally, this includes features, modes, or even mini-games.
Level Designer
In games that utilize different levels or distinct areas of gameplay, you'll outline and create an entire level or to execute the level-building targets established by the game designer. Knowledge of 3D modeling is generally a requirement for this position.
Explore Your Other Career Options
Alumni Success
Vancouver Film School grads are some of the most successful professionals in the Video Game industry. Take a moment to browse some of their accomplishments and achievements. Grad Career Highlights offers a glimpse at some of our amazing alumni credits and contributions to the industry.
Grad Career Highlights
Marvel Contest Of Champions
Waylon Snedker — Game Designer
Tim Molyneux — Game Designer
Thomas McLain — Game Designer
Shane O'Connor — Game Designer
Pedro Cardial — Associate Software Engineer
Andre P Gross — QA Analyst
Luke Takeuchi — Producer Associate
Kenneth Banadyga — QA Analyst
FIFA 14
Garrett Metcalf — Senior Quality Assurance Tester
Ignacio Vallejo — QA
Luc Labelle — Lead QA Analyst
Matheus Pitillo — QA
Melissa Stacey — QA Team Lead
Noushin Bardi-Chaharmahali — Assistant Test Coordinator
Warren Zahari — Assistant Modeller
Company of Heroes 2
Andres Molina — Technical and Campaign Designer
Karl Buckley — Senior Surfacing Artist
Lance Mueller — Associate Designer
Maxwell Hannaman — Associate Designer
Peter Qumsieh — Balance Designer
Piero Herrera — Balance Designer
Zach Williams — Design Intern
SSX
Elliott Walton — Level Designer
Gord Cooper — Designer
Harold Hung — Level Designer
Landon Nguyen — Designer
Scott Morin — Designer/Scripter
Resident Evil: Raccoon City
Chris Lee — Game Designer
Darryl Spratt — Design Support
Nguyen Tran — Mission Scripter
Prototype 2
Grayson Scantlebury — Design Scripter
Kevin Maloney — Design Scripter
Miko Wilson — Mission Designer
Scott Morin — Design/Scripter
Halo 4
Armando Troisi — Narrative Director
Cory Hasselbach — Mission Designer
Paul Parsons — Senior Sandbox Designer
Mass Effect 3
Corey Gaspur — Lead Gameplay Designer
Samuel Irwin — Cinematic Designer
Luc Labelle — Designer
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Billy Lind — Dev. Support
Brock Robin — Game Designer
Chris Savory — Dev. Support
Clinton Ma — Development Tester
Francois Chaput — Mission Designer
Joey Song — Development Tester
Nick Halme — Development Tester
Sara Moore — Development Tester
ModNation Racers
Brennan Massicotte — Artist
Chris Savory — Dev Support
Nick Letizia — Game Designer
Testimonials
Admissions Info
To make sure you have accurate admissions information please select your region based on country of citizenship.
Tuition
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Start Dates
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Requirements
You will be asked to submit one of the following along with your application. Your advisor can help with selecting the best option.
Explain the concept, vision, or idea. Include the genre of game you would utilize. Make references to other games to explain how you would make your game (one page maximum).
In addition, provide an outline detailing your story, possible levels, and characters (one page maximum).
Provide diagrams explaining any features or game mechanics (one to two pages maximum) and a simplified map of the game world described in your synopsis.
You'll find information on how to send your synopsis in the application form, or you can ask your Advisor.
*Intermediate computer skills are a requirement, including the ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel.
When you talk to your Advisor, let them know that you've completed the Foundation program and they will put a copy of your diploma in your file for you.*
*Intermediate computer skills are a requirement, including the ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel.
For more about language requirements and other information for international students, visit the International Students page.
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