The Game Design & Development (GDD) program is an introduction to game development. It examines game design and the creation of art and animation for games. This Certificate provides studnets with a introduction to what goes into the design and development of both video and analog games. You will discover resources for developing game design, identify the mechanics and verbs used in different games, and learn about the gaming industry, workflows, and work environments. This includes; how to model and animate 3D assets for games, use effective communication skills to articulate concepts and develop visual prototyping, narrative, and environmental storytelling. You will learn to design, document, and create a game concept that employs level design and narrative strategies using industry-standard tools.

Enrollment and Completer Projections

The program meets a need in the geographic area and does not cause undue competition with an existing program at another college. The nearest college offering a Game program is Norco College (90 miles away). Need was determined by Labor Market Analysis (see LMI attached and Program Goals and Objectives above), Advisory Committee (see Advisory Committee meeting minutes attached), Enrollment and Completer Projections (see chart below) and Enrollment Data (see chart below).

Enrollment and Completer Projections

In the United States alone, nearly 227 million people play games every week, and video game revenues reached nearly $57 billion in 2020 according to NPD. Worldwide, there are three billion video game players, and global revenues reached nearly $180 billion in 2020 according to Newzoo. 

Video games are not, however, just a source of entertainment. Increasingly, video games are becoming valuable tools across a broad range of sectors, from healthcare to industry to education.

This program follows the values and master plan of the college by creating an environment of empowerment, creativity, courage, and exploration to provide a unique student-learning-centered culture that fosters innovation.

Program Learning Outcomes: 

• Analyze the impact of video games on popular culture.
• Analyze how technological innovations furthered the use of video games as a platform for artistic expression.
• Compare and contrast video game styles and genres throughout time.
• Critically examine components of games.
• Identify various aspects that make a game fun and compelling.

The goal of this new program is to contribute to the growth and vitality of the regional economy and achieve economic justice by aligning College of the Desert's career education programs with the needs of current and future labor markets and providing students with opportunities to develop 21st-century workplace knowledge and skills, which prepare them for high-quality, high-demand, living-wage occupations.

This emerging field is embedded within the broader occupation of web and digital interface designers. Community college game design programs provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities that prepare students for game design careers. In the United States alone, nearly 227 million people play games every week, and video game revenues reached nearly $57 billion in 2020 according to NPD. Worldwide, there are three billion video game players, and global revenues reached nearly $180 billion in 2020 according to Newzoo. Video games are not, however, just a source of entertainment. Increasingly, video games are becoming valuable tools across a broad range of sectors, from healthcare to industry to education.  Game design is an exciting, rewarding, and multi-faceted field with promising job prospects. About 3 billion people globally play digital games, according to industry research, and the field is only growing. A game design degree combines art, design, and technology and can lead to a career in the gaming industry. According to a study released by the Newzoo market research and analytics firm in May 2022 predicted that worldwide revenue produced by gaming companies would exceed $200 billion in 2022. By contrast, the global film industry's revenue hit $100 billion for the first time in 2019, the Motion Picture Association reported.

Center for Excellence LMI Data

According to the Center of Excellence Labor Market Information report there were 4,500 total electronic game design jobs in the region; approximately 8% of regional electronic game design jobs are community college-level, and 92% are bachelor’s degree-level. By 2026, community college-level employment is projected to increase by 20%; 45 job openings are expected annually due to the region's new job growth and replacement needs.

Key Findings: 

• The community college-level electronic game design occupation is expected to have 45 annual job openings through 2026, increasing employment by 20%.
• The median hourly earnings for web and digital interface designers are above the living wage ($21.82 per hour), indicating that approximately 50% of workers earn a living wage.
• Regional community colleges have issued 42 awards annually in programs related to electronic game design.