Program Overview

In NYFA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Game Design program, students build fundamental knowledge in the art, technology, design, narrative storytelling, and business of video games. Through hands-on, project-based learning, students study the key elements that make up video game genres and how they are employed effectively to create a successful game.

Under the guidance and direction of professional game designers, students learn how to engage and immerse players in a gameplay experience, establishing a strong foundation of skills in playable system design, game writing, playcentric design, systems literacy, narrative design, original play mechanics, game analysis, and 3D art.

Students will create a playable, portfolio ready game per semester using industry best practices, including Agile and Scrum. By the conclusion of the BFA, students have a portfolio with their best work that demonstrates their growing creative and technical skills.

The BFA in Game Design program is offered at NYFA Los Angeles. During the program, students take advanced courses and practical workshops that teach them how to deconstruct any game experience. Students also learn game prototyping, playtesting, iteration, presentation, and collaboration, and the key elements that make up specific video game genres. As they create their own games, students practice writing code and creating art assets and game animations and how those inform the process of designing and producing games. The curriculum includes:

• The framework to create a project per semester
• Instruction and mentorship from our experienced faculty of professional Game Designers
• Access to industry-standard equipment and software
• The ability to attend exclusive guest speaker events with industry experts such as Game Designers, Filmmakers, 3D Animators, and and more