On first hearing about degree programs in game design and development, a common reaction is to wonder at the rigor of a major so closely connected to playing games. But if you think about it, the skills developed in a game design program are among the most important necessary to work in 21st century advanced technology media enterprises. Training in game design integrates coursework in creative design and computation and can build a bridge to related careers in animation, architecture, set design, and other forms of virtual world creation coming alive today thanks to developments in virtual and augmented reality.

Game design skills also connect to wider industries that are now developing technology platforms based on interactivity.

A key emerging focus in health information technology is on creating multisite diagnostic software platforms that enable point-to-point doctor/patient interactions even when the patient is thousands of miles away from the best specialist.

In real estate, marketing and product design, the coding skills one acquires in a game design degree prepare students to work in industries where customized experiences cannot be imagined without an immersive game or VR platform (for example, the landscape architect who wants a client to “see” how a golf course will look before any ground has been moved or an airline company wanting a client to see a next generation airplane only existing in prototype).

The videogame design industry is a major employer, and that is true in Georgia. The games industry contributed $11.7 billion in economic impact to the American economy in 2016, driven by nearly 3,000 videogame, 530 publishing and 2,300 development companies.

Nearly 70,000 Americans are employed fulltime in this sector, with average annual salaries of $97,000.

Several Georgia-based companies play a prominent role in the game sector, including Hi-Rez Studios (designer of Smite and Paladins), KontrolFreek (which designs gam accessories) and Turner Studios (home to eLeague).

More than 110 game development studios are headquartered in Georgia and new tax credits approved by the Georgia legislature in 2017 are likely to further expand the industry.