How to Learn Game Design - 16 Bootcamps to Get You Started

Not Sure Where to Apply?

By: The SwitchUp Team
Last Updated: August 23, 2019

Learn Game Design with This List of Top-Rated Bootcamps

With duties like designing characters, art, animation, puzzles and complex levels, game designers contribute to the creation of new video games. Because technology is constantly evolving, game designers must be able to quickly adapt to new technologies and master various programming languages. This field requires quick learners with a keen curiosity and a flair for creativity.

According to Glassdoor, game designers in the United States earn an average salary of over $73,000. Competitive candidates must have strong skills with scripting languages like Python, LUA, C# and C++. In the field, game designers not only create video games, but create and design videos that apply to education, exercise, general gaming and entertainment.

To address the demand for innovative and challenging games, game design schools and bootcamps have emerged around the globe. The comprehensive list below displays game design bootcamps that can help you build a foundation in game design programming, and acquire the skills needed to start your career in game designer. Highly-ranked programs include UXER School, Make School and Helio Training Bootcamp.

Learn more: SwitchUp has compiled verified alumni reviews that range from 1 to 5 stars for these programs. Our comprehensive guide will help you kick-start your research. Be sure to check out all individual reviews, courses, and community discussions before making your decision.

Available Online
Verified Outcomes
Flexible Classes
Locations: Online, Portland
Courses: Full-Time C# and .NET Framework Boot Camp, Full-Time Cyber Security Boot Camp, Full-Time Data Science Boot Camp, +30 More
Subjects: .NET, Agile, Android, App Development, ASP.NET +32 More
Available Online
Verified Outcomes
Flexible Classes

The Tech Academy offers full and part-time boot camps that can be studied online from anywhere in the world. There are no set start dates or study schedules – students can enroll anytime and study on their own schedule. None of The Tech Academy's bootcamps require any tech background or experience. Students study at their own speed with Tech Academy Instructors available to help when needed. Instructors review code and assist in debugging. The Tech...
Available Online
Flexible Classes
Locations: Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia
Courses: Design Research Course, Design Sprint Series, Service Design Executive, +3 More
Subjects: A/B Testing, Axure, Business, Design Principles, Design Sprint +6 More
Available Online
Flexible Classes

UXER School offers courses in anywhere from 1-week, 25-hour formats to 12-week, 75-hour formats. They are affiliated with companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Kairos, and ING. They take job placement seriously and frequently have hiring sessions that connect their students with these affiliated companies.
Available Online
Flexible Classes
Locations: Online
Courses: AR/VR and Game Development Bootcamps, Game Artist Bootcamp
Subjects: AR/VR, Game Design
Available Online
Flexible Classes

Game Art Institute offers part-time, 12-week online courses in game art development and virtual reality development. Founded in 2010, Game Art Institute offers bootcamps that encompass skills and the workflows needed to kickstart a career in game design and development. The courses aim to teach students everything from modularity to texturing to lighting and rendering, and students learn to create game art while mastering pipeline and best practices. The VR development bootcamp teaches students how...
Available Online
Flexible Classes
Locations: Online, Las Vegas, NYC, Washington D.C.
Courses: Administering a SQL Database Infrastructure (SQL Server 2017), Adobe Illustrator Training Courses, Adobe Photoshop CC Advanced - Web and Video, +146 More
Subjects: .NET, A/B Testing, Agile, AJAX, Algorithms +44 More
Available Online
Flexible Classes

It's hard to imagine a day going by without people passing along large amounts of information. Messages are everywhere, and the number of messages we receive seems to be increasing each day. Whether via phone, email, mass media, or personal interaction, we are subjected to a constant stream of information. With so much communication to contend with, it can be difficult to grab people's attention. But, we are often called upon to do just that....
Available Online
Flexible Classes
Locations: Online
Courses: Comprehensive HTML 5 Tutorial: Become an HTML 5 Specialist, Cryptocurrency Investment Opportunity May 2018, Interactive Coding for Beginners: What is CSS, HTML & Web Development, +7 More
Subjects: Blockchain, Blockchain and Crypto, C#, Cryptocurrency, CSS +11 More
Available Online
Flexible Classes

BitDegree offers a large number of online programming classes, many of which are free. Courses are offered in video and interactive formats. Students can pay for classes either at standard prices through conventional methods or at discount with cryptocurrency in the form of BiTDegree's own BDG tokens.

Start Your Career with a Top-Rated Bootcamp

Locations: Online
Courses: Advance MATLAB Data Types and Data Structures | Simpliv, Beginner’s Guide to Editor Scripting in Unity | Simpliv, Complete Google Data Engineer and Cloud Architect Guide | Simpliv, +25 More
Subjects: Cyber Security, Data Science, Data Structures, Game Design, Hadoop +7 More

Simpliv is your one stop solution for taking control of your learning with the widest range of professional online courses. It is a unique platform that allows the learners to master the important skills needed for the success in life. Let the expert instructors explore their expertise by imparting the knowledge and skills Simpliv is an online education company which is transforming the internet platform into a dynamic web-based learning and teaching environment for a...
Locations: Ann Arbor, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Bellevue +59 More
Courses: Coding Camps for Kids & Teens, Coding Camps for Teens
Subjects: A/B Testing, Algorithms, Android, Artificial Intelligence (AI), C# +8 More

Students ages 7-18 learn to code, design video games, mod Minecraft, create with Roblox, engineer robots, print 3D characters, work with AI, build laptops, learn about cybersecurity, and more! Held at 150+ locations nationwide, including Stanford, NYU, and many others. This summer, kids and teens can explore a prestigious campus, make friends as they master new tech skills, and join a community of 350,000 alumni. With world-class instructors and customized learning, our programs instill in-demand...
Locations: Boulder
Courses: Android App Development In-Depth Intensive, Digital Marketing and Social Media In-Depth Intensive, Mobile & Responsive Website Development Hands-On, +5 More
Subjects: Android, CSS, Design Principles, Digital Marketing, Game Design +12 More

For over ten years, BDA has a proven track record of providing high-impact, low-cost training for creative professionals and entrepreneurs. Our community-powered, in-person classes & workshops are focused on practical skills and taught by industry professionals; in addition, we offer a wide variety of social and networking events, coworking and private offices, a professional directory, a membership program, and much more. Whether you work in film, technology, design, photography, or business, we seek to empower...
Locations: San Francisco
Courses: Learn Unity in 8 Weeks, Learn Unreal in 8 Weeks
Subjects: Game Design, Mobile, Unity

Playcrafting provides you with the tools to get yours off the ground--through tailored educational events, dynamic networking opportunities, and classes to help you crack the code to gaming success. From design to programming to business and beyond, your skillset’s about to get even sharper. Get a leg up from our network of pros in powering up your product, impressing the industry, and bringing your A-game to a whole new level.
Locations: Mexico City
Courses: JS BACK-END DEVELOPER BOOTCAMP, JS FRONT-END DEVELOPER BOOTCAMP, PYTHON BOOTCAMP, +2 More
Subjects: Angular, Back-End Web Development, C#, CSS, Django +14 More

KMMX is an training program that offers courses in JavaScript front-end and back-end development, Python, Video Game Development with Unity, and Scrum. Students need not have prior experience, and students will learn how companies manage their software projects through real-life, practical examples. Students can apply to one or more official certifications by Microsoft, Python Institute, CertiProf and Unity, which are offered through the bootcamp. In addition, at the end of the boot camp, KMMX offers...

Best Bootcamps received an average 2.18 of 5 based on 561 reviews.

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