Profiles of Game Management Programs & Schools

What Does Game Production and Management Mean?

Game production and management is the process of analyzing and producing games including computer games, console games, arcade games, mobile games, and handheld video games. In addition to analyzing games, professionals in this field manage production teams through all phases from concept to creation to the finished product. Once the product is finished, production and game management professionals play an important role in marketing the product by developing materials to help promote it.

So you've decided to turn the permanent dents in your thumbs from game controller buttons into a career? Well played sir (or ma'am), well played. 

The world of video game design however is more cut-throat than Resident Evil, so you'll need some help to navigate that world. And where do you find that help? In resources. Oodles and oodles of resources, because as it turns out video gamers and designers aren't the introverted shut-ins the public persona portrays them to be.

Sports games have been a staple of the video game industry since the birth of the home console. From Tecmo Bowl to Madden, the scale of sports games has undergone a massive change and requires very large teams to develop each iteration year after year. Gamers have come to expect their favorite sports stars and teams to look and behave exactly like their real life counterparts thanks to the power of the current generation consoles. This level of detail takes tons of resources and time, but one thing that never changes is the year time frame the game needs to be completed in. By the start of each sports season, developers need to wrap up their changes and get the game on store shelves to meet important deadlines and cash in on the excitement. Because of the unique timeframe constraints, sports game studios usually run a bit differently when compared with your average console developers that get 2 to 3 years to finish a game.

Our 2015 list of the Top 25 Public College Game Design/Development Programs in the US. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here. 

1. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

The University of Utah was founded in 1850. It is home to 31,000 students enrolled in nearly 100 undergraduate programs and more than 90 graduate programs. The school houses 17 colleges and schools and close to 100 departments. The College of Engineering and the College of Fine Arts offer the Entertainment Arts and Engineering Master Games Studio (EAE:MGS). Tracks include Arts, Engineering, Technical Arts, and Production. According to the Studio, “all students in each of the tracks have a series of common classes including Game Design, Rapid Prototyping, Pre-Production, and Final Project.” In addition, students will “develop and enhance a professional game portfolio” and they will have the opportunity to complete an internship in the game industry.

Our 2015 list of the Top 50 Private Game Design School Programs in the US. 

For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.

1. University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, California

Established in 1880, the University of Southern California is home to 43,000 students enrolled in more than 200 undergraduate programs, 300-plus graduate programs, and more than 150 minors across 18 colleges and schools. USC Games offers four degree programs and four minors for aspiring game designers. School of Cinematic Arts degrees include a BA in Interactive Entertainment and an MFA in Interactive Media. Viterbi School of Engineering degrees include a BS in Computer Science (Games) and an MS in Computer Science with a Specialization in Game Development. Minors include Game Animation, Game Audio, Game Design, and Game Entrepreneurism.