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| (Image Source: Manila Standard/Mapúa University) |
As kids spend hours online, engrossed in either solving quests or winning matches, it’s not unusual for parents to wonder if their child’s passion for gaming could lead to something greater. Can gaming be more than just a pastime but a direction? For Mapúa University, the country’s leading engineering and technological institution, the answer is a resounding yes. Home to a distinctive BS Game Development program, the institute recognizes gaming’s potential as a platform for innovation, education, and collaboration.
Although gaming was previously dismissed by many as a mere distraction, the gaming industry has grown in scale over the past few years. An article by the online financial publication Investopedia, citing Dentsu’s “State Of Gaming Report”, revealed that the gaming industry generated approximately US$184B (184 billion US dollars) in revenue in 2024, surpassing the music industry’s US$28.6B (28.6 billion US dollars) and the film industry’s US$33.9B (33.9 billion US dollars). These data demonstrate how gaming has been assimilated into mainstream culture, impacting social interactions, fashion, trends, culture, and utilized time. Foreseeing gaming’s growth potential and to support talented Filipino gamers, the university launched its innovative and comprehensive Game Development program in A.Y. 2016-2017. The unique interdisciplinary program provides gamers the opportunity to not only conquer virtual battlefields but to create and publish their brand of gameplay. Unlike traditional BS Computer Science courses which focus on computing, algorithms, data structures, and systems, Mapúa’s Game Development degree specializes in creating interactive digital experiences. Students master the entire game development pipeline, from conceptualization and design to programming and deployment. This approach involves immersing them in diverse fields, including computer science, art, psychology, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. These subjects are overseen by two units: the School of Information Technology (IT) for technical topics and the School of Media Studies for creative aspects.
The multidisciplinary pedagogy trains aspiring game developers to hone their technical, creative, and professional skills which are essential for excelling in the competitive world of game development. At the end of the four-year course, students will find themselves competent in game design, 2D and 3D art animation, audio design, game programming, as well as technopreneurship should they decide to become independent producers. These competencies can open the doors to various lucrative career paths such as Game Programmer or Developer, Technical Artist, Level Designer, Quality Assurance (QA) Tester, 3D Modeler or Animator, and User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) Designer for games. To reinforce the hands-on application of these acquired skills, students have access to specialized laboratories and learning resources. Programming courses are conducted at the highly advanced Game Development Computer Laboratory which features Acer Predator units with dual screens. At the same time, animation classes are held at the Mac Laboratory powered by Apple Mac computers. Students also have access to an audio engineering laboratory, which is fully equipped with musical instruments to meet their sound design requirements, and a video post-production laboratory where they can edit and synchronize visual and audio elements. Future game developers also receive internship opportunities through the School of IT’s strong partnership with the Game Developer Association of the Philippines. Students are given 488 hours of hands-on training at the finest game design firms in the Philippines, allowing them to connect their theoretical knowledge with real-world applications. Aside from completing their practicum, Mapúa Game Development students are tasked with creating and publishing an original game that showcases a new idea or concept they gathered through research to graduate.
The university’s skill-intensive strategy ensures that budding game developers have competencies aligned with industry needs. It encourages students to be agile, innovative, and excellent in their work so that fellow gamers will not only feel the rush of top-tier gameplay but also be inspired to step up from being gamers to game developers. To learn more about our Game Development program, check out https://bit.ly/ask-us-at-mapua. And if you're ready to start your journey to world-class education towards your future, do care to visit admissions.mapua.edu.ph.
