Computer Games graduates reach the next level

A Goldsmiths, University of London partnership with Sony Playstation has given MSc Computer Games and Entertainment graduates a boost in the workplace, creating the next generation of talented designers and developers.

The Department of Computing’s MSc in Computer Games and Entertainment is part of the PlayStation First Academic Partnership Programme offered by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE).

Sony provides students with unique access to PlayStation professional development hardware and software, equipping them with industry relevant game development skills.

Gaming industry magazine Develop – whose Contributing Editor Will Freeman is also a Goldsmiths graduate (Sociology and Communications, 2001) - recently reported on the success of Sony’s education and training initiative, run in partnership with universities.

PlayStation First creates links between universities and independent games development studios, giving students a great opportunity to work on big projects and enhance their portfolio of work.  

New Cross indie games studio recruits Goldsmiths talent

Develop spoke to Roll7, the South-East London team based in New Cross, which is behind the 2015 BAFTA award-winning (Best Sports Game) skateboarding game OlliOlli. Having offered paid internships and full-time jobs to MSC Computer Games and Entertainment students studying with Playstation First, they have recruited around half their current workforce from Goldsmiths.

Roll7 studio director Simon Bennett said that OlliOlli and its sequel “wouldn’t have existed” without Goldsmiths students.

Professor Frederic Fol Leymarie co-directs the MSc Computer Games and Entertainment, and the soon-to-be-launched MA Games Art & Design, with Professor William Latham. He says:

“We see our close relationships with industry leaders like Sony (SCEE) and Indy developers like Roll7 as key to our postgraduate degrees, and mutually beneficial.

“Our students are exposed to the various needs of this multi-headed creative industry first hand via our seminar series and internship programs. It has been a joy to see the spectacular successes of Roll7 in recent years and their developing relationship with Sony, and to be able to contribute to these.”

Goldsmiths’ groundbreaking MSc was developed in response to a pressing need to offer a high quality postgraduate programme serving the computer games and entertainment industry, with an emphasis on programming, maths and graphics, business, IP, entrepreneurship, team management, 3D animation, AI and physics in games.

 

(Image - Creative Commons - włodi)