Independent Game Production - Digital Arts and Entertainment
Independent game production is a major within the Bachelor of Digital Arts and Entertainment programme.
"The games industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar market. Once upon a time AAA games were king and console and pc were the main game development platform. But times are changing, new platforms are on the rise and new business models are generating more revenue than ever."
As an independent game developer you are an entrepreneur, combining your creative and technical skills in order to design, develop and market your games. Unlike more traditional game studio employees, you do not specialize in one single discipline but you have an extensive knowledge of all areas in production.
On the one hand, you will have to come up with unique, compelling and innovative game design ideas. Then top this up with strong 2D and 3D skills and an in-depth knowledge of UX and UI, so you can easily create a style, setting and mood for any casual game.
On the other hand, your strong programming skills will enable you to program games for any platform, be it mobile and pc or newly emerging platforms like VR or wearables. Gameplay will always be at the forefront of your mind, and wherever needed, you use middleware to speed up the production process.
Marketing, monetization, retention, target audience, scrum, business models, project management, communication skills… are topics that will be covered to enable you to make better and more profitable games. On top of that, you will be guided through the different steps of setting up your own company. We even give you to possibility to start-up your own company in our incubator during the last semester of your studies.
Quality assurance in every programme
Quality assurance is embedded in the daily operation of our entire programme. We continuously and systematically improve the quality of our courses. The involvement of students, field professionals and alumni is crucial in this process.
In 2024, the Digital Arts & Entertainment bachelor's programme was reviewed by an independent and external panel. The review was conducted by VLUHR QA. The quality of the programme was evaluated positively.
Recent graduates of the Digital Arts & Entertainment bachelor's programme have stated that they were satisfied with the quality of the training they received. Graduate satisfaction is monitored every year with an exit survey completed upon graduation. Click here to see a review of satisfaction figures.
DAE_IGP_major_trailer from Digital Arts and Entertainment on Vimeo.
- Transcript of Records – If you have not yet completed Secondary School, you must upload a transcript showing your current grades. You can find the transcript template here.
- Secondary School Leaving Certificate – If you have already completed Secondary School, you do not need to upload a separate transcript. Simply upload your Secondary School Leaving Certificate to the application.
Important! View the full requirements on the university’s official website. Requirements may vary depending on your nationality and the country where you completed your previous education.
Note:
- Motivation Letter – A motivation letter is a required document when applying to the programmes at this university.
- Mathematics – Good mathematics knowledge will be needed for your studies, so a higher level in Mathematics at school is recommended.
- Application Fee – Howest charges a €50 application administration fee.
You may not need to take IELTS or TOEFL. University usually allow you to prove your English proficiency in one of the following ways:
- TOEFL iBT*
- IELTS Academic
- A Cambridge English qualification
- A national English examination listed on your secondary school leaving certificate
- An English subject and grade on your secondary school leaving certificate that meet the university’s requirements
- Secondary education completed in English in a country or school qualification accepted by the university
- An International Baccalaureate (IB) or European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma
- Other
Important: Accepted methods and minimum results depend on study programme, your secondary school qualification and the country where you completed your education. Check the official requirements for your chosen study programme.
*Use the Kastu promo code LTU1000102 when registering for TOEFL iBT and receive a 5% discount.
Future job opportunities:
- game designer
- unity developer
- applied game developer
- mobile/ casual game developer
- 2D/3D designer
- ...
