Did you know the National Film and Television School is one of the best places to learn game design?

Game design and development is one of the most exciting fields in the creative sectors today, and it’s constantly evolving. Real-time development software like Unreal Engine and Unity are allowing developers to take visual fidelity to cinematic levels for consoles and PC, and there’s a booming market for innovative indie games for mobile.

It’s an area that increasingly involves crossover skills that are in demand in other disciplines too, since some of the same tech is also revolutionising movie VFX, animation and brand design. That makes one of the best tickets into the industry the National Film and Television School (NFTS). Widely recognised as one of the world’s best film schools, the NFTS also provides industry-standard programmes in game design, from short courses to a fully fledged Masters in Game Design and Development, whose alumni have gone on to work at major studios.

Why NFTS?

While the NFTS’s name references its legacy of industry-esteemed film courses, it provides the same blend of academic rigor and practical skills on its game design programmes. The unique two-year Masters in Games Design and Development course has been running for over a decade and has recently been upgraded to an MFA (Master of Fine Arts), the highest level of training you can get in the field.

The School’s own games lab is kitted out with the latest equipment and software, including real-time engines, and it’s open 24/7. And there are also inherent advantages in studying game design in the creative environment of a film school because of the chances to collaborate with other creative fields.

Game design students can work in the School’s own production studios in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, with peers specialising in film, television and animation, gaining broader industry knowledge and skills. There are also Masterclasses in which students can put questions to leaders from film and television, as well as the games industry.

As a result, students not only learn game design, code, art and interface design, but also how to work with composers and sound designers and how to collaborate with other areas like marketing and distribution – after all, you need to know how to promote a game as well as make it. The result is a complete theoretical and practical grounding in the entire ecosystem – vital for anyone who wants to not only work in game design but go on to be a leader in the industry.

A course for everyone

As well as the intensive MFA, the NFTS offers shorter courses for students who aren’t able to commit to a two-year program or want a more brief introduction. The six-month NFTS Certificate in Indie Games Development is a part-time online programme covering the process of developing a game, from design to promotion and distribution. It’s a great opportunity for students who can’t get to the campus or have other time commitments. It can act as a stepping stone towards the MFA, although students from this course have also gone straight to work in the gaming industry.

There’s also a brand new MA in Digital Animation for Film and Games launching in January 2026. The one-year course will focus on animation theory and practice using industry-standard software and technology, including real-time game engines.

NFTS alumni

The National Film and Television School’s games courses are designed to prepare graduates to go straight to work in the industry, and existing alumni attest to that. Some graduates have launched their own games companies while others have worked as designers, technical artists, developers and programmers on games such as Monument Valley III, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Fall Guys and Sable.

NFTS students have also won recognition at the BAFTA Student Games Awards, Game Development World Championships (GDWC),MCV Women in Games Rising Star Development Awards and have been named in the MCV/DEVELOP ‘30 under 30’ list.

No prior games experience is necessary to apply as an NFTS games course provides sufficient time and tuition for students from all backgrounds to learn the skills they need for a career in gaming. The MFA in Games Design and Development starts every January. The Certificate in Indie Games Development runs twice a year, and there are a few places left for the next intake in October 2025. Applications are also open for the new MA in Digital Animation for Film and Games starting in January 2026.

Scholarship and bursary funding is available through the NFTS for the full time MFA and MA courses, and all production fees are included in tuition fees.

Visit the National Film and Television School website today to learn more about how you can turn your passion for games and visual design into a career!