15 of the best game development courses online

Time commitment: Approximately seven months

Certificate: Yes

This specialization (which includes four courses and a final project) is great for beginners. It assumes no programming experience, and students will learn to program in C# and then use those new skills to program Unity games.

Each of the courses includes exercises to instruct students on concepts in C# and Unity — from 10-20 exercises per course to several larger C# console applications and Unity prototypes, as well as two complete games. In the final capstone course, students will implement their own game idea using Unity and C#.

Time commitment: Approximately seven months

Certificate: Yes

This five-course program is Unity's official series and is designed to prepare students for the Unity Certified 3D Artist exam. Students will work on two main projects: a Kitchen Configuration application with a realistic look and a 3D video game level with a "stylized science-fantasy" aesthetic. Across both, learners will import assets, manipulate materials, create prefabs, add lighting, and more.

This course is best suited for those who have been using Unity for real-time rendering for one or two years and are looking to demonstrate a professional standard.

Time commitment: 34 hours of instruction

Certificate: Yes

Students will learn C# from scratch so no programming experience is necessary, though it may be helpful. On top of building a solid foundational understanding, students will create playable game projects to use in their portfolios and become adept at using the Unity game engine. Students will also develop transferable skills like coding, problem-solving, and applying knowledge from this course to .NET and other languages.

This course is fitting for everyone from beginners to developers looking to re-skill.

Time commitment: Approximately six months

Certificate: Yes

This program (which includes two courses) is designed to build a broad understanding of computer science, programming, and software development, as well as empower students to feel comfortable in the fundamentals of game design and development.

Students will be introduced to concepts like abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development. Students also work on familiarity with multiple languages such as C, Python, JavaScript, SQL, CSS, and HTML. They'll also learn about the principles of 2D and 3D work.

Time commitment: Two hours

Certificate: No

This two-hour long project-based course helps students learn the basics of game development with Python using PyGame modules. Students will learn concepts like creating a game loop and image display through hands-on experience.

The course is designed for students looking to get started with game development who already have some prior programming experience in Python.

Time commitment: 31 hours

Certificate: Yes

This course is designed for students from beginners to developers and existing programmers who are looking to re-skill.

Students will learn everything from C++, Git, and programming patterns and best practices to transferable problem-solving skills and vector maths for game play and physics calculations.

Time commitment: Approximately six months

Certificate: Yes

This specialization (four courses and a capstone project) focuses on both the theoretical and practical foundations of video game production while using the Unity 3D game engine. Its instructors have a reported 50+ years of experience building games and teaching game production.

Lessons will cover everything from prototypes to iterations to licensing and marketing. It's a good fit for those looking to build a foundation that can be applied to roles like gameplay designer, level designer, technical designer/artist, programmer, or producer.

Students will build four complete Unity3D game projects by applying the skills and knowledge they've gained throughout the course. In a final capstone project, they'll build an original market-ready game.

The online game portal Kongregate is the capstone partner, which provides an avenue for distribution of the project and a pathway for monetization.

Time commitment: 19 hours

Certificate: Yes

This introductory course teaches students how to start developing their own video games using standard development tools like Unity3D game engine and C#. Once completed, students will have created three hands-on projects and have the skillset needed to create basic games.

Time commitment: 17 hours

Certificate: Yes

This course focuses on the videogame industry landscape and can be useful to those who want to make games as a hobby or start their own business. Students will learn about game production, project management, teamwork skills, and how to position their game and themselves in the marketplace.

Once finished, students should be able to develop a portfolio of game work and/or a business plan to bring their game to market.

Time commitment: 10 hours

Certificate: Yes

This introductory course requires no prior programming experience and focuses on the conceptual basics of games. Students will learn about the primary underpinnings of gaming and how those basics affect the way that gamers interact with games.

Time commitment: 11 hours

Certificate: Yes

This course focuses on the story and narrative that drives gameplay forward, so students will learn how to create a compelling game concept.

Students will evaluate and interpret historical and contemporary games to identify different story styles and the themes and procedures that they can use in their own games. Students will also explore traditional narrative storytelling processes and how they complement a game's strategic elements.

Time commitment: 13 hours

Certificate: Yes

This game development course teaches students how to "develop, refine, package, and prepare [their] game" for distribution on diverse game platforms. Students will explore Web, Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android platforms. They'll pick up intermediate and advanced game development techniques in the Unity game engine and pay special attention to developing a 2D- platform game that works well on different computing devices and supports multiple input and output forms.

Time commitment: 18 hours

Certificate: Yes

This course focuses specifically on turning an idea for a game into the real deal. Students will learn how to move from game concept to design documentation. It also delves into prototyping and testing.

At the end of the course, students will have produced a game's high concept document, a one page blueprint, a physical prototype, and a pitch with supporting design documentation.

Time commitment: 20 hours

Certificate: Yes

This course teaches you how to compose original video game music through the lens of music theory, composition, production, and general game music knowledge.

Time commitment: 65.5 hours of instructional video

Certificate: Yes

Students will learn how to use Blender to create 3D models, including how to combine CGI with real-life footage, use Blender's physics engine, and export their models to external packages.