Game Development courses

Why study Game Art

Become an arbiter of creation and destruction. Breathe life into NPCs, form spectacular environments, create memorable storylines, and combine them all for immersive experiences to share with the world. Our Game Art degree will enable you to seamlessly enter the industry by developing your skills in a studio-like environment. Personify code through beautiful imagery and pursue your creative vision toward a commercially viable game.

We’re not saying the road will be easy, but you’re used to grinding exp. Right?

Why study Game Programming

Manipulate physics and make a new reality - or break it. Crack the code for platforms like Sony PlayStation and Apple iOS, take the driver’s seat in game engines such as Unity and Unreal, and collaborate with artists to make their beautiful worlds come to life. Our Game Programming degree will enable you to seamlessly enter the industry by developing your skills in a studio-like environment. Set the foundations and push your game to its full potential.

If you had the chance to work on Diablo, Call of Duty, or Halo, what’s the probability of you accepting it?

10+
years of Game Development degrees
45%
of our Year 1 cohort identified as women in 2022
10%
increase in Game Development jobs in New Zealand in 2022^
NZGDA data
#1
Digital Games are New Zealand’s fastest growing export
1news.co.nz

Honestly, the student games here at MDS are just so good. I’m blown away. Given they work on them for about 7 months, it’s very very impressive. That’s a testament to the students here and the lecturing faculty getting them all across the line.

Ben Carnall Rocketwerkz
Ben Carnall
CTO - Rocketwerkz

Industry partnerships

PS First logo

Sony PlayStation

MDS is the only school in New Zealand where students can develop games for the PlayStation platform.

Unity

MDS is the only Unity Authorised Training and Certification partner in the country.
GitHub partnership with MDS

GitHub

MDS is now part of the GitHub Education programme.
Unreal Academic Partner

Unreal Academic Partner

MDS is an academic partner with Unreal Engine for our Game Programming course

Game Development student work

Game Development - Student Showreel 2025
Game Development - Student Showreel 2024
Bronzebeard's Tavern - Teaser Trailer

Bronzebeard Tavern is a game created by a group of Media Design School students in their final year of study, known as The Mermaid Menz.

Bronzebeard Tavern is a goofy and playful restaurant manager sim where up to 4 players can co-operate as a team of dwarves. Players can choose to fulfil a number of different roles, from serving a cast of interesting customers to cooking up delicious Dwarven cuisine.

Play it on Steam here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2422870/Bronzebeards_Tavern/

Celebrating 10 years in Games - Decade Arcade
Game Development Showreel 2022

Student Success Stories

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Meet the Faculty

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