Words by Mark Wickham, Course Leader

Welcome to the 2021 Games Art and Design (GAD) Graduate Showcase.

The past academic year has presented more than its fair share of challenges, but it has also delivered some exceptional results for BA (Hons) Games Art and Design. 

Autodesk’s The Rookies international judging panel, made up of industry professionals, ranked the course in the top 50 in the world, and the only UK institution to be listed for Concept Art, ranked 16th.

BA Games Art and Design work by Martyna Kowalska showing a matte painting of a Hong Kong-inspired cyberpunk city.

We have seen tremendous successes from winning not one, but two national UKIE Game Jams. Students have engaged with numerous external projects, taking part in the Global Games Jam, New3dge and several ArtStation contests, and have benefitted from UKIE student membership and the Women in Games’ Education Ambassador’s programme.

3D games artwork by Liam Wright, the scene shows a long abandoned bunker hidden deep in the forest, where a group of people seem to be trying to break in.
There has been active engagement with the games industry with students participating in ‘remote work experience’ with Ubisoft, Creative Assembly, Sprung Studios, Dovetail Games and VR Express. This provides students with invaluable understanding of authentic ‘real-life’ settings through experiencing work for major game studios, along with a great addition to their CV, and excellent opportunities for future employment.
BA Games Art and Design work by Lawrence Thorp showing a gameplay video featuring bright pixel art and 2D aerial combat.
Our 2020 Alumni have applied the real-world value of their education by securing jobs at studios including Ubisoft Reflections, Epic games, Frontier, Free Radical Design, and various freelance positions.
 
BA Games Art and Design work by Nikolay Yordanov, showing a panoramic view of a vast environment.

The work produced this year is testament to our students’ range of skills and versatility in all areas of Games Art and Design. The Graduate Showcase demonstrates the truly exciting work our students have produced, showing their incredible resilience.

BA Game Art and Design work by Jordan Eady showing a reused Soviet office that contains various radio communications devices, equipment, and office furniture such as tables, chairs, and a filing cabinet.