We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Principles of Game Design

Casey O'Donnell

Enroll now

Or subscribe to Coursera Plus

And get unlimited access to Coursera

Two deals to help you save

Save money when you learn. Here are two deals and offers that may be relevant to this course.

All coupon codes, vouchers, and discounts are applied automatically unless otherwise noted.

Valid until July 14

Coursera Plus Annual

Work toward what's next for your career with access to 10,000+ programs. Discover emerging skills and save.

Valid until August 30

Google AI App Builder

Learn how to use Gemini API and API Studio with a three-course series from Google DeepMind

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Students who want to clarify and refine their game's idea into a prototype and more

Game creation is no longer just about understanding the tools, hence, this is perfect

Ideal for individuals interested in understanding the processes of game design

This course explores the process of designing meaningful experiences for players

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.

Save

Reviews summary

Comprehensive game design process overview

According to learners, this course provides a structured approach to game design, guiding you from initial ideas through prototyping and documentation. Students find value in developing specific deliverables like a high concept document, blueprint, and even a physical prototype, viewing these as practical outcomes. It covers a wide range of game design elements, including story, character, world development, mechanics, and user experience, offering a solid foundation. Some learners note that while it covers many topics, the depth in specific areas might feel like a high-level overview, and the course strongly emphasizes the design process and documentation over technical implementation.

Unique focus on physical prototyping

"The requirement to make a physical prototype was unexpected."

"It was interesting to prototype away from a computer."

"Building a board game version of my idea was challenging but insightful."

Theory/documentation, not coding

"This is purely about the design phase, not how to build the game."

"Don't take this expecting to learn programming or using engines."

"Focused on the planning and documentation side of things."

Explores many design elements

"I got an overview of mechanics, story, and UX design."

"It touched upon world-building and character development."

"Good introduction to various facets of game creation design."

Produces key design documents

"Ending up with a blueprint and pitch deck was very useful."

"Creating the high concept document helped clarify my ideas."

"The assignments build towards real-world design assets."

Structured steps from idea to pitch

"It walks you through every step, from concept to final docs."

"I now understand the flow of a game design project."

"Covered the entire lifecycle from initial idea to presentation."

May be more overview than depth

"Wish it went deeper into specific mechanics design."

"It's great for breadth, but less so for deep dives."

"Felt like a survey course rather than specialized training."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Principles of Game Design with these activities:

Practice drawing and sketching

Show steps

Helps develop visual design skills, which are important for game art and world-building.

Browse courses on Art

Show steps

Practice drawing basic shapes and objects
Experiment with different drawing techniques
Study the work of other artists and designers

Keep a notebook of design ideas

Show steps

Helps practice documenting and refining game ideas throughout the process.

Show steps

Create a simple game using a game engine

Show steps

Helps develop practical skills using game engines and implementing game mechanics.

Browse courses on Unity

Show steps

Choose a game engine and learn its basics
Design a simple game concept and mechanics
Create a prototype of your game in the game engine
Test and refine your game

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Find a mentor who can provide feedback on your game designs

Show steps

Provides guidance and support from experienced game designers.

Show steps

Identify potential mentors in your network or through online platforms
Reach out and introduce yourself
Ask for feedback on your game designs

Design a board game from scratch

Show steps

Helps practice moving from game concept to design documentation.

Show steps

Brainstorm and refine your game concept
Design the game mechanics and rules
Create a prototype of your game
Playtest your game and gather feedback
Refine your game based on feedback

Contribute to an open-source game project

Show steps

Helps you understand real-world game development practices.

Show steps

Find an open-source game project to contribute to
Understand the project's codebase
Identify an area where you can contribute
Make your contributions to the project
Get feedback on your contributions from the community

Participate in a game design competition

Show steps

Provides a challenging environment to test and refine your skills against others.

Show steps

Find a competition that aligns with your interests
Develop your game concept and design
Create a prototype of your game
Submit your game to the competition
Get feedback on your game from the judges

Career center

Learners who complete Principles of Game Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Game Designer

Game Designers are responsible for the overall concept, design, and development of video games. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game design, including idea generation, story development, character creation, and game mechanics. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing games, which is essential for creating successful and engaging games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer

Level Designer

Level Designers are responsible for creating the environments and levels in video games. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of level design, including world building, level layout, and gameplay flow. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing levels, which is essential for creating engaging and challenging levels.

See salaries and explore the career path for Level Designer

Game Producer

Game Producers are responsible for the overall production of video games. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game production, including project management, budgeting, and marketing. The course also covers the process of pitching and selling game ideas, which is essential for securing funding and support for game development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Producer

Game Programmer

Game Programmers are responsible for the coding and development of video games. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game programming, including programming languages, game engines, and artificial intelligence. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing games, which is essential for creating bug-free and efficient games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Programmer

Game Writer

Game Writers are responsible for writing the story, dialogue, and characters for video games. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game writing, including storytelling, character development, and dialogue writing. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing game scripts, which is essential for creating engaging and immersive stories.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Writer

Game Artist

Game Artists are responsible for creating the visual assets for video games, including characters, environments, and props. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game art, including 3D modeling, texturing, and animation. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing game art, which is essential for creating visually appealing and immersive games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Artist

Game Tester

Game Testers are responsible for testing video games to identify and fix bugs. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game testing, including test planning, execution, and reporting. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing games, which is essential for creating high-quality and bug-free games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Tester

Game Designer (Tabletop)

Game Designers for Tabletop games are responsible for the overall concept, design, and development of board games, card games, and other tabletop games. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game design, including idea generation, story development, character creation, and game mechanics. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing games, which is essential for creating successful and engaging games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer (Tabletop)

Game Developer

Game Developers are responsible for the overall development of video games, including design, programming, art, and production. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game development, including project management, budgeting, and marketing. The course also covers the process of pitching and selling game ideas, which is essential for securing funding and support for game development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer

Game Writer (Tabletop)

Game Writers for Tabletop games are responsible for writing the story, dialogue, and characters for board games, card games, and other tabletop games. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game writing, including storytelling, character development, and dialogue writing. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing game scripts, which is essential for creating engaging and immersive stories.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Writer (Tabletop)

Game Designer (Educational)

Game Designers for Educational games are responsible for the overall concept, design, and development of video games that are designed to teach or educate players. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game design, including idea generation, story development, character creation, and game mechanics. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing games, which is essential for creating successful and engaging games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer (Educational)

Game Developer (Educational)

Game Developers for Educational games are responsible for the overall development of video games that are designed to teach or educate players, including design, programming, art, and production. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game development, including project management, budgeting, and marketing. The course also covers the process of pitching and selling game ideas, which is essential for securing funding and support for game development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer (Educational)

Game Designer (VR/AR)

Game Designers for VR/AR games are responsible for the overall concept, design, and development of video games that are designed to be played in virtual reality or augmented reality. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game design, including idea generation, story development, character creation, and game mechanics. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing games, which is essential for creating successful and engaging games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer (VR/AR)

Game Developer (VR/AR)

Game Developers for VR/AR games are responsible for the overall development of video games that are designed to be played in virtual reality or augmented reality, including design, programming, art, and production. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game development, including project management, budgeting, and marketing. The course also covers the process of pitching and selling game ideas, which is essential for securing funding and support for game development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer (VR/AR)

Game Designer (Mobile)

Game Designers for Mobile games are responsible for the overall concept, design, and development of video games that are designed to be played on mobile devices. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of game design, including idea generation, story development, character creation, and game mechanics. The course also covers the process of prototyping and testing games, which is essential for creating successful and engaging games.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer (Mobile)

Reading list

We've selected 11 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Principles of Game Design.