David Braben has slammed British gaming degrees, claiming that developers are finding it increasingly hard to find UK graduates looking to enter the industry.
"95% of video gaming degrees are simply not fit for purpose," Braben told the BBC. "Without some sort of common standard, like Skillset accreditation, these degrees are a waste of time for all concerned."
Braben's comments are highlighted in an article claiming that a number of industry jobs are moving from Britain to Canada, which has recently taken over from the UK as the third leading country for games development.
"We are facing a serious decline in the quality of graduates looking to enter the industry," said Braben. "The death of maths, physics and computer science graduates is hitting us hard."
The games industry has claimed that the migration to Canada is due to its government allowing its industry to flourish, whilst our own is still reviewing whether tax breaks for desperate UK developers is something it could consider.
This is a shame, i know, but computer science has to be one of the most confusing and challenging subjects known to man! I have every sympathy for any-one trying to get a qualification in computer science, the very best of luck to you - you will need it!
The main reason is that in the UK we're constantly punished for chasing our dreams. As a rule the country has always had this "it'll never happen" mindset so kids are being turned off studying to become game designers because their parents, teachers and peers are always going "what a waste of time" so they go study something sensible. I point you to news reports about parents blaming games for everything - I bet those parents would hit the roof if little Johnny said he wanted to design games for a living.
The other thing is that gaming is a HOBBY for most people, but that doesn't mean the guys who make mods and indie projects aren't every bit as good, if not better, than a lot of people in the industry. Stop looking for just post-grads and start looking at the unqualified but amazingly talented mod teams that are out there. Anyone who can study can get a qualification, but talent is natural.
Once in an IT lesson a computer lesson started glitching, and the teacher started flapping and sent for the techy, by the time he got there i had done the sensible thing and pressed the reset switch and all was well. It just goes to show that IT is seen as a "useless" subject and at my school at least, there is no opportunity to go any further in the subject other than learning how to use boring office apps. So there no wonder there is a lack of computer science grads, as most miss out on the grounding of the subject at an early age due to the fact that IT is seen as a second-hand subject
Perhaps if developers paid the actual programmers and artists a better salary instead of keeping the money for the upper management, maybe there would be more incentive to enter the industry.
Its true. I'm just finishing my masters in computing information systems at Liverpool John Moores university, and i must say some of the things i experience is very shocking.
Once in an IT lesson a computer lesson started glitching, and the teacher started flapping and sent for the techy, by the time he got there i had done the sensible thing and pressed the reset switch and all was well. It just goes to show that IT is seen as a "useless" subject and at my school at least, there is no opportunity to go any further in the subject other than learning how to use boring office apps. So there no wonder there is a lack of computer science grads, as most miss out on the grounding of the subject at an early age due to the fact that IT is seen as a second-hand subject
it all depends on if the students have a keen interest in computers. i've just finished college after completing a GNVQ in IT and AS/A2 applied IT double award. i have had a keen interest in computers since primary school when i used to sit in the classroom in the computer area and watch and help anyone who needed help. i have even shown one of my teachers at college how do do something in a microsoft word document, and the teacher had done computer science at uni. i am considering taking computer science at uni, but because there are different levels, not sure if i would rather do the computer games course or the course to become a web designer
not sure what the point of this post is, i just wanted my say in the matter.
Computer Science Degrees will only ever be a partial qualification as they are far too broad in their subject matter and courses will never keep pace with developments in the outside world of IT.
One thing to mention though is that if David Braben is worried then do something about it. Take on apprentices and train them up instead of relying on the state to provide you with ready skilled candidates. UK companies are useless at training their staff especially when it comes to IT! I have only been at one company that actually sent me on any training, even though almost every single one climed during the interview that they would send me on training courses.
I tried to do a Computer Sciences course, as going into the games industry is something I've wanted to do since I was a kid, and there right that it needs an advance knowledge of Maths and Physics, neither of which are strong points for me, so I ended up dropping out after the first year, realising it would be a waste of time and money to try and push on. Now after finishing a journalism orientated Media Studies degree, I want to try and move into PR in the games industry, and be the only person who actually has a clue about games working in the sector.
Stop looking for just post-grads and start looking at the unqualified but amazingly talented mod teams that are out there. Anyone who can study can get a qualification, but talent is natural.
Thats what Valve does, and it works a treat for them.
As far as Me and my Boss are concerned (he's director of IT and I'm a lowly Software Dev.) IT degrees mean a sweet FA. Everything you learn is either out of date, or just isn't used in the industry.
No offence to anyone sitting an IT degree. Its by far better than sitting in your bottom, and don't get me wrong, it will get you a job. Just be prepared to re-learn a lot of stuff.
Experience is key, so give me a modder any day over a graduate.
I am confused, is he saying that uk grads aren't good enough or that not enough do the course
I think it links to another story I read about this issue. Basically, rather than taking Computer Science-like courses, which are in-depth and cover a lot of maths/physics, basically stuff you need to know to be an actual programmer, people are going for "Gaming" courses, which mean you do modules like "History of Gaming" and write 1500 word essays on Pacman (I kid you not, I was friends with two guys who got onto a gaming course when I was doing C-Science), and basically things that can't really help you when you've finished the course and are trying to make a game.
Basically, theres a lack of anyone who has the real skills needed to go into the industry.
Perhaps if developers paid the actual programmers and artists a better salary instead of keeping the money for the upper management, maybe there would be more incentive to enter the industry.
i agree...i graduated in computer science a few years ago..i went straight into windows dev..because its better money..yeah sounds great creating a game, but the salary is low and competition for jobs is great as limited numbers of roles actually go. Computer Science doesnt teach u jack all in games dev and very few gaming companies are looking for junior roles.
Stop looking for just post-grads and start looking at the unqualified but amazingly talented mod teams that are out there. Anyone who can study can get a qualification, but talent is natural.
Thats what Valve does, and it works a treat for them.
As far as Me and my Boss are concerned (he's director of IT and I'm a lowly Software Dev.) IT degrees mean a sweet FA. Everything you learn is either out of date, or just isn't used in the industry.
No offence to anyone sitting an IT degree. Its by far better than sitting in your bottom, and don't get me wrong, it will get you a job. Just be prepared to re-learn a lot of stuff.
Experience is key, so give me a modder any day over a graduate.
Very very true. The things you learn are very broad also. You do find yourself stretched really thin trying to cram in so many different facets of the computer industry.
There is a big problem with IT over computer science, the school I go to offers only IT and no computer science at A=level- even though computer science stands for something and IT doesn't really have any use when applying for university courses (except as an extra a-level) so instead I'm choosing maths and physics to keep a career in IT a possibility.
At GCSE some people don't even know how to use the MS apps properly, choosing Word over Frontpage to make websites. And if they fail the course? they intend to get the "useless" teahcer fired. How do you tell between the people doing IT who is interested in computers and developing etc. and who is just there to actually learn how to use a computer.
That is the problem. It is more geared towards office workers. Me and one or two of my friends love computers but their is nothing along the lines of computer science being offered. Then again maths and psychics are not my strong points so thats probably a good thing, as I'd end up wasting my time.
I hope you mean dearth of computer science graduates - or has there been some sort of mass cull lately I've been unaware of???
The gaming industry appears to be lacking in many key areas of its workforce. We can't find any coders with a good academic background, and none of our journalists seem to have any grasp of basic f**king English.
ICT at GCSE and A Level is more about learning how to use a computer, rather than what actually happens in a computer.
Anyway, I'm not surprised these games degrees are no good; how many "good" Universities actually offer such a course?
I'm pretty good at maths and physics and I've just completed a fairly easy first year (for me, at least) in Computer Science at Loughborough. I'm not entirely sure I want to go into games, I would like it, but doing straight CS lets me choose to do something else computing related if nothing with games comes up, whereas doing a games degree simply wouldn't.
I hope you mean dearth of computer science graduates - or has there been some sort of mass cull lately I've been unaware of???
The gaming industry appears to be lacking in many key areas of its workforce. We can't find any coders with a good academic background, and none of our journalists seem to have any grasp of basic f**king English.
I took IT for GCSE hoping to learn something about coding and so far (after nearly a year) I've "learnt" how to use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. And there's s**t loads of coursework for it.
I took IT for GCSE hoping to learn something about coding and so far (after nearly a year) I've "learnt" how to use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. And there's s**t loads of coursework for it.
it doesn't get any better, but u might get to learn how to use publisher too
I imagine the solution is a middle ground. Gaming is financially proving to be a very valid industry, so I can see no harm in tailoring a standardised course for it. Possibly overlooked by companies who know exactly what they desire from their future employees.
Computer Science Degrees will only ever be a partial qualification as they are far too broad in their subject matter and courses will never keep pace with developments in the outside world of IT.
Good comment. I'm a Comp Sci graduate and can attest to this being true. I feel that I'd need to do another degree before the bastard industry would let me in.
I graduated from Uni with a Computer Science degree 6 years ago...
Whenever I see a games job advertised - I think OOooooh yeah that would be sweet...
Only to see that they want experience of published titles...
So - realistically - all the Gaming industry jobs - are shared around in a pool of ever decreasing workers - how do they expect to gain any more developers if they want games dev experience all the time? - it's a two way street Mr Braben.
I can understand David Braben's frustrations but at the end of the day he's a company owner who can actually do something about it. As many as you've pointed out the Computer Science degree can be almost obselete as soon as you've received it and the Games degree is regarded as a joke within the industry (read the latest edition of Edge for proof). Overstating the point yes, but to a certain degree it's true.
I can speak from personal experience of being a lead developer (not games, but Windows apps and web) that I am now extremely wary of employing people with degrees anyway. This is a massive over-generalisation, but a lot of the CV's and qualifications I've seen from people by companies Ive worked for aren't worth the paper they're written on. I've had to get rid of many developers who've been newly employed as it is blatantly obvious after a couple of days that they do not have anywhere near the knowledge they profess to have. Occasionally you get the odd star come through who gets a few years experience, produces some fantastic work and then moves onto bigger and better things - perfect - no complaints from me.
What I ask now before an interview is that they bring in some of their work and include the source code. I'm not after anything fancy, simply an indication of them being able to code - it can be a single Windows form or a single web page - it doesn't matter.
Braben has an opportunity to get kids or young adults in who are desperate to get in the industry and train them from scratch - there's nothing to replace on the job training in my opinion. He has the chance to mould these people into the developers he wants, but it's typical of UK business that they want instant results - they're not going to get it.
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