PROGRAM

Futuregames Game Designer North

Study Game Design

Game designers shape how games play and how players experience them. The role combines creativity, structure, and problem solving to create engaging and meaningful play experiences.

As a Game Design student at Futuregames North, you step into the role of a game designer and learn how design decisions influence the player experience. The education prepares you for professional game development environments where collaboration and iteration are central.

Key Info

_{^Location(s):} Boden, Umeå
_{^{Course Start:}} Aug 2026
_^Duration:2,5 years
_^Internship: 30 weeks
_^Language: English
_^CSN: Yes

Degree

_{^{YH students:}}Higher Vocational Education Diploma
_{^{Diploma students:}}Course Diploma

Applications & Tuition

_{^{YH Application period:}} Open, Feb 5–May 12
_{^{Diploma Application period:}} Open. Extended application deadline: April 20, 2026

Board of Education

About the Program

The Futuregames Game Designer program in the north gives you the tools and experience needed to work as a game designer. Through game projects, you’ll develop skills in level and world creation, technical and system design, narrative design, UX, and quality assurance. The education also includes an extended internship, giving you hands-on experience and a strong entry point into the games industry.

Futuregames programs are accredited and regulated by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (MYH). We pride ourselves on making our programs as close to the professional industry as possible. The courses are developed in collaboration with our Educational Board, ensuring they meet industry standards and needs.

Courses

Advanced Game Design _^15YHP/3w
Board Game Design _^15YHP/3w
Game Project 1 _^15YHP/3w
Game Project 2 _^20YHP/4w
Game Project 3 _^35YHP/7w
Game Project 4 _^20YHP/4w
Graduation Project _^50YHP/10w
Internship (LiA) _^150YHP/30w
Introduction to C# Scripting Language _^20YHP/4w
Introduction to Visual Scripting _^25YHP/5w
Level Design and World Creation _^25YHP/5w
Narrative Design _^15YHP/3w
Professional Development _^15YHP/3w
Prototyping _^20YHP/4w
Quality Assurance _^10YHP/2w
UX and Interaction Design _^20YHP/4w
Specialization – Advanced Level Design _^40YHP/8w
Specialization – Technical and System Design _^40YHP/8w

^{Please note that the courses may be subject to change based on recommendations from our Board of Education to better align with industry needs.}

Skills and Careers

Learning Outcomes

Designing and analyzing game experiences
Designing and building levels
Designing and crafting game systems
Thorough understanding of Unity and the latest Unreal Engine
Strong gameplay scripting skills (C# and visual scripting)
Adopting a player-centric approach and understanding of target audience
Strong team and communication skills
Designing games for multiple platforms (PC, mobile, VR, etc.)
Designing in a data-driven way
Understanding the entire development and distribution process of games

Career

What to expect

Master your craft, make your mark.

At Futuregames, you don’t just learn—you create. Collaborate on innovative projects and gain hands-on experience in a setup that mirrors the real world.

Our programs evolve with the industry, ensuring you gain the skills the market needs—today and tomorrow.

Learning by Doing

Collaboration is key

Hours of Lecture

Full-time studies (40 hours per week)

Out of a 40-hour week, you’ll spend around 10–12 teacher-led hours with your head teacher or guest lecturers.

The remaining time is dedicated to individual studies and group projects. Even when there are no scheduled classes, you are expected to be at school to collaborate and learn alongside your classmates. This collaboration is essential, as teamwork is one of the most important skills in game development.

We will give you more information about the term times when you are admitted to the Program.

Learning format

This is an on-campus education, which means you are expected to be at school during your studies. A key part of what you gain from the education is learning how to collaborate with others. The more time you and your teammates spend working together, the better prepared you will be for a job in the industry.

Please note that lectures may, to varying degrees, be livestreamed to the classroom, and the educator or guest lecturer may not always be physically present at the school, depending on where they are based. You may also collaborate across sites with students located in other cities.

If you would like to know more about this specific program, please contact the Head of Education. Contact details can be found at the bottom of the page.

Internship

Internship (LIA) is an essential part of the program, giving you the chance to step into the industry and work directly at a company. With support from professionals, you’ll apply your knowledge to real tasks, build your skills, and get a feel for how the industry works. It’s also a great opportunity to make connections and gain experience that will kickstart your career.

Meet the industry at Futuregames Match Up

The Details

Not sure what to include in your application? Don’t worry—here’s everything you need to make your submission complete!

Application Guide for Higher Vocational Education

Application Guide for Diploma Programs

Requirements

Equivalent skills

What does “equivalent skills” mean?

Equivalent skills can be obtained in many different ways; you may have continued your studies or acquired equivalent skills through work experience. In that case, you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. It is important that you substantiate how you have acquired equivalent skills.

If you do not have grades in Swedish, English, Programming or Mathematics, you may be offered the opportunity to take eligibility tests when applying to our YH programs.

Work Samples

What to submit?

Showcase a small game you have created and developed, and include all the assets or designs (for example, GIFs, links to playthrough videos, flowcharts, in-editor captures, and so forth), that you think are relevant to its game development, and your intended Futuregames program.

Please note that your game prototype will not be played. For this reason, we recommend you choose the right content that showcases your potential in a broader scale as a junior game developer, someone with the proper mindset, design thinking and insights.
In addition, please explain and document in detail, the process of the game creation, reasoning behind the design decision you took, and how you overcame its obstacles.

We need to see how much time and effort you have invested into your future career in the games industry, and if Futuregames is a good fit for you and your development.

You can apply with a previous team project, but please specify in detail in which you have contributed to the project.

Format?

In English.
Maximum ten (10) pages.
Name the file [firstname_surname.pdf].
The structure of the document is free choice. We strongly recommend that you treat your application as a job application to a game studio.

Assessment Criteria

Futuregames will assess your work sample in the 3 following areas:

Visualization ability: assesses the artistical ability to express oneself through illustrations and texts.
Technical ability: assesses proficiency of utilization of the machine as tool.
Industry relevance: assesses the relevance of the presented content towards the games industry and game development.

Video

Check out the video to Game Designer’s work sample for your application on Youtube here:

Check it out

Which documents should you submit?

Preparatory Course

Student Projects

Every year, approximately 50 new games in total are produced by Futuregames students during game projects lasting between 4 to 8 weeks. Most of these games are available for free download and play!

Futuregames on Itch

Nana Into The Banana is a fast, chaotic, skill-based challenge, wrapped in bright yellow insanity. It’s easy to start, hard to survive. Download and play the game here

Spotlight Stories

1 October 2025
Futuregames students win at SGA 2025
Futuregames talent shone at this year’s Swedish Game Awards, hosted by Dataspelsbranschen. With Steamwrecked crowned Gamer’s Choice Winner and several other projects earning nominations, our students and alumni proved once…
Achievements, Game Development, News
Read more: Futuregames students win at SGA 2025
17 June 2025
From dance floors and game stores – to game design!
Two unique journeys, one shared passion. Isabelle Heiskanen, an experienced store manager with a lifelong love for gaming, and Cecilia Wretemark-Hauck, a professional dancer turned game design student, are bringing…
Game Development, Interviews, Student Interviews
Read more: From dance floors and game stores – to game design!
12 June 2025
Help Futuregames students level up
Our students are hard at work on their Game Project 3 – they’ve now reached the beta stage and are looking for playtesters!
Achievements, Game Development
Read more: Help Futuregames students level up

FAQ

Is prior tech knowledge mandatory?

All applicants have different levels of knowledge and expertise.

If you have prior technical expertise, and you are already familiar with some game engines such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Lumberyard, Godot, or any other game engine, you should use this as your working prototype.

However, if you don’t have any prior technical knowledge, don’t worry, you can still apply to Futuregames. A rough-and-dirty prototype where you test out a single mechanic, a camera system, a feature, or any such, is more than enough.

And if you feel this is still too challenging, please present us only your game idea. We’re interested in knowing more about your mind-set and design thinking rather than how good you are at making games. That’s something we can teach you when you are accepted into the program.

What equipment do I need?

Explore The north

Become part of the fast-growing games industry in the North of Sweden – a one-of-a-kind adventure!

Discover the cutting edge of game development in Northern Sweden, where innovative teaching meets stunning Arctic landscapes. Experience a unique journey under the northern lights and the midnight sun, while learning from some of the industry’s best in a curriculum that blends creativity with technology.

Discover our locations

Get in touch

If you have questions about courses, portfolios, or the program, get in touch with our Heads of Education. For help with your application, eligibility, or admissions, reach out to our admissions team. You can find more details on our contact page.

Continue to the contact page

Sweden – Boden, Skellefteå, Umeå
Joel Fällbom
Head of Education Game Designer North
- Mail