University of Utah
The video game industry in Utah has become a powerhouse, growing more than 230 percent in the past decade and generating more than $2.3 billion in revenue last year.
And it’s not stopping: According to market research firm IBISWorld, the market’s economic contribution is expected to reach $4.5 billion within five years.
A key driver behind the growth is the University of Utah’s state-of-the-art video game program.
Inside a classroom in Salt Lake City, students here are immersed in studying video games — not just playing them, but creating them, fueling a deep-rooted industry on campus. .
These were the kind of people I wanted on my team.
Donald Mustard
Former Chief Creative Officer of Epic Games, co-creator of ‘Fortnite’
The university boasts a legacy that includes industry luminaries Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, and Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and creator of the popular game “Pong.”
According to the university, the school’s alumni have developed games generating more than $2 billion in lifetime revenue.
“There were just a lot of people who came here to go to school and then graduated and played games,” Michael Young, head of the University of Utah’s division of games, said in an interview with CNBC’s “City of Cities.” were playing an important role in the industry.” Success: Salt Lake City,” which premieres December 10 at 10pm ET.
equalize
| The name | feat |
|---|---|
| Doug Bowser | President of Nintendo of America |
| Nolan Bushnell | Founder of Atari, creator of “Pong”. |
| John Blackburn | Vice President and Head of Studio at WB’s Avalanche Studios, lead on “Hogwarts Legacy.” |
| Ed Catmill | Co-founder of Pixar, former president of Walt Disney Animation Studios |
| Richard Evans | A pioneer in AI for video games, known for “The Sims.” |
According to Young, before it became a formal program, the University of Utah’s gaming initiative began casually in the computer science department.
It wasn’t until 2008, when a group of students proposed a dedicated gaming area for study, that it gained attention.
By 2010, the Entertainment Arts and Engineering program, known around campus as EAE, was established with a structured curriculum that focused on gaming and interactive entertainment.
In 2017, the EAE program launched a bachelor’s degree in gaming, an important step in its development. As of 2021, it had become the university’s 10th largest major, attracting approximately 1,200 undergraduates each year.
“Demand is skyrocketing right now,” Young said.
In Princeton Review 2024 Rankings for Top Game Design SchoolsThe University of Utah rose to No. 4 for both undergraduate and graduate programs in 2023, up from No. 7 and No. 6, respectively.
Today, the program attracts an international student body, with 72% of graduate students coming from outside of Utah.
The university has pledged $25 million to further expand the program.
Top grossing games
John Blackburn, vice president and studio head of Avalanche Software, a division WB Games, Inc.And a University of Utah alumnus credits the success of the 2023 best-selling game “Hogwarts Legacy” to a talented Salt Lake City team that includes many of the university’s graduates.
The game surpassed $1 billion in revenue last year.
Photo illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
“There’s probably at least 30 people here directly from the program,” Blackburn said.
According to Blackburn, the University of Utah’s contributions to the gaming industry led to early work in 3-D graphics, including the creation of the first 3-D graphics image and the development of early flight simulators by companies such as Evans & Sutherland. .
“It’s really bled into the local gaming scene,” Blackburn said. “And so people leave those companies and then start game companies.”
Blackburn was founded. Avalanche Software In 1995, initially gained recognition for developing “Mortal Kombat” for the Super Nintendo and Genesis and later gained fame with titles such as “Cars” and “Toy Story 3” while collaborating with them. Disney
In 2017, Epic Games, headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, launched “Fortnite” – one of the most popular games in the world with over 500 million registered users.
Teams from around the world contributed to its creation, including some in Salt Lake City, where former Epic Chief Creative Officer and game co-creator Donald Mustard resided.
“University of Utah and [Brigham Young University]as well as some of the other schools in Utah have done a really good job of building relationships with developers in the area,” Mustard said.
He also highlighted Utah’s unique approach to education: “While some of these students are in school, they have to make their own video game. It’s a very unique skill that not many people have. is.”
“These were the types of people I wanted on my team,” Mustard said.