Abertay University ranked top International School for video games design

Princeton Review ranks undergraduate and postgraduate games programmes in global top 10

Abertay University has been named the top International School for video games design, with programmes ranked in the global top 10 at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Abertay extended its long track record as one of the world’s elite games universities in this year’s edition of the Princeton Review’s global rankings for games design courses.

Now ranked 8th in the world for undergraduate programmes and 7th at postgraduate level, the University retained its established place as the number one institution in Europe.

Professor Jim Bown, Dean of the Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business said:

These rankings are really important to us because they recognise the excellence of our academic staff and the student experience here at Abertay, while also providing crucial guidance to applicants making their decisions on where to study. Maintaining our position as one of the world’s best providers takes a lot of hard work from our Faculty members and professional services colleagues, coupled with ongoing investment in the latest facilities and equipment and a strong commitment to working closely with the games industry and linking our approach to its needs.

Ryan Locke, Head of the Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education at Abertay University added:

Abertay’s position as an international leader in games is based on our track record in delivering top quality education but also in the many strands of research, innovation and knowledge exchange work which underpin our programmes. When you study at Abertay you are learning from some of the very best in the business and our programmes are designed with the right mix of academic rigour, industry experience and enterprise support needed to support student success.

The Princeton Review recognised the strength of Abertay’s campus-based courses, including:

Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's Editor-in-Chief, said:

The schools that made our lists for 2025 have awesome programs in game design. Their faculties are superb. Their facilities are state-of-the-art, and their alumni include many of the video game industry’s most successful designers, developers, and entrepreneurs. We highly recommend them to any student considering a career in this exciting field.

Abertay is the global birthplace of video games education, having pioneered the world’s first degrees in the discipline in 1997. It is also national Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education, with specialist facilities including:

One of Europe’s largest PlayStation 5 development labs.
An Emergent Technology Centre comprising five specialist labs and studios for creative practice, research, and knowledge exchange.
A Virtual Production Research Environment (ViPRE) lab with industry-standard motion-tracking and screen technology.
A configurable Development studio offering collaborative working space for artists, designers and technologists to conceive and rapidly prototype digital and physical prototypes.
A light-controlled Visual Design Studio for concept designers, illustrators, animators, and 3D artists to develop production art.
A Usability Lab equipped with cameras, microphones, and an observation room for UX research, product testing, and audience research.
A dedicated lab for student projects linked to research and knowledge exchange.
A Competitive Gaming Lab kitted with 20 high-specification gaming PCs for play-testing by designers and researchers.
Adobe Creative Campus status providing students with free access to the latest creative software.

Abertay games programmes use a workplace simulation approach where students from various courses, including artists, programmers, and games production managers, work together to create games as part of their degree programme. Accredited by Screen Skills, JAMES, Tiga, BCS, and others, the programmes are designed with input from industry and graduates have gone on to secure positions at some of the world’s most renowned games companies, such as Ubisoft, Sony, EA, Rockstar, and many more.

Dr Dayna Galloway, Head of the Department of Games and Arts said:

The games industry is highly interconnected, and we are proud to have more than 25 years' worth of alumni who have gone on to help shape the sector. By giving our students a flavour of what it’s like to work in an industry environment during their time at university, we make sure they are well-prepared to go straight into the workplace and have the skills and experience required to succeed and to drive the industry forward.

The University’s annual Dare Academy games design competition fosters student teams who often evolve into successful start-ups, with winners receiving investment to further develop their prototypes and showcase their games.

Abertay is based in Dundee, a city renowned as the birthplace of the original Grand Theft Auto franchise and the console edition of Minecraft. The University has played a central role in building the city’s reputation as a global hub for games design and the majority of people working in the cluster are Abertay graduates.

As technology advances, the University is working to adapt both teaching and research to the needs of the future. Abertay is a key partner in the CoSTAR Network, a £75.6m project funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council which aims to drive forward the converging games, screen, immersive and performance industries. As part of the network, Abertay recently launched the CoSTAR Realtime Lab, a new virtual production studio with bases in Dundee and Edinburgh designed to bring new opportunities and expert support to creative and technology companies working across the breadth of the creative industries. Abertay also plays an important part in the CoSTAR National Lab, due to open at Pinewood Studios.

Professor Ruth Falconer, Head of the Department of Games Technology and Mathematics at Abertay and Head of CreaTech at the CoSTAR National Lab, said:

The National Lab is the central hub of the CoSTAR Network and provides infrastructure that combines state-of-the-art facilities, technology research and an exciting series of industry and academic partnerships to fuel creative industries growth across the UK. The National Lab collaborates, innovates and experiments across the UK’s screen and performance sectors, supporting UK creative companies to innovate and grow ethically, sustainably, and inclusively.

To learn more about studying at Abertay visit our Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business page.