Game development is quickly becoming a sought-after skill in the computer science industry, with the demand for workers expected to grow by 5.31 percent every year. By 2029, an expected 32,090 jobs will be filled, making a developer position an attractive option for those interested in computer programming. These facts can make a new career in game development sound amazingly attractive – and there’s help available to do so.
For those ready to become game developers, there’s no need to enroll in a physical class at a college or university. Instead, individuals can learn from the comfort of their homes with professional online courses from the GameDevHQ bootcamp. With access to immersive and detailed courses, industry experts as mentors, and tips on how to break into the industry, enrolling in the professional GameDevHQ bootcamp is a no-brainer for those looking to either switch jobs or start their first career.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about GameDevHQ so you can decide if it’s the right career path for you (and if you can help supplement this learning with other platforms like Zenva).
Let’s dive in.
Table of contents
What is GameDevHQ?
GameDevHQ is a coding bootcamp, but with a difference. Its innovative program is designed to allow students to learn at their own pace, while quickly developing vital skills – all with the overall goal of turning GameDevHQ students into professional Unity Developers.
Founded in 2010 by a professional Unity teacher, GameDevHQ has since evolved into a fully-fledged learning platform, with graduates working for some of the largest employers globally.
Courses focus specifically on Unity and C# since it’s the fastest-growing tech stack on the market. Students will learn everything they need to become fully-fledged software engineers, such as how to create real-time 2D and 3D applications.
GameDevHQ stands out from similar coding platforms as courses use game development as a gateway to a career in the broader software engineering industry. Learners are encouraged to develop the necessary skills needed to take their own path.
GameDevHQ’s innovative approach to learning game development has clearly worked for past students, with 95 percent of students finding a career after graduating. The average student salary was an impressive $70K, showcasing just how attractive GameDevHQ graduates are to employers.
This said, Unity learning is available on numerous platforms – such as with Zenva’s Unity Game Development Mini-Degree which offers a curated learning path. Not to mention, Zenva offers courses on other popular topics such as Unreal Engine, Godot, and Python (the last of which has become one of the most popular languages for just about everything).
What does the GameDevHQ curriculum offer?
GameDevHQ gives students skills in Unity and C# that they need to succeed in a professional environment. Rather than solely providing users with advanced courses, GameDevHQ works by offering a structured curriculum, starting from beginner all the way to the advanced level.
Students will have the chance to learn key programming techniques, including the Unity Timeline, Cinemachine, mobile games, building enterprise apps utilizing API integrations, and Unity Analytics.
The GameDevHQ curriculum offers hands-on coding projects, allowing you to create physical programs that are suitable for a professional portfolio. Daily feedback is provided, and all learners have consistent access to 1:1 coaching with their expert tutors.
Those enrolled in the course can choose to contact their coach as much or as little as they wish, and can be undertaken at their own pace, from three months to over a year. Even better, all graduates have access to lifetime support from GameDevHQ, even after they’ve entered their software engineering career. GameDevHQ learners can also take the bootcamp from home, online, and at any time they wish.
Courses are designed to teach everything needed to become a professional Unity game developer, or gain transferable skills to start a career as a software engineer, without having to spend full-time hours at college. GameDevHQ also focuses on providing career preparation assistance to its students, including resume building, how to write a cover letter, and interview practice to give them the best possible chance of succeeding in the industry.
Bootcamp students will also have access to GameDevHQs private job board, with Unity jobs posted weekly. Clearly, this works, as 95 percent of students are in placement after graduating, earning an average salary of $70k.
Of course, GameDevHQ isn’t the only one with a curriculum. Zenva offers several in fact, with some focus specifically on working with Unity itself, or focusing on other topics such as VR, AR, mobile games, building RPGs, creating survival games, constructing strategy games, and more. Zenva also offers Unity Certification pathways to help ensure that students can get credentials they need to bolster their careers.
What age range is GameDevHQ aimed at?
GameDevHQ is aimed at adults starting their career, or those already in full-time work looking to make the move to a career in game development or software engineering. There’s no need to have any qualifications in programming, however, it is advised that you have some background knowledge before enrolling in the GameDevHQ curriculum.
There’s no official age limit for learning with GameDevHQ, but younger audiences will struggle with the complexities of the curriculum. Though it does start at beginner level, the course quickly moves to more advanced topics. The learning platform is also designed to help people enter a professional career in software engineering, so is best suited for people over the age of 18.
GameDevHQ is also suited to those working full-time looking to pursue a new career, since learners can commit to just one to two hours per day for as little as four months. With GameDev’s analytics platform, mentors can prompt support for those struggling with the curriculum, and identify high performers who will be recommended to employer partners.
So, despite GameDevHQ being a fully online curriculum, the team will regularly contact learners to help them reach their goals.
This range isn’t too far from platforms like Zenva however, which also focuses on the same range. However, Zenva has a wider offering of courses that can go as young as 9 or 10 with courses on topics such as digital systems, Scratch, and Roblox. Zenva’s courses are also available in real-life K12 settings through its Zenva Schools platform.
How long is the GameDevHQ curriculum?
The GameDevHQ curriculum doesn’t have an official length, and instead, individuals can choose to undertake courses at their own pace. This is to give learners increased flexibility, especially if they’re already in full-time work.
If undertaken full-time, students can graduate from GameDevHQ in as little as three months, when working 40 hours per week. There’s also the opportunity to take the bootcamp part-time at 20 hours per week, or in their leisure time for up to 64 weeks. Though the bootcamp is flexible, learners are expected to put in at least 10 hours of work a week.
If taking longer than usual to graduate, course mentors will be on-hand to provide extra support and knowledge to those enrolled in the program.
Of course, this flexibility is also available at Zenva which is mobile-optimized as well so you can learn on the go. Thus, no matter your schedule, you’re able to learn coding at your leisure and base your learning specifically on what interests you.
How much does GameDevHQ cost?
Since GameDevHQ is a bootcamp that functions similarly to a college course, enrolling in the program costs $21,000. With this, you’ll receive professional course content, 1:1 coaching with an industry professional, and career guidance to help you break into the industry. This clearly works, since 95 percent of people join a career in software engineering after graduating.
GameDevHQ also offers financial help when enrolling in their program. You won’t need to pay anything for a full year after finishing the bootcamp, and once hired you can make monthly payments as low as $200 per month. Scholarships are also available for certain eligible learners. You can find out more about scholarship criteria by contacting a student enrollment advisor.
Of course, this is a very costly program even with financial help. Other solutions like Zenva may be a much better fit which charges a small, small fraction and includes a wider range of topics – whether your interest is Unity, a different engine, or another coding topic in general.
What are the benefits of learning Unity with GameDevHQ?
If you’re interested in joining a career as a professional game developer, you’ll more than likely need to learn how to use the development platform known as Unity.
Unity powers over 80 percent of the entire XR industry, and 50 percent of the games industry in general. Famous games including Pokémon GO, Among Us, and Call of Duty: Mobile, were all made using the Unity gaming engine.
It’s used not only in game development, but the broader software engineering industry, including in automotive, architecture, engineering, construction, film, and many more. Learning the ins and outs of Unity is not only useful for a career in gaming, but will help you boost your employability in other sectors.
Unity uses the programming language C#, which was built by Microsoft. Currently, C# is the most in-demand language to date, and is a sought-after skill by employers in the industry. With GameDevHQ, you’ll become well-versed in C#, learning how to program both 2D and 3D games and animations.
That said, why GameDevHQ? Well, with comprehensive curriculums, you never need to guess how to learn Unity – which can often be a problem when using free resources. As mentioned before though, GameDevHQ isn’t alone in the curriculum front with other platforms like Zenva around. Still, guided learning can be a big boon to making sure you get the right learning material in an order that makes sense.
Who are GameDevHQs employee partners?
GameDevHQ stands out from similar learning platforms due to its focus on employability after graduation, providing students with the tools they need to join their dream career soon after finishing the course. As part of this drive, GameDevHQ has an employee partner program, where the platform recommends high-performing students to large employers.
GameDevHQ works with many large software engineering and game development companies, including:
Is GameDevHQ worth it?
If you’re interested in breaking into the gaming industry, want to develop transferable skills needed to become a software engineer, or are looking to switch careers, GameDevHQ is an excellent bootcamp designed to not just teach you vital programming skills, but actually secure a career after graduating. Out of hundreds of graduates, 95 percent found a career in industry, with 54 percent receiving their first job interview within 30 days. No other learning platform provides support like GameDevHQ.
Here are the main features of the GameDevHQ bootcamp that set it apart from other platforms.
- Regular 1:1 support with industry mentors. Rather than leaving students to teach themselves the course content, GameDevHQ’s industry mentors are on-hand to answer learner queries. There’s also regular workshops with professionals succeeding in game development.
- Enrollment approval in five minutes. It takes just five minutes for US individuals to be approved for the GameDevHQ bootcamp, and there’s no requirement to have prior experience in game development or programming. To find out whether you’re eligible for GameDevHQ, contact a student enrollment advisor here.
- Career help & guidance. As mentioned, there’s regular employability advice, an employee partner program, and the chance to build an impressive professional portfolio.
- Learn highly popular Unity and C#. Unity powers 50 percent of all games on the market, making it the most popular gaming engine to date. Learn how to make high-quality games with Unity and stand out to future employers. Alternatively, learn transferable skills that can be applied to other profitable industries including architecture, engineering, and construction.
- Financing options. The GameDevHQ program can be paid back in manageable repayments at as little as $200 a month. All graduates are offered lifetime support from mentors to help them further their careers.
- Boosted chance of success with 95 percent success rate. GameDevHQ has been proven to work, with 95 percent of graduates finding a placement. Even better, the average salary of an ex-student was $70k, well above the average for those starting out in the programming industry. Over half of students receive their first job interview within just 30 days of graduating, showing just how successful GameDevHQs career guidance is.
Clearly, GameDevHQ is an excellent alternative to taking a traditional college course. The focus isn’t just on teaching valuable and transferable skills to students, but also pays particular attention to making individuals more employable, puts them in touch with large development companies, and offering manageable financial repayments so learners can focus on the important stuff – like kickstarting their new careers.
This said, the support and other bits and pieces do come at a substantial price – even with GameDevHQ’s payment plans. So while GameDevHQ might be worth it for some, others might prefer a more affordable route such as Zenva. While it doesn’t come with the same one-on-one support, you can still get the same sort of high-end learning without breaking what might be a very tight budget on your end.
GameDevHQ Wrap Up
GameDevHQ is definitely a great option for those changing or starting a new game-related career.
Rather than providing a fully self-taught route, the platform offers learners regular 1:1 sessions with industry mentors, the chance to create a professional portfolio, and all the practice they could want to learn Unity game development. You’ll also be given employability support during and after the course with industry professionals who will guide you on how to increase your attractiveness to employers.
Thus, if you want the full package and have the money to invest, GameDevHQ is a fantastic way to get both support and skills for your professional life!
Plus, if you try the program out along with Zenva, you have double the chance of cementing your knowledge (while also getting the opportunity to explore topics beyond just Unity, such as Python).
As part of our partnership with GameDevHQ, we might earn a referral commission if you sign up through our links.
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