Computer Games Development Industry Insight

Argyll College UHI hosts Computer Games Development session with industry expert Teressa Wright.

Our NPA Computer Games Development students were treated today to a presentation by Games Producer and Developer, Teressa Wright who now works with Netspeak Games. Having worked on over 280 games including titles such as Minecraft, Battalion 1944 and her personal favourite, Alien Isolation, Teressa captivated the audience of school link students with an engaging overview of the diverse computer games industry, looking at the various roles and career opportunities before inspiring us with hints and tips on how to get your game funded and brought to market.

The students got to ask questions too and Teressa was asked about the main differences between working alone or in a small company compared to working with a AAA studio. Asked also what skills young people need to be successful in the industry, ‘deep tech skills’ and ‘communication’ came out on top. "Knowing computing science and coding is really important, but with the global shift to remote working, communication skills and being able to explain your ideas concisely and clearly are also becoming critical’’, explained Teressa.

The UK gaming market is now worth a record £5.7bn and reported to be the most profitable creative industry in the UK ahead of film, TV and music. Asked what it is like to work in a male dominated industry, Teressa replied, "gaming audiences are roughly equal male/female and the industry itself is changing to reflect this. At our company we are proactive in building diverse and well-balanced teams."