Utah's video game industry has experienced significant growth, expanding over 230% in the last decade and generating more than $2.3 billion in revenue last year.
The University of Utah's video game program has played a crucial role in driving this growth, producing influential figures in the gaming industry and alumni who have collectively generated over $2 billion in lifetime revenue from their games.
The university's gaming initiative began within the computer science department and has since evolved into a formalized program known as the Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE) program.
The EAE program offers a structured curriculum focused on gaming and interactive entertainment and has become the university's 10th-largest major, attracting approximately 1,200 undergraduates annually.
The demand for skilled professionals in the gaming industry has led to the university's rise in the Princeton Review's rankings for top game design schools.
To further enhance its offerings, the university has committed $25 million to support the expansion of its gaming program.
The University of Utah's influence extends to major game titles, with graduates playing pivotal roles in the development of successful games such as "Hogwarts Legacy."
The university's contributions to the gaming sector are rooted in its pioneering work in 3-D graphics, which has had a lasting impact on the local gaming scene.
The collaborative environment fostered by the University of Utah and other local institutions has been instrumental in building strong relationships with game developers in the area.
The university's hands-on approach to education prepares students for careers in game development and contributes to the overall growth of the industry in Utah.
The ongoing collaboration between academia and the gaming industry ensures that Utah will remain a hub for creativity and economic growth in the years to come.