EdX

Introduction to Game Design (edX)

Offered by MIT, MITx,
Introduction to Game Design (edX)

A practical introduction to game design and game design concepts, emphasizing the basic tools of game design: paper and digital prototyping, design iteration, and user testing. We have all played and enjoyed games, but how do people actually design them? How do you describe a game? What are the basic elements? How do designers create an experience for the player? What about prototyping and iterating?

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see EdX's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

This course explores these questions and others through six content units over seven weeks. Participants will be introduced to game design and game design concepts, emphasizing the basic tools of game design: paper and digital prototyping, design iteration, and user testing. The audience for this course includes current and aspiring game designers and those interested in delving deeply into the game creation process.

For the course project, participants will create either a digital game or a board game. This course leverages Gameblox, a game editor that uses a block based programming language to allow anyone to create games.
What you'll learn:

  • How to unpack the term "game," incorporating different concepts and multiple perspectives.
  • How to analyze the mechanics of paper and digital games, considering how these mechanics affect gameplay and player experiences.
  • How to design, develop, and test paper and digital prototype games using an iterative design process and incorporating user feedback.
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Gameplay en videojuegos (Coursera) Coursera
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Gameplay en videojuegos (Coursera)

¿Cómo se estructura y funciona un programa de videojuego? Es lo que comúnmente se conoce como 'gameplay', y que constituirá nuestro núcleo de estudio en este curso. Su análisis detallado nos permitirá comprender su importancia, y qué funcionalidades debe tener. Analizaremos también la interface gráfica del usuario (GUI), que finalmente condiciona el hecho de que el jugador pueda interaccionar correctamente con el videojuego. Para definir y comprender mejor los conceptos se usan ejemplos y referentes de videojuegos de la industria.

Jun 1st 2026
4 Weeks
Online Games: Literature, New Media, and Narrative (Coursera) Coursera
Vanderbilt University

Online Games: Literature, New Media, and Narrative (Coursera)

Intended for both newcomers who are curious about video games and experienced gamers who want to reflect on their passion, this course will explore what happens to stories, paintings, and films when they become the basis of massively multiplayer online games. The Lord of the Rings trilogy—the novels, films, and video game—are our central example of how “remediation” transforms familiar stories as they move across media.

May 18th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Video Game Writing Essentials (edX) EdX
The University of British Columbia,UBCx

Video Game Writing Essentials (edX)

Learn the essentials of writing for video games, from how games are developed and what game writers do, to the ways game stories differ from other kinds of stories. Writing for video games is truly a new frontier, a place where writers and game designers are still learning, innovating and pioneering bold approaches to telling stories.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Introduction to Game Design: Process and Creation (edX) EdX
LaSalle College,LaSalleX

Introduction to Game Design: Process and Creation (edX)

Learn the steps involved in the game design process⁠—turning the vision into reality. What is good game design? How do you come up with good game ideas? How do you start documenting your ideas? How do you create an experience? How do you write a rule book? These are some of the questions that will come up during the game design process, and this course will enable you to answer them.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Planning, HUDs, and Spawners in GameMaker (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado System

Planning, HUDs, and Spawners in GameMaker (Coursera)

This course is the third course in the specialization about learning how to develop video games using GameMaker on Windows or Mac. Why use GameMaker instead of using C# and Unity or C++ and Unreal*? Learning to develop games with GameMaker is much easier than learning to program in C# or C++ AND learning Unity or Unreal. If you just want to continue learning how to develop games in a more "gentle" way, this is a great starting point.

May 25th 2026
4 Weeks
Introduction to Game Design (Coursera) Coursera
California Institute of the Arts

Introduction to Game Design (Coursera)

Welcome! This course is an introduction to the primary concepts of gaming, and an exploration of how these basic concepts affect the way gamers interact with our games. In this course you will understand what defines a “game” and the mechanics and rules behind different types of games. Through four linked assignments you'll learn ways to create and describe a game concept, and specifically what makes a compelling game. This course focuses on the conceptual underpinnings of games, and all assignments can be completed with a pencil and paper – no previous programming knowledge is required.

Jun 1st 2026
4 Weeks
Game Design and Development 5: Capstone Project (Coursera) Coursera
Michigan State University

Game Design and Development 5: Capstone Project (Coursera)

In the game design and development capstone course, you will create an original game from initial concept up to the first playable version! Along the way, you will have the opportunity to put your game ideas in front of your peers. The capstone experience gives you the opportunity to push your skills further and demonstrate your newfound skills as a game developer. The capstone also contains guest talks from game industry professionals at Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Insomniac Games, Gearbox Entertainment, Iron Galaxy, Deep Silver Volition, Goodgame Studios, Stardock, GREE, Heart Shaped Games, and more.

May 25th 2026
4 Weeks
Managing the New Product Development Process (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Managing the New Product Development Process (Coursera)

This course covers the product development process in detail. With the opportunity defined, learners begin with ideation techniques such as Design Thinking to create new product concepts. Learners define the tools to create product specifications that meet customer requirements, then conceptualize different ways of meeting those requirements. Learners conclude by exploring prototyping and the techniques used to down-select to a concept that is then carried through launch.

Jun 1st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter (Coursera) Coursera
Michigan State University

Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter (Coursera)

If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course will start you down that path. Making games is a creative and technical art form. In this course you will familiarize yourself with the tools and practices of game development and well as the process. You will get started developing video games using industry standard game development tools, including the Unity 2020 game engine. At the end of the course you will have completed two hands-on projects, including an Intro to Unity project and a 2D Shooter game, and will be able to leverage an array of game development techniques to create your own basic games.

May 25th 2026
4 Weeks
Game Design and Development 4: 3D Platformer (Coursera) Coursera
Michigan State University

Game Design and Development 4: 3D Platformer (Coursera)

If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course is your fourth step down that path. In this course you will learn the fundamentals of game design, including an understanding of game idea generation, design documentation, the business side of games, and social issues in games. You will continue developing video games using industry standard game development tools, including the Unity 2020 game engine. At the end of the course you will have completed a 3D Platformer game, and will be able to leverage an array of game development techniques to create your own basic games.

May 25th 2026
4 Weeks
Game Theory (Coursera) Coursera
Stanford University,The University of British Columbia

Game Theory (Coursera)

Popularized by movies such as "A Beautiful Mind," game theory is the mathematical modeling of strategic interaction among rational (and irrational) agents. Beyond what we call `games' in common language, such as chess, poker, soccer, etc., it includes the modeling of conflict among nations, political campaigns, competition among firms, and trading behavior in markets such as the NYSE.

May 11th 2026
5-12 Weeks
World Design for Video Games (Coursera) Coursera
California Institute of the Arts

World Design for Video Games (Coursera)

Start creating your world. A game world is not just a backdrop for your game—be it minimal or detailed, contained or part of a much bigger universe, it provides the context for your player. Ultimately, a game world should feel alive and wholly unique to any player who will experience it. In this course, we will explore game worlds in existing games and study the art and influences that inform their themes and styles. We will also investigate key components of environment and level design as well as strategies designers use to define gameplay or advance it. We’ll also look at navigation and the elements that make your world as real (or unreal) as you want it to be.

Jun 1st 2026
4 Weeks