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

Historia de las reglas del fútbol en Inglaterra y en Argentina (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad Austral

Historia de las reglas del fútbol en Inglaterra y en Argentina (Coursera)

El curso es accesible para todos los aficionados al fútbol ya sean del nivel de un principiante como el de un profesional dado que describe de una manera clara y sencilla cómo se originó el fútbol en Inglaterra en el Siglo XIV y el modo en que se fueron desarrollando las reglas de juego, que comprenden la forma en que los futbolistas lo practicaban (con los pies, con las manos, con o sin arcos, el tamaño de la pelota, del campo de juego, cantidad de jugadores por lado, etc.) y las reglas de competición, que ordenan cómo se organiza una federación nacional, el formato de los campeonatos, los requisitos que deben cumplir los clubes afiliados, la fiscalización de los resultados, etc.

Nov 9th 2026
5-12 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.

Nov 9th 2026
4 Weeks
Introduction to Game Design: Game Systems and Balance (edX) EdX
LaSalle College,LaSalleX

Introduction to Game Design: Game Systems and Balance (edX)

Learn the deep mechanics of good system design that is both fun and rewarding for the gamer. Game designers create the ideas and worlds of games—they design the environment, characters, game mechanics, goals and user experience. Successful game designers do this by applying the fundamentals of game system design and logic.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Accessible Gamification (edX) EdX
Georgia Institute of Technology,GTx

Accessible Gamification (edX)

Learn how accessibility plays into gamification fundamentals, creating efficiency in business for everyone. See your favorite games like never before! Ever wondered why farming for a mighty sword in a fantasy game feels entertaining and fun while filling out reporting documents – a seemingly similar repetitive activity – is incredibly boring? If so, you are not alone!

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Football: More than a Game (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Edinburgh

Football: More than a Game (FutureLearn)

Explore the role of football in the world today - including finances, clubs, nations and rivalries - with this free online course. Explore the world of football (soccer), the money, the rivalries, the trends, the past, the present, the men’s game, the woman’s game and the real issues. Whether you love it, hate it or try to ignore it – join us as we go behind the scenes to examine why football is more than just a game.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
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.

Nov 9th 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.

Nov 9th 2026
4 Weeks
History of Game Design: Prehistory to the late 1980s (edX) EdX
LaSalle College,LaSalleX

History of Game Design: Prehistory to the late 1980s (edX)

Discover how board and arcade games evolved into ground-breaking video game consoles. Want to take a fascinating journey through the history of gaming? Then this course is for you. Our journey begins with an exploration of how ancient board games evolved into modern board games and arcade games. Then we will explore the development of first- and second-generation video games, and finally, innovative third-generation game technology.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Desarrollo de Videojuegos 3D en Unity: Una Introducción (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad de los Andes

Desarrollo de Videojuegos 3D en Unity: Una Introducción (Coursera)

Este curso te permite crear un prototipo de juego 3D, explorando los conceptos necesarios y las herramientas para desarrollo de videojuegos en 3D disponibles en Unity y en la Web. Explorarás y harás uso de herramientas para crear una escena 3D en Unity, podrás agregar personajes y animaciones 3D e integrarlas en los escenarios que crees, podrás definir comportamiento e interacción entre elementos del videojuego, y publicar en la Web los resultados de lo que diseñes. Vas a utilizar como base los conceptos aprendidos en el curso introductorio de desarrollo, ahora aplicados a juegos 3D.

Nov 16th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Serious Gaming (Coursera) Coursera
Erasmus University Rotterdam

Serious Gaming (Coursera)

Have you ever wondered how playing games can help us to train people, deal with societal challenges or raise awareness of contemporary social issues? In this MOOC you will learn the ins and outs of games that are designed with exactly those purposes in mind: serious games. We will define serious games and discuss the different types that have been developed. We will explain why people like to play them and what impact they may have.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Story and Narrative Development for Video Games (Coursera) Coursera
California Institute of the Arts

Story and Narrative Development for Video Games (Coursera)

In this course, you will examine how storytelling acts as a vital mechanism for driving video gameplay forward. Looking at several historical and contemporary games, you will be asked to evaluate and interpret different story styles with the goal of identifying themes and procedures for your own game ideas. We'll examine traditional narrative story processes, such as three-act structure, and how they fit into game story flows and the strategic elements of gameplay. Ultimately, you will learn how to define character, setting, and structure to create a compelling game concept.

Nov 9th 2026
4 Weeks
Developing Android Apps with App Inventor (Coursera) Coursera
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - HKUST

Developing Android Apps with App Inventor (Coursera)

The course will give students hands-on experience in developing interesting Android applications. No previous experience in programming is needed, and the course is suitable for students with any level of computing experience. MIT App Inventor will be used in the course. It is a blocks-based programming tool that allows everyone, even novices, to start programming and build fully functional apps for Android devices. Students are encouraged to use their own Android devices for hands-on testing and exploitation.

Nov 16th 2026
5-12 Weeks