Introduction to Game Design

Epic Games introduces the decisions behind a game before asking learners to organize their own concept. Ryan Laley connects genres and design roles with ideation, iteration and documentation. The four modules build toward explaining a game clearly enough that other people can understand its intended rules and experience.

What you will learn

• Develop and describe an original game concept
• Revise ideas through an iterative design process
• Organize design decisions in a game document

Who this suits

Beginners can start without prior experience. This is a design introduction for learners who need to articulate a concept; it is different from a full programming or Unreal Engine production course.

Before you enroll

The published workload is approximately eighteen hours including assignments, not eighteen hours of video. Select the original English language if the page defaults to an AI-dubbed version. Allow time to test the proposed rules with another person; an attractive pitch alone cannot establish that a game is enjoyable.

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Put it into practice

Create a small paper prototype with one goal and a few rules. Watch another person play without prompting, then revise the instructions and record what the test changed.

Source and review

This overview is based on the provider's published information, checked on 12 October 2026. It is an editorial assessment, not a claim that we completed the resource. Time filters are approximate study ranges; projects and exercises can take longer.

View the curriculum and current access options at Coursera.

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