this file was my notes for the talk I gave at the Night of Ideas, I was invited by my friend Louis, and had a wonderful time. I’ve made minimal edits to it to remove personal information

Student Games Matter

By Athena

Who Am I?

• Computer Science, Theatre, and Honors Student here at TXST.
• President of the Game Developers Society @ TXST
• Former junior bagpiper
• Amateur* Game Developer

As a student, I do what I do for the love of the game.

Why I think the premise is silly.
Games are an Art, Art matters for:

Why Do Student Games Matter?

Narbacular Drop

Games matter because students can make revolutionary stuff.
Senior game at Digipen University.

Portal

Portal started out as a student project at Digipen University, and instantly got the team hired by Valve when they showed it off.

Just with all art, raising the next generation of artists, mentoring them an

Ok but what are the stakes? Why should you care

Layoffs

• Estimated Total in 2025: 1200
• Estimated Total in 2024: 14,600

TBH, being a student game developer is very scary right now
Junior positions are gone, publishing contracts for games are drying up

Developers have their livelyhoods stolen from them
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-disco-elysium-writer-survive-the-winter

Game take a long time to make. Especially thoughful and artistic games.
7 years Disco Elysium -
approximately fifteen month Doom

What can you do?

🫵

Support Students
Play Their Games, even if they are Bad!
If you like games, pay for them!

• Most students host their games on itch.io, which allows us to select a pay-what-you-want option

On a community level, create spaces for game developers.

• The single most important thing I have done in game development career so far, was working with my peers to start the Game Developers Society.
• If you are interested in leadership and being an active organizer, run game jams, host showcases, connect with your peers!
• Just as art and film students have art showcases and film festivals, student game developers ought to host game festivals for the public.

On a Institutional Level, support student game developers

• Not just university programs or organizations
• Provide space and funding for student leaders to organize each other
• Government Arts funding.^1
  • I understand the poor timing of my part in advocating for this
    ^1 https://gov.texas.gov/film/page/tmiiip_game
    https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/videogame_grants.pdf

Industry Level:

• Mentor more students.
• Work with university career centers and events.
• Make healthier work environments and shorter games.
• Build sustainable pipelines to

Making games has never been easier

Check out the Game Developers Society’s games and our upcoming Game Jam
Thank you,