Games Development Department

Welcome to our Games Development Department, a multi-award-winning beacon of creativity and innovation. We prepare the gaming prodigies of today to become the industry pioneers of tomorrow. 

Our state-of-the-art facilities with cutting-edge technology and top-tier professional tools reflect our status as the largest games department in the UK. We are home to a vibrant community of over 2000 students across our Stoke and London campuses. Our alumni network spreads  across the entire gaming industry, with our graduates making an impact in virtually every major game studio. They form an impressive global fraternity of game developers, all having honed their craft at Staffordshire.  

Our immersive courses span the entire game development spectrum - from concepts to design, art, programming, and production. Driven by industry insight  and cutting edge research, we stay at the forefront of the ever-evolving gaming landscape. Our significant partnerships with numerous AAA and independent studios - and a trophy case glittering with awards for our industry engagement - further attest to our commitment to our students. As the first University to be recognized as an authorized Unreal Training Centre, we continue to break barriers and set the pace. 

Welcome to our exciting and nurturing department. Immerse yourself, and let's shape the future of gaming together! 

Our locations

Our team

Professor Christopher Headleand

Head Of Department - Sugi

Prof. Headleand is a Computing & Video Games academic with over 20 years' experience; internationally recognised as an expert in student engagement. He is head of Games Design & Technology & researches Virtual Reality, Visualisation & Serious Games.

Christopher's profile

Stuart Butler

Course Director

Stuart is the Course Director for Games Technology and an experienced 3D Vehicle Artist with multiple published games titles to his name as an artist, designer, and animator.

Stuart's profile

Dr Sharon Coleclough

Senior Lecturer

Sharon works across all areas of film and media production, focusing upon specialisms in sound design, editing, acting and performance in film. She is an active researcher with international publications on lighting, sound and representation in film.

Sharon's profile

David Edwards

Course Director

Dave is an experienced technical artist and academic. He teaches on many of the earlier levels of the Games Art degree, using his expertise in 3D character and environment art, 3D scripting, and level design in the Unreal Engine.

David's profile

Emma Fallows

Lecturer

Emma is an artist, researcher, and lecturer in Games Development. Her research explores applying virtual reality to museum displays to enhance the education and overall visitor experience.

Emma's profile

Dr Kieran Hicks

Course Director

Dr Kieran Hicks is a game design lecturer, they are the director of the DEMI research centre. Their research explores games from user-based and design-based lenses, using games as a tool to engage diverse groups in beneficial activity.

Kieran's profile

David James

Course Director

I am a Games Technical Design Lecturer at Staffordshire University, specialising in the design principles and technical implementation of game software.

David's profile

Professor Esther Maccallum-Stewart

Professor

Professor of Game Studies, specialising in player behaviour and analog games, including tabletop roleplaying games.

Esther's profile

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