“Our mission was and is to investigate and develop the medium of computer games from both a cultural studies and technical perspective,” says Prof. Dr. Jochen Koubek, Professor of Digital Media at the University of Bayreuth. “The past ten years show that our concept is working - and that our students are actively shaping this medium with their ideas and projects.”
A pioneering project with impact
Launched in the 2015/16 winter term with 16 students, the course now has around 63 active students - a clear sign of its growing appeal. Unique in Germany in its combination of media studies, game design, game development and computer science, the course pursues the goal of understanding and further developing the medium of computer games both theoretically and practically. Many of the alumni have gained a foothold in the games and media industry throughout Germany, some with their own successful start-ups directly out of Bayreuth.
With 22 start-ups and game studios now founded - including Emergo Entertainment, Salzsammler Studios, Sleep Runner Studios and Blossom Path - the enormous innovative potential of Bayreuth students is evident. Numerous projects have received six-figure funding from the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, most recently “Nordheim Survivor” and “Through The Cold” in 2024 (each with 100,000 euros in funding). The practical training is reflected here in measurable successes.
The list of awards is constantly growing: from the German Computer Game Prize to the Games Prize and the Dok.Fest - students and alumni have been honored several times for their innovative games and media-critical contributions.
Practical study and design
Highlights such as the practice-oriented seminar “Games with Purpose”, in which students developed the award-winning XR project ‘Salzsammler’ for the UNESCO World Heritage Center Regensburg, or the event series “Playtest & Pancakes”, in which new games by students and smaller studios from the region are tested, make the link between research, teaching and creativity directly tangible. The program is supplemented by four regular game jams per year, which promote interdisciplinary collaboration and creative problem-solving.
With the Master's in Computer Game Science, the University of Bayreuth is consolidating its reputation as an innovative, interdisciplinary university with international appeal. This can also be seen at this year's Gamescom, the world's largest trade fair for computer and video games, which takes place annually in Cologne. It is a meeting place for the gaming community and the games industry, and the University of Bayreuth is also represented there as an exhibitor this year. Three Bayreuth games will be presented to the specialist audience at a computer game science stand.
