A Vancouver school has been named the best in Canada and third internationally for game design.
The honour comes from the Princeton Review Journal, which says Vancouver Film School (VFS) has the best game design program in the country, and it has held that title for the last four years.
Princeton’s ranking was launched in 2009 and is considered “widely respected.”
The ranking is based on a 2024 survey of administrators at 150 institutions that offer game design coursework.
The Princeton Review calls Vancouver one of the world’s “largest creative meccas.”
“VFS’s production-focused education is taught by industry professionals in state-of-the-art facilities and delivered in accelerated time frames. With 15 programs to choose from, students graduate in 1 short year as in-demand creative professionals with a strong network of industry connections and a powerful portfolio that will serve as their industry calling card,” Princeton says.
According to the blurb about VFS on The Princeton Review’s website, VFS is recognized as Canada’s #1 game design school for several reasons. It offers world-class facilities for all levels of development, and students can choose their specialization, whether it’s game art, coding, or level design.
“Outside of the Game Design program, virtually all VFS programs incorporate elements of game design into the curriculum, from Programming to Sound Design, Acting, Writing, 3D Animation & VFX, and more.”
VFS students have also won the Unity Award for best student game four times, with eight nominations.
Christopher Mitchell, VFS’s head of game design and programming for games, web and mobile, calls the designation an immense honour and “a testament to the hard work and talent of our faculty, students, and especially alumni.”
“Our success stems from the fact that as the technological floor rises, letting developers do more, we push the ceiling to match, changing curriculum to meet what industry wants students to learn so they’re fully prepared to work in the game industry from the moment they graduate.”
Another Vancouver school, LaSalle College, ranked just behind VFS internationally, as the fourth-best school.
The Princeton Review says that LaSalle, an arts and design school, offers over 30 creative programs.
Aside from game design, VFS is well known for its role in the film scene, even contributing to the latest Marvel blockbuster, Thunderbolts.
Both Vancouver schools were the only Canadian schools in the ranking.
