15 Best Game Design Courses on Coursera
We compared 15 Game Design courses currently listed on Coursera, priced from $49.00 to $79.00. 4 come from a named university or institution, including Michigan State University, California Institute of the Arts and University of California, Irvine. They are ordered by our CourseAsk score, which is built from how thoroughly each course describes what it teaches, whether it comes from a named institution, and how it compares on price — not from star ratings, which our course data does not include.
- Courses compared
- 15
- Price range
- $49.00 – $79.00
- Providers
- Coursera
- Last updated
- 30 Aug 2026
How these 15 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, matched to "game design" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $49.00 to $79.00, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Game Design and Development 5: Capstone Project
Offered by Michigan State University
In the game design and development capstone course, you will create an original game from initial concept up to the first playable version! Along the way, you will have the opportunity to put your game ideas in front of...
$49.00listed price -
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2
Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter
Offered by Michigan State University
If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course will start you down that path. Making games is a creative and technical art form. In this course you will familiarize yourself with the tools and pra...
$49.00listed price -
3
Game Design and Development 2: 2D Platformer
Offered by Michigan State University
If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course is your second step down that path. In this course you will learn the fundamentals of game design, including an understanding of the game world, stor...
$49.00listed price -
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4
Game Design and Development with Unity
Offered by Michigan State University
Break into the video game industry with theoretical, technical, and practical knowledge from one of the world’s best programs. In this Specialization, learners build the skills necessary to design and development games....
$49.00listed price -
5
Game Design and Development 3: 3D Shooter
Offered by Michigan State University
If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course is your third step down that path. In this course you will learn the fundamentals of game design, including an understanding of level design, game ba...
$49.00listed price -
6
Game Design: Art and Concepts
Offered by California Institute of the Arts
Stemming from the principles of storytelling and design established in CalArts’ renowned Animation programs, this Specialization lays a primary foundation for experimentation and exploration of video game design, story,...
$49.00listed price -
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7
Introduction to Game Design
Offered by California Institute of the Arts
Study the foundational mechanics, rules, and conceptual underpinnings of game design. Define what makes a game compelling through industry-standard documentation and structured conceptual frameworks. Develop and describe...
$79.00listed price -
8
Coursera MOOC / Non-creditUser Experience in Game Design
Offered by Epic Games
Elevate your game design skills with our immersive course on User Interface (UI) in Unreal Engine, where no prior experience is necessary, though completion of Courses 1-4 is recommended. This course stands out by blendi...
$49.00listed price -
9
Coursera MOOC / Non-creditModern Game Design Mastery with AI
Offered by AI CERTs
Artificial intelligence is transforming how modern games are created, tested, and optimized across interactive entertainment environments. Gaming studios and creative teams are increasingly using AI-powered tools to acce...
$49.00listed price -
10
Coursera MOOC / Non-creditLevel Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design
Offered by John Wiley & Sons
This specialization provides a comprehensive journey through video game design, starting from foundational concepts to advanced mechanics and monetization strategies. Learners begin by exploring core principles such as i...
$49.00listed price -
11
Coursera CertificateEffective Game Design Patterns - Unity 6 Compatible
Offered by Packt
This course features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the co...
$49.00listed price -
12
iOS Project: Transreality Game
Offered by University of California, Irvine
Students will produce a networked game that will leverage sensors on the phone to create a unique gaming experience. The focus of the game will be to make it physical through real-world gestures, motion and knowledge of...
$49.00listed price -
13
Moving, Shooting, and Debugging in GameMaker
Offered by University of Colorado System
This course is the second course in the specialization about learning how to develop video games using GameMaker on Windows or Mac. Why use GameMaker instead of using C# and Unity or C++ and Unreal*? Learning to develop...
$49.00listed price -
14
C++ Class Development
Offered by University of Colorado System
This course is the third course in the specialization about learning how to develop video games using the C++ programming language and the Unreal game engine on Windows or Mac. This course assumes you have the prerequisi...
$49.00listed price -
15
Introduction to C++ Programming and Unreal
Offered by University of Colorado System
This course is all about starting to learn how to develop video games using the C++ programming language and the Unreal Engine on Windows or Mac. This course assumes you have previous programming experience in some other...
$49.00listed price
Best Game Design Courses on Coursera compared
| # | Course | Provider | Offered by | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Game Design and Development 5: Capstone Project | Coursera | Michigan State University | $49.00 | View → |
| 2 | Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter | Coursera | Michigan State University | $49.00 | View → |
| 3 | Game Design and Development 2: 2D Platformer | Coursera | Michigan State University | $49.00 | View → |
| 4 | Game Design and Development with Unity | Coursera | Michigan State University | $49.00 | View → |
| 5 | Game Design and Development 3: 3D Shooter | Coursera | Michigan State University | $49.00 | View → |
| 6 | Game Design: Art and Concepts | Coursera | California Institute of the Arts | $49.00 | View → |
| 7 | Introduction to Game Design | Coursera | California Institute of the Arts | $79.00 | View → |
| 8 | User Experience in Game Design | Coursera | Epic Games | $49.00 | View → |
| 9 | Modern Game Design Mastery with AI | Coursera | AI CERTs | $49.00 | View → |
| 10 | Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design | Coursera | John Wiley & Sons | $49.00 | View → |
| 11 | Effective Game Design Patterns - Unity 6 Compatible | Coursera | Packt | $49.00 | View → |
| 12 | iOS Project: Transreality Game | Coursera | University of California, Irvine | $49.00 | View → |
| 13 | Moving, Shooting, and Debugging in GameMaker | Coursera | University of Colorado System | $49.00 | View → |
| 14 | C++ Class Development | Coursera | University of Colorado System | $49.00 | View → |
| 15 | Introduction to C++ Programming and Unreal | Coursera | University of Colorado System | $49.00 | View → |
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.