Could some high school kids make better games than AAA studios?

Apparently, they might, but obviously, they don’t have the same amount of resources as the big companies.

Imagine, there are actually kids out there who choose game development as their high school specialisation. As their final project, they get to produce a game over the course of a year. At the end of the given time, a teacher is presented with a lineup of small games. Some of these games are breathtaking. These are usually made by kids who are still interested in game development after years of high school. Some other games are clearly lacking. The low quality can be caused by any of a multitude of problems because don’t forget that this is still a school with all the stress that follows. But even with a struggle, most students deliver something just to pass the course. The kids know that and the teachers know that. And that is fine.

So, the funny observation here that I see a parallel in the quality of games by big companies in recent years and the hand-ins of less motivated high school kids. A sort of ” Nobody wanted to make this, but we made it anyway-”

 

It was an interesting experience to work as a game development teacher. My concept of patience has been definitely tested a lot. But the thing is that the process of making the games remains pretty similar to how it was taught at the university. That is what made me think, that perhaps I can make my little stab at AAA.

 

ps. One of the graduating students and his mom made a “farewell and thank you” jam kits with for all the teachers! ^_^