Game Development Club
Design and ship video games as a team
Why It Matters
Great for CS, game design, and interactive media programs. Game development requires programming, design, project management, and creative thinking all at once.
How to Start
Use Unity (free) or Godot (open source). Start with simple 2D games. Submit to itch.io game jams - they run constantly and are beginner friendly. Find teammates at school or on Discord.
Commitment
- Medium commitment: a few hours most weeks during the school year.
- Best starting grade: G8
- G8 is ideal - game jams are welcoming for beginners and you can build a portfolio of games over several years.
Programs It Supports
- Computer Science
- Game Design
- Interactive Media
- Engineering
Majors it supports
- Computer Science – high 80s to high 90s depending on school
Similar extracurriculars
- Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) – Waterloo's premier programming contest
- Hackathon Participation – Build real projects under pressure in 24-48 hours
- Coding / Computer Science Club – Learn and build together after school
- Build a Real Website or App – Create something people actually use
- Canada Learning Code – Teach coding to others in your community
- University Youth Tech Programs – University-run summer tech programs for high schoolers
- School IT Help Desk / Tech Squad – Assist teachers and students with tech issues
- Hackathon Organizer (In-School) – Host a 12-hour coding competition in your cafeteria
- School Website / App Developer – Modernize your school's digital presence or create an announcements app