Indie Game Academy

I took this class after IGA Level 1.  IGA Level 2 was worth every penny.  Besides making a game, I learned so much about each of the game industry verticals.  In terms of game programming, I learned industry best practices: everything from source control with Git, software architecture planning, project management, audio, and asset management.  I learned how to use common programming patterns in game design, developing game state managers, and more.  In the end, I am really proud of the game I developed and will be featuring it on my portfolio.

If you want a supportive environment where you can design games with other creative, motivated individuals, and where you'll learn real world skills, join IGA and take Level 2! 

I firmly believe the magic of the Indie Game Academy goes beyond the stellar staff, community, and guests that reside within its digital walls. It's that magic that created the happenstance for me to grow with and grow to know the fantastic headmaster, Willem Delventhal, and the amazing team at IGA!

My discovery of the academy was little different than the curiosity of a product that leads to investigating it. I was simply browsing Instagram those three years ago when, of all the ads I could have seen, I saw one for IGA. I took a chance to look into it deeper and booked a call with the man I'm grateful and honored to call friend today. He told me about his mission to bring the joys and guide rising talent through the mystic maze that is Game Development as a career. I expressed my wanting to "live to create" and enrich people's lives through what I could build. 

After he gave me a chance and I was admitted to my first cohort, the 2021 Fall IGA Level 3 Cohort, it was a joyous experience I fondly recollect to this day. I and many others were assorted into "House" teams as the theme of the program shared resemblance with the wizarding houses of Harry Potter and the classes of medieval fantasy Roleplaying games. Through a 3 month process of collaboration, ticket management, feature prioritizing and triaging, publishing steps, and a great presentation to a panel of Game Developers employed under major development studios we of House Rogues made and published to the Google Play store our game, RoStation!

Following that Cohort I was given an invitation to return again for the 2022 Fall IGA Level 3 Cohort, but as a Project Manager instead of a Programmer. During my time there I collaborated with a team of 3 wonderful people including myself. It gave me a great deal of perspective of what happens on the "other side" of the team and humbled me to better respect how my Project Manager helped me and our team during my former cohort. With our combined efforts, inspirations, and great talent House Rogues once again designed, built, marketed and published Rise N' Grind! An adventure platformer with a coffee barista theme.

All this to say, if you're looking to make a career investment for yourself and want to share your creativity, passion and grit for Game Dev with many like-minded students, then look no further than the Indie Game Academy!

I discovered Indie Game Academy through one of their free workshops. The class was a great introduction into the indie side of the games industry. They spoke about their Publish Program and I was very interested. William offered to answer any questions I had over a video call and was great in helping me decide if I thought it was a worthwhile investment of my time and money. Needless to say I don't regret it at all!

There are many positives to the Indie Game Academy that I would like to highlight. Every week we had small lectures with practical exercises to broaden our knowledge of the game dev pipeline. There was also several people that were brought in from specific parts of the games industry to teach in their area of expertise. It is also worth noting the main professors were charming and brought a lot of positive energy to the space. 

Speaking on the game development side I thought the teams were well put together. Based on our surveyed values and skill sets we were sorted into houses. I have nothing but positive things to say about the others that were on the project. There was some stressful moments due to deadlines but we made it to the end with a complete, and published game! In case you are not aware everything was developed in the unity engine.

After we had finished and had our house cup night there was a survey and was offered further support in our game dev journey through their discord. The IGA discord is lively and they hold classes and workshops regularly. If you need feedback on a project or portfolio, or want to promote your work there is a welcoming community eager to connect and share their game dev journey with you. 

Anyways, to wrap this review I would defiantly say I loved my experience and would highly recommend their classes at any level. Indie Game Academies classes were a crucial step into bridging an educational gap I had after college as an artist trying to get into the games industry. 

I had an amazing experience learning the full process of game development at the Indie Game Academy. I took both the level 2 and level 3 program.

The level 2 program was an amazing place to hone my individual game development skills. In level 2 I gained a better understanding of the Unity game engine and got to work in the different disciplines of game development. This broad understanding of the other disciplines set me up to be more effective in a team setting. I also used level 2 to improve my programming skills. The best part of level 2 is that you can ask the instructors questions and get help on areas of your game when you run into problems or need guidance.

Level 3 was an amazing opportunity to work with team of dedicated individuals. It was both challenging and rewarding. The most valuable skills I gained in level 3 was the ability to better work with a team, learn to manage team conflicts, and learn an actionable process to make games as a team. The instructors were amazingly supportive and knowledgeable. Level 3 was a great opportunity to make connections with my team and the competing teams.  In the end, my team and I published an amazing rogue-like tactical card game. Working with a team in level 3, I accomplished more than I could have imagined before taking the program.

The game development projects I work on now after graduating IGA would not have been possible without the skills I learned in Level 2 and Level 3 of IGA. The Indie Game Academy is Amazing!

I joined the Indie Game Academy's Discord server before ever taking one of their classes, and I have since been through every level currently offered. My favorite level, and the one that helped me the most, was Level 3: Publish. It begins with a daunting challenge: publish a game or game prototype in only three months with a group of people you probably don't know very well (external circumstances notwithstanding). Out of these three months, our team spent around seven weeks were spent actively working on our final game.

I found the class environment to be amicable, but challenging and competitive. Everyone was excellent at performing their jobs in their teams, and it pushed me to accomplish more than I had previously. I was very proud that my team won the cohort's pitch night and subsequently published our game to mobile. In such a short period of time, we managed to make a project we loved and we created invaluable friendships. The value of this program extends past the stated goal of releasing a game. This program fundamentally shapes your ability to work under somewhat stressful conditions and in a collaborative manner. That said, there is always supportive and friendly community members to be found whenever you might need it.

Due to the time limitations and scope of the class, it is important to keep realistic expectations. Every game that gets made is a miracle, and you are incredibly lucky if the game you make 1) feels high quality enough for your portfolio and 2) feels like a piece that would help you get the job you want. These things cannot be guaranteed given the structure and time constraints of the course, but even if your game does not meet those points, you will certainly be more prepared to make the projects you need for your portfolio. Furthermore, I have found the IGA community to be full of people willing to offer career related support, including tips for job seekers, job opportunities, and career mentorship on occasion.

I would recommend IGA courses to anyone wishing to learn how to make games and anyone looking for other talented people to make games with.

IGA is one of the best groups I've seen for growing your skills as a game dev. Where as most courses and bootcamps have a certain curriculum they follow and leave you at that, IGA is the most personal, self aware, and is one of the only groups I've seen that consistently is trying to improve itself to help it's members get jobs in the industry. It is one of the best places to network, learn and grow your confidence as a new game dev, and have a like minded community cheering you on. While the courses may not be perfect, I don't regret a dollar I spent with them or any second I spent in one of their courses or in a community event. Even if you don't want to pay for a course still join the community as they host many free classes and events that are great to attend. Also the podcast they host is always a fun time to chime in and ask some questions. Couldn't recommend joining IGA to anyone interested in becoming a game dev anymore.

I have taken two free short classes through the Indie Game Academy and last weekend I took their level 1 bootcamp. Their instructors are legitimate industry professionals who are kind, knowledgeable, and supportive. The classes are well-structured, provide students with everything needed to learn and participate and the "Headmaster" is such a positive person/influence. They foster a fun and supportive environment where everyone feels welcome regardless of their current knowledge level. Highly recommended.

This course is more than just creating a simple game. It's a window into the game industry with experts explaining various fields like level design, narrative crafting, and UI design. Learning Unity at my own pace, I crafted a 2D Tower Defense game, facilitated by the convenience of recorded sessions. The exclusive game scripts created by Dylan were a plus. The class environment was fun, and the friendly Discord community felt like a supportive place. I totally recommend this course to anyone, no matter your age, gender, or nationality. You'll definitely feel welcome!

 From the moment I stepped into the virtual realm of Indie Game Academy, I knew I was in for a treat! Having attended two Level 0 workshops, I was already getting those 8-bit tingles of excitement. But oh boy, the Level 1 weekend workshop? It was like leveling up in real life! 🚀


Crafting a tower defense game from scratch might sound daunting to some, but with the fantastic and approachable guidance of Dylan, it felt like a breeze. Not only are they a treasure trove of knowledge, but they also have this magical ability to make complex game mechanics sound as simple as a game of Pong. Their passion is infectious, and their expertise? Unparalleled!


But wait, there's more! The IGA's Discord community is like the cherry on top of this pixelated sundae. It's a buzzing hive of creativity, where ideas bounce around like they're in a pinball machine. Collaborating with fellow indie game enthusiasts, sharing a laugh, and diving deep into game design discussions? It's all in a day's work here.


In a nutshell, Indie Game Academy isn't just about fun and games (though there's plenty of that!). It's an interactive, informative, and downright inspiring journey into the world of indie game development. Kudos to the professors and the vibrant community for making this experience a critical hit! 🌈🕹️


Here's to many more levels of learning and gaming! 🍻