University of Utah’s Games Division Earns Top Honors for Second Consecutive Year, Signaling Sustained Excellence and Unprecedented Growth

For the second year in a row, the University of Utah’s Division of Games has earned top global recognition—ranked #1 in the world among public institutions for undergraduate game design and #2 for graduate programs, according to the 2025 Princeton Review rankings released today.

These back-to-back honors reflect more than just success—they underscore the sustained excellence and unique character of a program that has become a powerhouse in games education. With a culture rooted in creativity, collaboration, and innovation, the Games Division is nationally and internationally recognized as a launchpad for future industry leaders.

Professor Michael Young, Chair of the Games Division, celebrated the announcement while attending the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco:

To receive these rankings in consecutive years is a phenomenal achievement! It’s a testament to the unwavering dedication of our faculty, the support of our incredible staff, and—most importantly—the boundless creativity and talent of our students. Their work is making waves in the industry, and they graduate with the skills and knowledge to shape the future of games. This is a community of excellence, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Building on this recognition, the University is making a bold commitment to the future of games. Through the Press Play initiative, the university is providing unprecedented support to expand the Games Division’s role from a leader in education to a global hub for games research and innovation. This multi-year, $25 million dollar investment is fueling the division’s growth into new research areas—such as game-based learning, virtual worlds, game design, and artificial intelligence—while also enhancing its already renowned academic programs. The University’s commitment to the Division is one critical component enabling the sustained excellence reflected in The Princeton Review rankings.

With this momentum, the University of Utah’s Games Division is not only preparing the next generation of designers, developers, and storytellers—it is shaping the very future of games.

To learn more about the University of Utah’s Games Division, [visit here]. For more on the Division’s growth through the Press Play initiative, [click here]. You can find out more about the Division’s plan for growth by [visiting here].

About the University of Utah’s Division of Games:

The Division of Games at the University of Utah is a top-ranked program in video game education and research and is a national leader in the nascent discipline of games. The program is contributing to the definition of a new interdisciplinary informatics field that deeply integrates art, humanities, social science and computational research and practice. Our diverse faculty have expertise in every facet of game creation, and we have consulted with top industry professionals to build a one-of-a-kind learning experience in game development.