The newswires are atwitter today with word that more and more universities are offering courses on video
games and are (in some cases) even offering video game degrees. The typical interpretation of this trend is that
it's a wonderful thing for games and reflective of the fact that games have come to be appreciated both as art and as
serious business.
"Just like when rock and roll came of age everybody wanted to be a rock star, as video games have come of age, everyone wants to be a developer" said Carolyn Rauch, senior vice president of the Entertainment Software Association, in an AP story on the subject.
Those are valid interpretations of the phenomenon, but still only part of the big picture. Enrollment in computer science programs around the country has been dropping precipitously thanks in part to the crash of the dot-com boom and in part due to increased fears about outsourcing. In fact, one recent study revealed that 60% fewer college freshmen said they planned to major in Computer Science in 2004 versus 2000. Students are steering clear of CompSci because they see a shrinking job market.
So what's a computer science department to do when enrollments plummet and faculty sit around with nobody to teach? Retool to teach the hot new thing, of course. At least part of the interest in video game curriculum around the country can be attributed to this retooling process. Just one note of caution: make hay while the sun shines, folks, because outsourcing is coming to video games, too.
