How Sheffield Hallam and Game Republic are powering the future of games

For more than 16 years, this prestigious event has connected aspiring developers with leading game studios and industry figures from across Yorkshire and the North. Organised by Game Republic, the region’s largest industry-led games network, it champions the Northern games sector and its global impact. Their research shows that 90% of past showcase winners have secured industry roles, with 81% remaining in the region.

That retention reflects the strength of the local industry. Studios across Yorkshire and the North have earned international acclaim, producing award-winning titles, advancing new technologies, and making a mark on the global stage.

At Sheffield Hallam University, we’re proud to have been among the first in the UK to offer a dedicated games programme. Our Games Design and Development courses sit at the intersection of creativity, technology, and real-world impact. Shaped by industry input and led by practitioners and researchers embedded in the sector, our courses offer students hands-on experience and professional insight.

Through our in-house game studio, Steel Minions, students gain real-world development experience, with several publishing commercial games, some achieving world firsts. We’re also home to some of the most advanced game development equipment available including a PlayStation development lab, equipped with 30 PS5 development kits, one of the largest such facilities in higher education in the world.

Our community is helping to shape the future of interactive media through research and collaborations with local authorities, national bodies, and global partners. Projects range from immersive storytelling and educational games to healthcare innovations and community-led initiatives promoting inclusion and engagement. At the forefront is Impact VR, a pioneering research group exploring how immersive technologies can change lives. Working with NHS clinicians and youth services, the team develops tools for rehabilitation and environments that support young people with mobility challenges, demonstrating how games can drive meaningful social change.

Partnerships are central to our approach. We collaborate with employers and cultural organisations such as the National Videogame Museum, offering students opportunities to engage with live briefs, contribute to exhibitions, and explore the cultural and creative potential of games. These relationships help make Sheffield a national hub for games culture, education, and innovation.

As an active part of South Yorkshire’s creative ecosystem, our students regularly take part in placements, exhibitions, and game jams with local studios and international collaborators. Meanwhile, our academic research continues to push the boundaries of game design, exploring everything from ethics and accessibility to urban futures.

Whether working in narrative, aesthetics, coding, or immersive tech, our graduates emerge with the critical and technical skills needed to thrive in the fast-paced world of games and interactive media. They’ve gone on to work for top studios like Sumo Digital, Steel City Interactive, Sony, and Rockstar, contributing to BAFTA-winning projects.

At Sheffield Hallam, we’re committed to developing graduates who not only understand how to design and build innovative games, but how to use them as powerful tools for influence, education, and transformation. Through innovation, collaboration, and purpose, we are shaping the next generation of game changers.

By Roger Bateman, Director of Sheffield Creative Industries at Sheffield Hallam University, and Dr Paul Parry, Subject Group Leader for Applied Computing at Sheffield Hallam University.