Technopark-based animation training institute Toonz Academy, in collaboration with Karma Play Academy, has unveiled an innovative one-year course in video game art and programming, set to commence on September 9, 2024. This landmark initiative is tailored to accommodate full-time professionals in IT and other industries, making it accessible to a broader audience.

For the first time in India, students will have the unique opportunity to learn directly from the masterminds behind iconic games like ‘The Fast & The Furious Tokyo Drift,’ ‘Candy Crush Soda Saga,’ ‘Returnal,’ ‘Unreal Tournament,’ ‘Star Wars Jedi Academy,’ ‘Grounded,’ ‘EA Golf,’ and ‘The Sims.’ This unprecedented access to industry legends promises to provide students with invaluable insights and skills, the company said in a press release.

A standout feature of the program is the Final Game Project, a six-month intensive that immerses students in real-world game development for platforms including PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. Students will collaborate with seasoned game developers from Karma Play, gaining hands-on experience that mirrors an industry internship. Jayakumar P, CEO of Toonz Media Group, emphasized, “The Final Game Project is designed to be a video game industry internship, providing students with the cutting-edge skills required to produce blockbuster games.”

Established in 2002, Toonz Academy, located in Technopark, Trivandrum, boasts state-of-the-art 2D and 3D studio facilities. The academy offers an array of short and long-term career-oriented courses in 2D and 3D animation, Graphic Multimedia, and Visual Effects, nurturing a new generation of digital artists and animators.

Karma Play founder Biju Jones highlighted the ambitious vision behind the collaboration, stating, “Creating a triple-A quality game like ‘Grand Theft Auto’ or ‘Spider-Man’ takes many years and production budgets that exceed Hollywood blockbusters like ‘The Avengers.’ Our goal is to train students to produce games that can match the very best in the market today.”

Key features of the Karma Play Academy courses include the flexibility to study while maintaining full-time employment, weekend classes, instruction from active industry professionals, and weekly mini-projects. Students will also benefit from international guest lectures covering specialist subjects such as Graphics Programming, Quality Assurance, Video Game Publishing, Audio, and Video Game Marketing.

This groundbreaking program promises to revolutionize video game education in India, equipping students with the skills and experience needed to excel in the highly competitive global gaming industry.