In addition to the higher education instutions such as Digipen which are specifically oriented towards video game development-related skills, a growing number of traditional universities are adding courses and programs aimed at preparing students for the professional video game industry. Schools such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Colorado, and the University of Pennsylvania now acknowledge game design and production as a worthy academic endeavor. They have offerings ranging from classes in game art and design to full-blown bachelors and masters programs in game studies.

Marc Destefano, who teaches the psychology of play, system dynamics and game theory in his introductory course, wants students to appreciate the interplay of mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics that he says makes a video game work--be it Pac-Man or Resident Evil.

It's not all about design, however: Katherine Isbister teaches students about the social and emotional aspects of gaming. Her research lab looks more like a teen's dream living room with sectional sofa, plasma-screen TV and a shelf full of video games. Less obvious are the cameras that can focus on players' faces.

The collision of video game production, thought of by many as traditionally a self-taught enterprise, with the world of higher education has long been a subject of contention with industry professionals. Some believe the trend is a positive one, and will bring to the industry a wider range of perspectives, drawing in gamers who may otherwise not have felt a career in development to be realistic; others believe it will have a harmful impact as inexperienced graduates with by-the-book perspectives are let loose into the industry. As the article points out, however, such reactions were common when film studies programs were first being introducted in universities, and now many of the most acclaimed and popular filmmakers are alumni of film schools.