Directory

Artindi creates thought-provoking content focused on game design theory and concepts. Their channel offers unique perspectives on game development with a blend of analytical examination and creative insight. If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of game design principles beyond the typical tutorials, Artindi provides refreshing and intelligent analysis.

Harvey Newman’s channel explores both conceptual and practical aspects of game design, with tutorials, breakdowns, and thoughtful analysis. His detailed guides on designing game systems blend theoretical principles with hands-on implementation. For developers looking to elevate their understanding of game design while also improving their technical skills, Newman’s channel provides a balanced mix of theory and application.

High-quality game design theory with professional motion graphics explaining UI/UX, boss design, and mechanical systems. Bridges academic game design theory with practical application through visually engaging analysis and clear explanations.

Steve Lee brings his extensive industry experience as a level designer on titles like Dishonored 2, Bioshock Infinite, and John Wick Hex to his YouTube channel. He offers deep insights into level and game design fundamentals, drawing from his hands-on work at studios like Arkane and Irrational Games. His analysis of game design principles is particularly valuable for aspiring level designers seeking professional-level knowledge.

Honestly, his bio says it best, “he cooka da pasta and maka da video game”.

A unique website that allows you to explore the worlds of various video games in a free-roaming, no-clip mode. This tool is invaluable for game developers and designers looking to study level design, environment art, and modeling + texturing techniques. By providing a 3D view of game worlds, noclip.website enables developers to analyze and learn from the design choices made in popular games.

Jamie shares her trials and tribulations of being a hobby game developer creating games like the adorable cat RPG called “Mighty Meow”. A calm and relaxing channel to watch, showing how she balances life and game development.

A channel after our own heart, Legend64 is the working title of an original game in the style of Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64. The developer shares his journey and covers a number of the quirks and details found with emulating the N64 distinct look and feel in Unreal Engine.

The most community-recommended Godot channel, famous for the greeting “Good morning, afternoon, or evening!” Provides comprehensive tutorials and complete game development courses, with multiple published games including Endhall on Steam. Great starting point for learning Godot.

Scruffy is a composer and 3D artist creating phenomenal content about game audio design and music theory.

Unreal Sensei is a channel dedicated to teaching Unreal Engine. If you’re looking to learn how to use Unreal Engine, this channel is a great place to start. And if you’re looking to make levels and evironments in Unreal Engine, then this is the place to start.

CarbonDev shares the development journey of creating games with a focus on the technical and artistic aspects of the process. The channel offers a blend of devlogs, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes looks at game development challenges and solutions. Whether you’re interested in following along with an indie developer’s progress or looking for practical coding and design tips, CarbonDev provides engaging and informative content.

Acerola focuses on advanced graphics programming and rendering techniques, making complex topics in computer graphics approachable for developers. His detailed breakdowns of rendering algorithms, shader development, and visual effects provide technical knowledge that can dramatically improve the visual quality of games. The channel stands out for its ability to explain sophisticated graphics concepts with clarity while demonstrating their practical implementation.

Althogh focused more on creating films, Dikko’s channel is one of the best resources for learning how to create animation-ready characters using Blender. His focus on topology is particularly useful and largely falls within the polygon budget of most game developers. If you’re looking to create characters for your games, then Dikko’s channel is a choice pick.

Zoteling provides engaging devlogs that document the journey of indie game development with honesty and transparency. As the developer behind games like Grapples Galore and Gun Frog, the channel offers a window into the real challenges and victories of creating games independently. For aspiring developers, these devlogs provide both inspiration and practical insights into the entire development process.

An indie game developer sharing the lessons learned as he creates his rogue-like action game, Office Inc. Wait… he doesn’t like rogue-likes and changed the genre? Well maybe he has a video about that (hint, he does).

The Indie Game Clinic offers expert analysis and constructive feedback on game design principles, focusing on what makes games enjoyable and engaging. The channel examines both successful and unsuccessful design choices across various games, providing practical insights that developers can apply to their own projects.

Dan Root breaks down the animation of a variety of games, including some of the most popular ones. If you’re looking to learn more about how to animate your own games, this channel is a great place to start.

Game design analysis and concepts with focus on player psychology and game mechanics. The channel explores what makes games engaging and fun, providing insights valuable for designers looking to understand player motivation.

Run by Mitch, FinePointCGI offers comprehensive Godot tutorials covering everything from beginner basics to advanced techniques. The channel is particularly valuable for its coverage of using C# with Godot, and demonstrations of using additional technologies (like SQLite) with Godot. Mitch’s clear teaching style and deep knowledge of the engine make this an essential resource for Godot developers.

Andy shares his journey of creating games (mostly) full-time and the challenges he faces along the way. He’s a thoughtful and introspective creator whose content answers a lot of the questions around game design and development that can often go unanswered. His channel is really inspiring and relatable for anyone looking to create games.

Fast Forward My Game focuses on exactly what the name suggests - accelerating your game development process. The channel offers practical tips, techniques, and insights to help developers streamline their workflow and avoid common time-wasting mistakes. For developers struggling with project timelines or looking to optimize their production pipeline, this channel provides valuable guidance.

Part-time indie game developer, DevDuck, has an almost zen-like quality to his videos and makes us want to buy plants for our own workstations. The bulk of his channel is focused on his process of building his dream game, Daulphin. However, he sometimes takes breaks for other projects, like Range.

Juniper’s video content covers a wide variety of game development topics. Several of these break outside the traditional areas into some unique philosophical and psychological aspects of games I’ve not seen discussed by other game development channels. Her channel provides some fresh perspectives around game design and development.

A channel dedicated to teaching Godot, GDQuest is a great place to learn how to use the engine. They also provide a lot of free resources, including assets and tutorials, to help you get started with Godot.

Another project after our own heart, Bilsu64 is merging his love of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with his love of Elden Ring to create some wholly unique. Relatively new to the game dev process, his devlogs are inspiring and show how anyone can start creating games, no matter their background.

Hilarious and entertaining devlogs, everything this guy seems to make oozes with personality.

Dan Floyd is a veteran animator and his talent is on full display as he produces extremely high-quality content focused on game animation and what makes games feel good to play. An entertaining watch regardless if you have ambitions to become a game animator or not.

Though his channel has been dormant for a while, the devlogs around his Pirate game are a fun watch. If you’re wanting to create a networked game, then check out his devlogs to get an idea of what challenges you might face taking on a project like that.

Created by an Unreal Engine UI programmer with extensive experience, Unreal Garden offers invaluable tutorials and resources for creating user interfaces in Unreal Engine. Whether you’re struggling with UMG, Slate, or UI materials, his site provides practical solutions and insights. His expertise has made him a go-to resource for UI development in the Unreal ecosystem.

Mark Brown’s GMTK channel is a “must watch” for anyone interested in creating games. His videos cover a huge range of topics that will be a massive boost to your game design knowledge.Not to mention the annual GMTK Game Jam, which is a fantastic way to practice your skills and meet other developers.

A relatively new channel, WildRot’s HopWander game feels like Tunic, Death’s Door, and Link’s Awakening — but this time it’s a frog! The game has an incredibly fun, simple, and colorful art style with an absurd amount of polish. There’s only couple videos so far, but the devlog is off to a great start. We’re going to be keeping an eye on this one.

Jay is not just documenting his game dev journey sharing the tools and thought processes, he’s animating it! Wonderfully crafted with a handful of videos that somehow already cover a variety of topics.

Thomas is a solo game dev sharing his journey as the struggles that come with it. Many of his videos discuss his process of creating and releasing “Bridges & Docks” on Steam while sharing realistic insights into the challenges and rewards of independent game development with Unity.

t3ssel8r is one of those channels that opens your eyes to what’s possible in terms of technical artistry in game development. What looks like stunning hand-drawn pixel art is actually just clever shader work and a lot of creativity. If you’re looking to create unique and visually stunning games, then you should definitely check out his channel.

Yan Chernikov’s channel is a treasure trove of game development knowledge focusing on C++ programming and game engine development. His comprehensive series on building game engines from scratch provides in-depth technical knowledge rarely found elsewhere.

With professional experience from EA, his tutorials on graphics programming, OpenGL, and system architecture are invaluable for developers interested in the lower-level aspects of game development.

Razbuten produces thoughtful video essays on game design with a particular focus on the player experience. While not focused on game development, his perspective provides valuable lessons for game designers about intuitive design, difficulty balancing, and accessibility, that might otherwise be overlooked.

Code Bullet creates entertaining videos where he builds AI programs to play various games, explaining complex algorithms and machine learning concepts in an accessible and humorous way. His approach of ‘watch me code an AI to beat this game’ provides insights into both game mechanics and AI programming techniques. The channel makes technical subjects engaging through a mix of coding, game analysis, and comedic commentary.

No — we’re not talking about generative AI. This channel, hosted by Tommy Thompson, focuses on behavorial AI in video games that helps make your NPCs feel more dynamic. If you’re looking to better understand the theory behind state machines, behavior trees, and other techniques related to game AI, then this channel should be on your list.

Liam and Noa Calice are the brothers behind Blackthornprod, a channel covers a variety of topics related to game development. They’re most recent series of videos involves them hosting private game jams where participants are forced to create the same game without communicating. A fun watch to see how different people approach the same problem.

Mike does a great job keeping up the latest news in game development and game development tools. If you want to be kept in the loop about new game engines, updates to existing ones, or just general game development news, this channel is an easy recommendation.

Jess is a software developer from Australia who is currently creating her own cozy 2D game about plants. Her videos chronicling her journey of creating this game are as cozy as the game itself.

Heavily based in 90s nostalgia, suitNtie22 is creating games that feel like they were pulled straight out of your childhood. Now he’s making devlogs covering his most recent project, “Merchant 64”. If you’re a fan of the N64, then you’ll want to check it out.

Andre’s devlogs for his Withersworn game are an extremely fun series to follow. It’s one of those games that takes the coolest elements from a variety of games and stuffs them all into a single, crazy package. Seriously, Withersworn is a cool lookin’ game.

A stay at home dad who creates games and tutorials with Godot. He also uses his platform to share what others are doing with Godot and raise up members of the indie game community.

Rachel talks about her experiments of trying just about anything that interests her in the world of game development. From terrain generation to animating snakes procedurally, her channel is an inspiring look at what’s possible if you sit down and try something new.

Comprehensive 3D environment art education featuring “The Environment Artist’s Survival Kit” course. Specializes in stylized game environments and complete art pipeline workflows for Unreal Engine development.

A fellow former software engineer recently turned full-time game developer and course instructor. Fireblly makes games and tutorials using the Godot Engine with C# and GDScript.

If you’re looking to see the soundtracks of your games broken down, then check out 8-Bit Music Theory. This channel does a wonderful job covering a wide range of topics related to music theory and how it’s used in games. If you’re looking to learn more about how to create music for your games, this channel is a great place to start.

Kaze has got to be the expert in Nintendo 64 game development, known for his extensive work on ROM hacks and original games. His understanding of the N64’s hardware and limitations is unparalleled, and if you want to see what extreme optimization looks like, then you must check out his channel.

From his extremely creative biopunk shooter, Wrought Flesh, to his more recent horror titles, Endoparasitic and Voyager-19, Miziziziz demonstrates his creativity and skill by creating extremely unique games.

Created by Nicolae Berbece (also known as Xelu), Mental Checkpoint provides in-depth analysis of game design concepts with a personal touch. The channel examines how games are designed and why specific design choices work (or don’t), offering valuable insights for both game designers and enthusiasts who want to understand the craft behind their favorite games.

Likely no introduction is needed for this channel, Brackeys is a staple in providing high-quality tutorials for aspiring game developers. Previously focused on Unity, the channel now focuses on Godot. If you’re looking to learn how to make games, this channel is a great place to start.

Creator of acclaimed indie games like Pinstripe and Neversong, Thomas Brush’s channel combines game development tutorials, insights into the business side of indie games, and behind-the-scenes looks at his own development process. His honest approach to sharing both successes and challenges makes this channel particularly valuable for aspiring indie developers.

Nintendo development history and gaming culture analysis with deep research into lesser-known gaming stories. Popular videos like “How was Splatoon created?” (1M+ views) provide valuable development insights and cultural commentary with 600K+ subscribers.

Voice actor and game journalist, YongYea covers a wide range of topics related to the game industry. If you want to keep up with what’s going right or wrong in the AAA and AA space, then you’ll probably want to give his channel a chance.

Indie Dev Corner provides thoughtful analysis on game design trends and practical advice for indie developers. The channel offers unique perspectives on what genres are thriving in the indie space, best practices for development, and common pitfalls to avoid. Their content is particularly valuable for developers trying to find their niche in a competitive market.

Game jam focused devlogs demonstrating versatility across action, VR, simulation, and puzzle games. Showcases rapid development skills and strong community engagement while exploring diverse gaming genres and development challenges.

Though not a game developer, but Max’s psychological analysis of games are insightful and thought-provoking. If you’re looking to create meaningful, narrative-rich games, then his channel is a great resource to understand what kind of stories and themes might resonate with players.

High-production devlogs for Project Feline, a 3D anime-style game with Epic MegaGrant funding. Combines technical Unreal Engine expertise with philosophical insights about tool choice versus creative intent, plus music composition tutorials.

A comprehensive collection of video game UI interfaces, screenshots, and videos. This creative tool serves as a wonderful resource for both game designers and gaming enthusiasts looking for inspiration. The site allows you to browse interfaces by genre, theme, and platform, making it easy to find references for your next project.

Gaffer On Games is a blog by Glenn Fiedler, a network programmer with extensive experience in game development. His articles cover a wide range of topics related to game networking, physics, and real-time systems. If you’re looking to understand the complexities of networking in games or want to learn about the technical aspects of game development, this blog is an invaluable resource.

Full-stack web developer turned indie game creator (Effort Games co-founder) documenting funding journeys and startup challenges. Specializes in multiplayer systems and provides insights into the business aspects of indie game development.

Educational platform teaching 2M+ students with comprehensive Unity, Unreal, and Godot courses. Features professional instructors and structured curriculum covering complete game development pipelines across multiple engines and skill levels.

Godot tutorials and development insights covering both beginner concepts and advanced techniques. Combines educational content with development documentation, providing practical guidance for Godot developers at various skill levels.

Founded by Edd Coates, Game UI Database is an incredible resource for game UI/UX designers with over 55,000 screenshots and 1,700+ videos from over 1,300 games. The database allows you to search by screen type, animation, color, controls, textures, and more, making it an essential tool for finding inspiration for your game interfaces.

Sam demonstrates how being unafraid to experiment by rapid prototyping can have a huge payoff. His successes include “Stick With It” and winning the 2020 Unity Award through 24-hour development challenges and innovative meta-gaming concepts.

Psychology-focused game design analysis examining the psychological impacts of design choices. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology his channel applies academic rigor to understanding player behavior, game design theory, and emotional impact that results from it.

Kenney provides an extensive collection of free game assets including 2D sprites, 3D models, audio, and fonts — all with a coherent art style. What makes Kenney truly special is their commitment to making high-quality assets freely available to the community. A true gift to indie game developers everywhere.

Game studio turned news outlet, Bellular News covers a wide range of topics related to the game industry. Often focused on the business side of things and sharing stores of studios demonstrating what not to do, it’s a good channel to have on in the background to get updated while you work.

Extremely creative and experimental game development showcasing unique projects like Flappy Bird in Excel, Yakuza Game Boy demake, and Super Mario 64 recreated in 64 hours. Perfect for developers interested in creative problem-solving and unconventional platforms.

Creates weekly free stylized 3D assets for game developers and teaches open-source tool workflows. Specializes in the Ucupaint addon (free Substance 3D Painter alternative) and consistently provides high-quality community resources.

The Unreal Community Wiki is a community-driven wiki that provides a wealth of information about Unreal Engine. Maintained by yours truly, the wiki is a great place to find guides, notes, and other resources related to Unreal Engine.

Clear Code is creating game development tutorials and educational content across a few different platforms like PyGame, Raylib, and Godot.

Complete indie development journey with exceptional commercial success. Co-created ISLANDERS, developed Will You Snail?, and Thronefall. One of the few YouTubers demonstrating real business insights alongside technical development.

Formerly known as Gamasutra, this site is a classic go-to providing a lot of fantastic content related to the game development and games industry. Definitely a great resource to have bookmarked.

An extraordinary project created by Casey Muratori, where he programs an entire commercial-quality game from scratch, without using existing engines. This extensive series documents every aspect of game engine development in C/C++, from low-level memory management to graphics rendering. For programmers interested in understanding how games work at a fundamental level, this resource offers unprecedented transparency into professional-grade game development.