SMU Guildhall

The 2026 SMU Guildhall Catalog is here! Explore independent research and works by our May 2026 graduating students and team video game projects created by Cohort 34 at joom.ag/qqKd

Thank you to all who joined us for our Thesis Exhibition. It was wonderful sharing the work of Cohort 34 Master’s students with you. To our exhibitors: way to go! Your work is inspiring and well done. We are proud of your accomplishments. You’re almost to the finish line! 🎉

Many thanks to everyone who participated in Career Day! Panelists, speakers, and professional development leaders: the wisdom and guidance you shared with our job seekers was top notch and immensely invaluable, and we loved hearing the conversations inspired by your insights.

4.15 | Opening Sessions for SMU Guildhall’s game development Career Day. Thank you to all who came for our Industry Leaders Panel and Networking Social! 🎮 #gamedev #careersingaming #smu

We are thrilled to present our 2026 Career Day, kicking off Opening Sessions with an industry panel including Steve Nix (CEO @theforwardxp), Joanie Kraut (CEO @GETWIGI), Chris Schmidt (Game Director @InfinityWard), and Mark Tardif (General Manager at Unannounced Studio). #gamedev

Ethics-Focused AI Literacy Course Beats National Completion Rates: Aleshia Hayes, clinical associate professor at SMU Guildhall, is helping shape how universities teach AI to broad campus audiences, emphasizing how to use it responsibly. smu.edu/news/research/…

Want to check out our students’ work first-hand? Join us for the SMU Guildhall 2026 Thesis Exhibition on May 8, where each graduating Master’s student’s thesis will be showcased. Learn more and register: smu.edu/guildhall/news…

Guildhall graduate students: we appreciate you! It’s Graduate Student Appreciation Week, and we want to give special recognition to your hard work. We’re proud of all that you have accomplished in your individual studies, research, and Team Game production.

Meet Career Day Panelist, Marc Tardif: Marc's 25+ years in gaming includes studio management, production, publishing and development at studios including @bethesda, Escalation and @GearboxOfficial for AAA franchises such as Fallout, Skyrim, DOOM, Borderlands, Halo and many more.

Spotlight: Career Day Presenter Candace Walkington, Annette and Harold Simmons Centennial Chair and Professor @SMU. Her research examines how abstract math ideas can connect to concrete, everyday experiences. She’s received over $12 million in grants from NSF, US DoE, and US DoD.

TODAY, April 7, is the deadline to register for Career Day. Featuring presenter Pennington Ingley, Manager of Media & Entertainment and Gaming Technical Accounts Managers @Google. His experience has included leadership roles in serious & casual publishing. smu.edu/guildhall/news…

Career Day Presenter Paul Allen, Sr 3D Animator at id Software, has contributed to franchises including DOOM & Halo: The Master Chief Collection at id Software, Gearbox Software, ReelFX, Terminal Reality and KingsIsle Entertainment. RSVP by tomorrow 4/7: smu.edu/guildhall/news…

Career Day Panelist Chris Schmidt—Game Director @InfinityWard—is a Guildhall alum w/ 15 years in shipping & optimizing AAA live service titles + designing levels, gameplay, encounters & systems for Star Wars: The Old Republic, Call of Duty, Anthem and more smuguildhall.short.gy/WDrI5m

Spotlight: SMU Guildhall Career Day Panelist Joanie Kraut, CEO @GETWIGI, is a finance, operations and business leader with two decades of experience helping tech and gaming organizations turn ambitious ideas into well-run, scalable businesses. More info: smu.edu/guildhall/news…

2 Week Alert! Our FINAL DEADLINE to apply for Fall 2026 enrollment is April 15. Learn from seasoned industry veterans who have honed their craft at numerous studios across a multitude of games.   #gamedev #steamgames #gaming #gamedeveducation #gameschool #careersingaming

Meet Our Career Day Panelist: Steve Nix, CEO @theforwardxp, has driven major game tech shifts with partners like @Yvolver @gamestop @idSoftware & Ritual Entertainment. Panel: “The Next Generation of Games: How Studios and Development Roles Are Evolving.” smuguildhall.short.gy/WDrI5m

Career Day Keynote: Jami Jeffcoat, Lead Gameplay Designer at Stone Kite & Guildhall alum. Jami started in Technical Design @Bungie; now at Stone Kite, she builds games based on original Transmedia IPs from comics, film, print media, and gaming. Learn more: smu.edu/guildhall/news…

Devs: Seeking more GDC-style events? Join us for Career Day 4/15-4/16.Presentations by: - Steve Nix @theforwardxp - Joanie Kraut @getwigi - Chris Schmidt @InfinityWard - Jami Jeffcoat #StoneKite - Paul Allen @idSoftware - Pennington Ingley @Google smuguildhall.short.gy/WDrI5m #gamedev

Animentals, a game by our friends at BALANCED Media | Technology, is in playtesting! Check it out: store.steampowered.com/news/app/43399… Kudos to alumni contributors: Michael Young, Nathan Bowden, Dave Bonora, Marcelo Raimbault, Vinson Luo, Sean Hollinshead

Thank you to Pratyoosh Patel for sharing insights on AI Literacy with SMU Guildhall students including tips for production insights, crafting unique stories for interviews, using tools to critique and validate, leveraging amplification, and productivity advantages.