More than a game – Caians set up game dev society
- 17 January 2025
- 4 minutes
When Cameron Fox and Sam Shakeshaft (both Computer Science 2023) received their offers for Gonville & Caius College and the University of Cambridge, they were surprised that there were few game development opportunities in Silicon Fen. So they set one up – the Cambridge University Game Development Society.
Elder or less connected generations may not realise the reach of computer gaming. Gaming is the largest category in the entertainment industry – revenues significantly dwarf movies and music. And while Cambridge is known for its software engineering, hence the name Silicon Fen, it is not known as a hub for game development. Yet.
Cameron says: “I think it’s a sign game development is not seen as very academic. The funny thing is the amount of technological advancements which come out of game development. For example, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) have been pushed further because of gaming.”
Sam adds: “We were pretty shocked that there wasn’t already a game [development] society here.”
Cameron Fox, left, and Sam Shakeshaft (both Computer Science 2023)
Cameron and Sam immediately set about changing that, discussing the concept for the society while studying for their A-Levels and before confirming their places at Caius. The existing Cambridge University Computing and Technology Society (CUCaTS) have run a yearly Game Jam – a competition to make a computer game – but they have a wider remit. Cameron and Sam set up the Game Dev Society in their first term, in Michaelmas 2023. Following the October 2024 freshers’ fair, where the society demonstrated a game they had made during the summer, they now have around 180 student members across the collegiate University.
“It’s really just about making games. We want to be a platform where game developers can meet each other,” Sam says.
“The aim is to become a publisher and to support people publishing. We run game jams, game- making competitions, and we want to promote game development as a profession in Cambridge.”
Speakers are invited to give talks about the industry. Caius alumnus Philip Bielby (Computer Science 2004), the former technical director of the hit game RuneScape at Jagex, has attended. A game jam is planned with the Japanese Hokkaido University Game Development Society early next year.
Cameron, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, has been making games since he was in Year Eight (aged 12-13) and has taken part in around 20 game jams. His first full commercial game was released before he started sixth form. His coding initially relied on support from YouTube tutorials, before it “clicked” when a specific task was necessary for which there was no tutorial.
Sam, from Ashton, Manchester, came to game development through a different route, reverse engineering a game he enjoyed to learn more about its inner workings. He then wanted to apply the knowledge he had gained by making games.
Both are cautious and realistic on the use of Artificial Intelligence in game development. Its use can support some aspects, but it could stifle creativity and possibilities further in development.
“It’s a complicated issue. A lot of people are using AI,” Sam says.
“The early decisions you make (when planning a game) are extremely important to determine what you can do later on. If AI has written code in a certain way, it can constrain what you do down the line.
“If you have a shared vision, you’re connected with each other and working collaboratively towards a creative project. AI isn’t capable of understanding your vision.”
Gaming does not have to be on individual terminals, connected online, although in lockdown such connections were invaluable forms of communication. There is space for communal gaming, Cameron and Sam insist.
“I personally think there’s a lot of value in gaming being going over to a friend’s house; some of my best memories of gaming are split-screening with my brother,” says Cameron, who has a summer internship planned with Sussex-based Studio Gobo.
The dream for Cameron and Sam would be to start a studio in the future, making games which are “truly good”.
Sam says: “Making something that is truly good, designed well, enjoyable on multiple levels, takes years. I think that’s the dream. The hope is that it will naturally go big, lots of people will play it, but that is a symptom of a good game.”
The pair have a shared vision.
“You have to make a game you want to play and is in some tiny way making the world better,” Sam says.
:: Follow Cambridge University Game Development Society on Instagram and Discord | Email cu-devs@cambridgesu.co.uk to join the mailing list.