Instructor Lori Shyba says the class aims to teach students about the cultural, economic and industrial significance of video games. She says she also wants to make sure that artists and designers and programmers know how to talk to each other.

Senior Dustin Gibson says he has a great idea for a game, and he's in the new class to learn out to create it. Students taking the class must design a game.

In addition to entertainment, Shyba says games can have a practical purpose. She helped design a game for the Calgary, Alberta police called "Booze Cruise," which simulates drunken driving with its delayed reaction times and blurry vision.