Game Dev Program Adapts After Industry Shakeup

0:00It's April 20th. This is Durham News Today, your AI-powered local news. WakeTex Video Game Development Program just hit its 20th birthday, but the party's feeling more like a wake right now. Local heavyweights, red storm entertainment and carry, shut down game development and cut 105 jobs back in March. Then Epic Games, the Fortnite Giants, dropped 1000 employees company-wide, including 2011 from their carry headquarters. And big round of cuts in three years. That research triangle spot used to be a gold mine for the program, sitting right next to these studios. WakeTex even holds the only community college partnership with Epic, feeding grads straight into those doors. Now folks are reeling. Department head Ken Turner, who cut his teeth at red storm, calls it a real blosom alumni, got pink slips too. Take 20-year-old Irina Machina. She flew in from Canada for this program, but switched to engineering, doubting game jobs will pan out. The school's pivoting smart, leaning into indie games, simulations and skills that

1:03transfer to health care, manufacturing or even film. Their advisory board from local firms keeps the curriculum fresh, adding stuff like photogrammetry and artificial intelligence. Industry vets flooding the job market ramps up the competition for new grads, but Turner insists the sector is still growing and profitable, just rescaling after some big company shakeups. WhiteTex prepping students, the hustle harder and branch out.