Matt Wilson
The Game Assembly UK
Matt Wilson is an experienced educator and leader in game development education, currently serving as the Head of The Game Assembly UK. With a career spanning education, leadership, and industry collaboration, Matt has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of game development talent.
Before joining TGA UK, Matt was the Global Learning and Development Manager at Cloud Imperium Games, one of the biggest game studios in the UK. Over his three years there, he led initiatives that fostered career growth, cultural transformation, and high-performing teams. He also worked closely with industry experts and leaders to ensure learning content was aligned with current and future needs in game development.
Matt has trained over 200 managers in leadership development and has a strong background in building high-performing teams. His passion for education extends beyond management—he has guided hundreds of aspiring game developers, helping them transition into university programs and industry roles. In 2018, he introduced an Internship Program at Level 3, which saw students securing direct employment in game studios, bypassing traditional academic pathways.
Passionate about gaming and the industry, Matt believes that the best way to train future developers is by working alongside studios—listening, adapting, and responding to their needs. His approach focuses on bridging the gap between education and industry expectations, ensuring that graduates are truly industry-ready.
Matt Wilson is speaking at the following session/s
Industry-Ready Graduates: Bridging the Gap Between Game Education and Studio Expectations
With game development education often sold as a direct route into exciting careers, are we truly preparing students for the realities of the industry—or setting them up with false expectations?
Drawing from his background as an educator of Game Development, former Global Learning and Development Manager at Cloud Imperium Games, and now the Head of The Game Assembly UK. Matt Wilson shares insights from both education and studio life. Having taught at every level and worked cross-culturally with teams around the world, Matt brings a unique perspective on how to truly prepare aspiring developers for the demands of modern studios.
Until recently, studios were increasingly looking to European graduates, drawn to their discipline-specific, production-focused training. While rising costs and visa demands are changing that landscape, there’s still a lot to learn from how these institutions embed real-world skills and professional mindset into their teaching.
In this session, Matt explores what “industry-ready” really means today—from mindset and collaboration to production literacy—and how we can evolve UK education to deliver it.
Session Takeaway
- Learn what can be adopted from the methods and approaches used by leading European game schools to strengthen employability
- Define what “industry-ready” really means today, beyond qualifications
- Explore actionable ways education can better align with studio expectations through mindset, discipline focus, and practical experience
Session speakers
