Online Indie Game Development graduate on studying from Dubai
15 May 2025
After nearly five years as a Games Design lecturer in Dubai, Anna Tookey decided it was time to invest in her own creative development. Originally from the UK and already working in the games industry, she sought a course that would challenge her practice and fit around her busy teaching schedule. Falmouth’s MA Indie Game Development (Online) course offered the project-led structure she was used to – and the freedom to push her own ideas further.
Now balancing lecturing with game development, Anna used her time on the course to experiment with new mechanics, revisit old prototypes and build connections across the global games community. We caught up with her to hear about her Final Major Project, her inspirations, and how studying online has shaped her creative direction.
You've been a Games Design lecturer in Dubai for nearly five years – what made you decide to join the MA Indie Game Development course at Falmouth?
I did my bachelor's at SAE University College in Dubai, where the programme was very project-based rather than exam-led. After graduating, I went straight into the industry, briefly working at two game studios in the UAE. I always knew I wanted to continue my education, but I wasn’t sure where. There aren’t many options for creative media in the region, and since I’m originally from the UK, I started looking abroad.
I came across a few universities that caught my eye, but Falmouth stood out. The project-based learning approach was familiar to me, and the course content really aligned with my industry experience. I felt a master’s would motivate me to work on personal projects, grow my portfolio and make new industry connections.
Living in Dubai is great – although the summers can be scorching! It’s a very accessible city with a strong focus on multiculturalism. Teaching here is especially rewarding; the mix of nationalities and cultures shapes how students – and I – approach game design.
The UAE’s game development scene is steadily growing, with more studios setting up in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It’s exciting to see new designers and programmers getting into the industry here.
Tell us about your Final Major Project on the course.
For the final iteration, I rebuilt everything from scratch – no plugins – and worked to polish the game as I went. It’s still very much in development, with plenty of bugs to fix (juggling grading, teaching and writing papers makes it hard to find time!).
The game is a sci-fi roguelike deckbuilder inspired by Slay the Spire, Inscryption and Diceomancer. There’s a playable version on Itch.io, where players can also fill out a feedback survey. I’ll be updating the game slowly as I develop features like procedural room and map generation – and trying to stop everything breaking in the process!
What was the most valuable part of the course?
Definitely the collaboration module, entitled ‘Co-Creative Design & Development Practice’. I worked with a brilliant group – Sam Claydon, Thom Barrett, Wayne Dwyer and Sophie Shippen – to create a retro, PS1-style puzzle game inspired by tabletop mechanics. You solve puzzles to unlock rooms in a mysterious manor, then have to place those rooms Tetris-style to progress.
It was such a rewarding project and reminded me how important it is to explore new ideas and collaborate with others. I’d never have come up with the concept alone, and I’m really proud of what we built together.
How did you find studying remotely?
I found the virtual learning environment easy to use, the structure of the course really clear and the flexibility meant I could work at my own pace. Although I could watch the lectures back whenever I wanted, I stayed up until 1am my time to watch them live a few times, which made the next day a bit of a challenge. A few other SAE alumni have since joined Falmouth and are enjoying the course too.
I also visited the campus for graduation, which was a great experience. I'd heard so much about Cornwall from my classmates, and it didn’t disappoint.
What games do you enjoy playing?
I grew up with an N64, GameCube and DS, so I’ve always been a huge Nintendo fan. Games like Kirby 64 and Pokémon Colosseum were big inspirations.
When I get the time, I’m currently playing Baldur’s Gate III and jumping into World of Warcraft Classic. I love a good RPG.
What are you working on next?
Alongside continuing development on Alien Aftermath, I’ve got two other projects on the go. One is a small experiment exploring games for blind players – I’m collaborating with SAE’s audio department to use sound to convey spatial information.
The other is a game demo with the animation department where you play as a blacksmith. Finding time to develop them further is tough, but I’m hoping to share updates soon.
External links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annatookey/
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