Gameheads

Gameheads We use video games to engage and motivate youth to learn tech skills.

Gameheads uses video game design and development to get low-income youth and youth of color (16-24) excited about and prepared for careers in technology and electronic entertainment industries. Our year-long program combines video game design and development, education and career counseling, industry exposure, and hands-on training. We train participants on how to create, code and design games, bu

ilding skills across specific fields necessary to thrive in technology, from coding to visual art, creative writing, design thinking, project management, team building, animation and game theory. As the only tech justice program in the East Bay that focuses strictly on video games, we have a youth-centered learning focus, which ensures highly engaged youth and an exciting organizational culture. Creativity, innovation, and critical thinking about the intersection of technology and multiculturalism are important values of our program.

Don't miss out! Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program! This summer students wil...
06/03/2026

Don't miss out! Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program!

This summer students will spend 10 weeks building their own video games and they need industry pros like you to help guide them through it. As a mentor you'll be paired 1-on-1 with a student for weekly check-ins, and get to see their finished projects at the Gameheads Summer Showcase in late August/early September. Plus, we're bringing back Gameheads: LIVE! If you're interested in hosting a public workshop (online or in-person) at this event, let us know in your application!

Q&A sessions are happening every Wednesday 5pm PT through June 24th. Apply now! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsJlQvRuJHxRT_Tr7sucgCEQCu4fTNzNVNc_A2DegIq_Sb2Q/viewform

From the inherent bias in tech to claims that it’s “too difficult” to design plus‑size characters, Teen Vogue breaks dow...
06/03/2026

From the inherent bias in tech to claims that it’s “too difficult” to design plus‑size characters, Teen Vogue breaks down why plus-size bodies are still so rare in games. The piece highlights the need for more diverse body representation — and for plus‑size characters to be portrayed with respect, not stereotypes.

Motion capture has the ability to capture fat bodies. So why don't we see more plus-size characters in games?

IndieWire talks with Star Wars VFX supervisor John Knoll about how "The Mandalorian and Grogu" blends virtual production...
06/02/2026

IndieWire talks with Star Wars VFX supervisor John Knoll about how "The Mandalorian and Grogu" blends virtual production techniques with old-school Hollywood special effects:

'Star Wars' visual effects supervisor John Knoll on the surprising old-school techniques behind 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' — and Scorsese's cameo.

Introducing Gameheads: Kids - our first-ever summer camp that blends play, creativity, art & tech to teach kids (8 – 11)...
06/01/2026

Introducing Gameheads: Kids - our first-ever summer camp that blends play, creativity, art & tech to teach kids (8 – 11) 21st-century skills. We focus on video games, coding, digital art & hands-on making. Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNBTFse407Y&t=80s

Gameheads: Kids blends play, creativity, art, and technology to tea...

Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program! This summer students will spend 10 weeks...
05/28/2026

Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program! This summer students will spend 10 weeks building their own video games and they need industry pros like you to help guide them through it.

As a mentor you'll be paired 1-on-1 with a student for weekly check-ins, and get to see their finished projects at the Gameheads Summer Showcase in late August/early September. Plus, we're bringing back Gameheads: LIVE! If you're interested in hosting a public workshop (online or in-person) at this event, let us know in your application!

Q&A sessions kick off May 20th at 5pm PT, every Wednesday through June 24th. Apply now! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsJlQvRuJHxRT_Tr7sucgCEQCu4fTNzNVNc_A2DegIq_Sb2Q/viewform

For more than 10 years, Gameheads has helped young people turn their love of games into real-world tech skills. Now, we’...
05/23/2026

For more than 10 years, Gameheads has helped young people turn their love of games into real-world tech skills. Now, we’re starting even earlier.

Welcome to Gameheads Kids - a new summer camp for Oakland youth ages 8–12.

Kids will explore game design, art, and creative technology through hands-on projects, collaborative play, and outdoor fun. Along the way, they’ll build problem-solving skills, express their creativity, and get early exposure to careers in gaming and tech—all in a supportive, youth-centered environment.

Same Gameheads magic, now for the next generation. Register today. https://gameheadsoakland.org/gameheads-kids/

Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program!This summer, our students will spend 10 w...
05/22/2026

Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program!

This summer, our students will spend 10 weeks building their own video games and they need industry pros like you to help guide them through the process! As a mentor, you'll be paired 1-on-1 with a student for weekly check-ins, and get to see their finished projects at the Gameheads Summer Showcase in late August/early September.

Plus, we're bringing back Gameheads: LIVE! So if you're interested in hosting a public workshop (online or in-person), let us know in your application! Q&A sessions kick off May 20th at 5pm PT, every Wednesday through June 24th.

Apply now!
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfsJlQvRuJHxR.../viewform

Gameheads has spent over a decade helping young people across the country build tech skills through gaming. Now, we’re b...
05/15/2026

Gameheads has spent over a decade helping young people across the country build tech skills through gaming. Now, we’re bringing that same proven model to a new generation.

Introducing Gameheads Kids - our first-ever summer camp for ages 8–11.

This eight-week long Oakland camp blends game design, creativity, art, and outdoor play in a fun, safe, and supervised environment. Using engaging, age-appropriate games, students will build digital confidence, spark their creativity, and make new friends along the way. A decade of impact, now reimagined for younger learners. Register now. https://gameheadsoakland.org/gameheads-kids/

Don't miss this compelling discussion between Gamertag Radio and Circana's Senior Director, Mat Piscatella! The discussi...
05/13/2026

Don't miss this compelling discussion between Gamertag Radio and Circana's Senior Director, Mat Piscatella! The discussion covers the gaming industry's future amid rising console prices and economic shifts, how these changes impact gamers and what it means for the industry's survival and new growth strategies like cloud gaming and subscriptions. Listen:

Join us for an interview with Circana's Senior Director, Mat Piscatella (https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social) , as we dive into the gaming industry's future amid rising console prices and economic shifts. We'll unpack how these changes impact gamers and what it ...

Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program!This summer, our students will spend 10 w...
05/12/2026

Mentor applications are OPEN for the 2026 Gameheads Summer Accelerator Program!

This summer, our students will spend 10 weeks building their own video games and they need industry pros like you to help guide them through the process! As a mentor, you'll be paired 1-on-1 with a student for weekly check-ins, and get to see their finished projects at the Gameheads Summer Showcase in late August/early September.

Plus, we're bringing back Gameheads: LIVE! So if you're interested in hosting a public workshop (online or in-person), let us know in your application! Q&A sessions kick off May 20th at 5pm PT, every Wednesday through June 24th.

Apply now!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsJlQvRuJHxRT_Tr7sucgCEQCu4fTNzNVNc_A2DegIq_Sb2Q/viewform

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