Turning passion into impact: UTS students launch a game.
The story behind the Pascal’s Requiem game, a student-built 2.5D turn-based RPG, is a testament to how far students can go when they’re supported by a university that values hands-on and collaborative approach to learning.
At UTS learning doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens in teams, studios, and communities. Games enthusiast Samuel Coa (Software Engineering, 5th year), Nicholas Everett (Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of International Studies, 5th year), and Benjamin Comino (Bachelor of Games Development, 2024 graduate) were among more than 40 students and recent graduates who brought the game to life through the Playmakers Development Team.
Together, they designed, developed, and launched Pascal’s Requiem on Steam, a professional-grade game that has already reached more than 24,000 activations and featured at major industry events including SMASH! and PAX Australia.
Although this wasn’t part of their formal coursework, the students’ passion for games and shared commitment to the project gave them a unique taste of real-world production.
“It’s the closest thing you can get to a real job in games without actually being in one,” says Samuel Coa.
Learning with an industry mindset at core
Students tackled the kinds of real-world challenges game studios face every day, including managing scope, working under pressure, and delivering on tight deadlines, all within the structure and support of a university-led environment.
Equally important as the technical skills was the strong community they built along the way, which shaped and enriched their peer-to-peer learning.
From art and design to programming, QA and marketing, students fulfilled defined roles while working cross-functionally and learning to navigate team dynamics, leadership, and accountability.
“We had to make hard calls as a team, communicate constantly, and trust the process; just like working with people in the industry.”
Nicholas Everett
Associate producer
Impact beyond the campus
The impact of Pascal’s Requiem went well beyond the classroom. With thousands of downloads and live gameplay demonstrations at Australia’s biggest fan expos, the project became a professional milestone.
“Watching someone play our game live at PAX was surreal. That moment made all the hard work worth it.” Samuel Coa
In addition to launching a fully published game, the students walked away with polished portfolios, industry experience, and the confidence to step into creative careers.
This was a massive confidence boost … now I have something on my portfolio that employers actually care about.
Why UTS?
Because it’s not just about theory, it’s about application, creation, and impact. Whether you’re designing a game, pitching an idea, or fixing a bug under pressure, our students learn by doing and graduate ready to lead, collaborate, and create real impact.
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Sana Aman graduated from UTS in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and major in Programming. A year later, she was working as a Senior IT Risk Consultant at PwC Australia.
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Mohit Kumar from India completed his Master of Information Technology in Cybersecurity (MIT) in 2021 and currently works as a consultant in Cyber Incident Response for KPMG Australia.
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Sana Aman graduated from UTS in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and major in Programming. A year later, she was working as a Senior IT Risk Consultant at PwC Australia.
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Mohit Kumar from India completed his Master of Information Technology in Cybersecurity (MIT) in 2021 and currently works as a consultant in Cyber Incident Response for KPMG Australia.
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How industry-focused projects prepared Stella to become a Business Analyst at LG Electronics Australia
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Shuvam didn’t realise the Apple Foundation Program would have such a profound impact in just four weeks.