In the past five years, computer games have moved from a minority pastime to a mainstream form of entertainment, in the process acquiring and exhibiting a staggering array of aesthetics, technologies and forms. At the same time, game designers have discovered their heritage in sports and board games, in turn bringing this new experience to bear on the discipline of game design. Games are among the most technical products in the world, some requiring teams of 300 or more working for several years while constantly adapting to shifting hardware specifications. Nonetheless, game making itself has never been so accessible, with a range of tools and technologies bringing it within reach of the individual. David Hayward will give a comprehensive overview of the cultural history, technology and present state of game development