Stillwater student wins national video game design title at SkillsUSA in Atlanta

A Stillwater student is bringing home national honors after winning the SkillsUSA competition in video game design, showcasing his original game “Loot Collector” on a national stage in Atlanta.

Oklahoma Student Shines at National SkillsUSA Competition

Tyler Brown, a student from Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater, recently traveled to Atlanta to compete in the SkillsUSA National Championships, a growing competition that draws students from across the country to showcase real-world job skills.

Brown competed in the Interactive Programming and Video Game Design category, where the challenge is simple, but far from easy: design an original video game and explain how it was made.

“There are all sorts of categories, crime scene investigation, culinary arts, even making mini movies or informational posters,” Brown said. “But in game design, it’s pretty open-ended. You can really make whatever kind of game you want.”

“Loot Collector” Game Wins Big

Brown’s winning entry was “Loot Collector,” a retro-style medieval RPG set in a surreal world obsessed with collecting treasure. He says he and his partner, Alan Copeland, chose the genre because of its wide appeal and development accessibility.

“It’s kind of like the old-school RPGs where you fight dragons and go on quests,” Brown said. “But in this one, everyone just really loves loot. We thought it’d be something a lot of people would enjoy.”

The game, created entirely by the student duo, impressed judges enough to earn top honors in the national competition. Copeland, Brown’s teammate, is currently based in Texas.

What’s Next for the SkillsUSA Champion?

While Brown isn’t exactly sure what the future holds, he knows this win is a powerful step forward.

“This game and the fact that we won is definitely a big portfolio piece,” he said. “I’m going to take that and build a resume to see what kind of jobs would accept me.”

Brown says the SkillsUSA competition continues to grow, with future events possibly moving to even larger cities like New York due to the increasing number of students involved.