Do you really need to get a degree specifically for game art or would be a bachelor's degree in design such as graphic design sufficient and learn everything else with online courses and tutorials by yourself? Also, is a master's degree also benefical or not?

I am really confused right now, because I took a 2-year-diploma-course in graphic design and right now I am doing my bachelor's degree in Information Design, where I absolutely don't have the feeling that it prepares me for the game industry at all.

And I have found a relatively cheap bachelor's programm in the Netherlands that is called International Game Architecture and Design where I will learn 3D modelling, character design, animation and whatnot related to the art side of game development. However, I already have a good background in illustration. And my dream is to work as a concept artist in a really big studio such as Blizzard.. Would another bachelor's degree in game art be wise or would it be a waste of time, because I could teach myself all the skills or taking online courses instead of having to study for another three years? Help, I don't know what to do anymore!! I really need your advice, thank you sooooo much in advance for all of your helpful responses!!

I have an art degree, but I don't work as an artist. I think schooling can be useful to learn and for the experience. You can also make connections with other students and teachers, and some schools can help with job placement. I had classmates that got hired at top-tier AAA studios right after graduating, but they really excelled at their practice.

However, if your art isn't any good, no studio will hire you just because you have a degree. Similarly, if you're a rock solid artist, your portfolio will speak for itself and no one will care if you have a degree or not.

So, if you're already confident in your art skills, I would say the degree may be unnecessary. If you think you're not prepared, or if you still need to work on your skills, college can be a great way to learn and build a portfolio. Also, having any sort of degree (even somewhat unrelated) can help with getting interviews, as it shows you may be more responsible than someone else with only a high school diploma or that dropped out of college. But I don't think a "game art" degree is strictly needed, especially if you're already skilled and have some degrees under your belt.

But it can really depend. I know a lot of people say degrees are not needed at all, even for programming, but I still want to go back to school for Computer Science. So I understand the desire for better qualifications and to learn in a more formal environment. So I don't want you to get the idea that I'm saying degrees are useless. They can certainly help get you hired, but you'll have to do the work to have a solid portfolio either way, and that will be the thing you're ultimately judged on.