Game Developer & Designer

Matthew
Rall

Unity · Unreal Engine · C# · C++

Game developer from Durban, South Africa — shipping games since 2023, from cancer awareness shooters to card-based dungeon crawlers. BCIS in Game Design & Development, BA Honours in Design Leadership, and a published paper on VR in education. Making the jump to the US.

Building worlds,
solving problems

I'm a game developer from Durban, South Africa, currently completing a BA Honours in Design Leadership at Vega School. My work sits at the intersection of technical development and creative design — from building games in Unity and Unreal Engine to researching how Virtual Reality can transform the way programming is taught.

Beyond development, I bring experience as a competitive esports coach and academic tutor, which has sharpened my communication, leadership, and analytical thinking. I thrive in collaborative, fast-moving environments where creative problem-solving matters.

3+ Years Dev
2 Degrees
1 Publication
5+ Languages

Skills & Tools

Everything from Unity and Unreal to the tools that sit around the edges — what I reach for when building.

💻

Programming Languages

C# C++ Java JavaScript Kotlin
🎮

Game Engines & 3D

Unity Unreal Engine Blender 3ds Max
🔧

Tools & IDEs

Visual Studio JetBrains Rider Android Studio Git GitHub Photoshop
🧠

Other Skills

Design Leadership VR Research Team Coaching Academic Tutoring

Experience

Game jams, classrooms, and the coaching lane — here's where I've put in the hours.

Academic Tutor — Computer Science Jan 2025 – Dec 2025
ADvTECH · Durban, South Africa
  • Tutored first-year university students in C# programming using Visual Studio and JetBrains Rider.
  • Guided students through debugging, object-oriented design, and project work while concurrently completing BA Honours.
Esports Coach — Counter-Strike Mar 2024 – Oct 2025
Royal Republic Esports
  • Coached a competitive Counter-Strike roster through the first-division ranks of the VS Gaming League.
  • Built strategy, performance reviews, and team communication systems used in weekly scrims and tournaments.
Veterinary Receptionist (After-Hours) Dec 2021 – Oct 2023
Westville Veterinary Hospital · Durban
  • Managed after-hours intake, point-of-sale, and emergency triage coordination in a high-pressure clinical environment.
Esports Coach — Counter-Strike Mar 2021 – Apr 2022
THE-SA
  • Coached a lower-division Counter-Strike team in the VS Gaming League and supported player progression to higher divisions.

Education

Four years at Vega School, two degrees — the foundation that sits under everything else I do.

Jan 2025 – Dec 2025
BA Honours in Design Leadership
Vega School · Durban, South Africa
Focus areas: Virtual Reality, Design Leadership, Higher Education Research.
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
BCIS in Game Design and Development
Vega School · Durban, South Africa
Coursework: Programming, App Design, Web Design, Graphic Design, Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender 3D.
Jan 2017 – Dec 2021
National Senior Certificate (Matric)
Thomas More College · Kloof, South Africa
Completed secondary education with a focus on sciences and technology.

Publication

📄 Peer Research · 2025

Exploring Virtual Reality in Game Development Education: Student Perspectives on Learning

A study I ran as part of my Honours research — interviewing third-year computer science students about their experiences using VR for learning to program. The findings pointed to real gains in engagement and problem-solving, but also honest barriers like hardware costs, motion sickness, and limited institutional support. The core takeaway: VR has genuine potential here, but only if implemented with care. Published on ResearchGate with a DOI.

View on ResearchGate

Achievements

Awards, competition placements, publications, and press coverage across my work.

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Published Research Paper
Exploring Virtual Reality in Game Development Education: Student Perspectives on Learning — ResearchGate
2025
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National Vega Game Jam — Winner
Cancer Crusher · National Vega Game Jam
Oct 2023
🌍
Creative Conscience — Shortlisted
Cancer Crusher · International Creative Conscience Awards
2023
📰
7 Press Features
Cancer Crusher covered by NGO Connect SA, Media Update, Vega School, Education Today, Love Your Nuts, World of Work & The Mighty Pen
2023 – 2024
🥈
SA Game Jam 2024 — Top 10 (8th Place)
Kenny's Khaos · SA Game Jam 2024
Oct 2024
🥉
TCGJ 2024 — 3rd Place
Timmys' Revenge · Thomas More College Game Jam 2024
July 2024
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Ludum Dare 56 — Top 500 (Rank 475)
Tiny Cafe · Ludum Dare 56 Global Game Jam
Oct 2024
🃏
Ludum Dare 55 — Top 1,000 (Rank 924)
Cardmageddon · Ludum Dare 55 Global Game Jam
April 2024

Projects

Games, research, and applications across my degrees and personal work.

Let's Connect

I'm open to game development roles, collaborations, and freelance projects — including opportunities in the USA. Whether you have a project in mind or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out.