A team of five Games Design students from Southwark College have achieved an exciting milestone with the release of their first publicly available game, Paper Odyssey, on Steam, the world’s largest platform for PC gaming.
Developed by students aged 16–18 as part of the Nextgen Games Design course, Paper Odyssey will go live at 12pm on Wednesday 21 January, with a launch event taking place in the College’s Digital Hub.
Publishing a game on Steam is a professional‑grade process, requiring a fully playable build and the completion of extensive release tasks. Students were responsible for all aspects of development including game design, programming, asset creation, playtesting, bug fixing, performance checks and packaging the title for launch. The project also demanded strong teamwork, time management and the ability to respond to feedback — skills essential for careers in the games and creative industries.
The Nextgen Games Design programme is designed to help students build both technical capability and professional behaviours, producing portfolio‑ready work that supports progression into higher education and employment.
Early feedback from gamers has been positive, with pre‑release reviews praising the concept and creativity. In Paper Odyssey, players take on the role of a crumpled paper ball attempting to escape a vast paper factory. Faced with grinding machines, conveyor belts and shredders, players must roll, bounce and dodge their way to freedom.
Paper Odyssey is available to play on Steam, or can be downloaded free via itch.io.