Faculty Profiles

Biography and Education: Gabriel A. Olson is an Associate Professor of Practice and the Video Game Major Coordinator at Texas State University. He joined the School of Art and Design in Fall 2025 to lead the creation and implementation of a new Bachelor of Science in Game Development. Gabriel holds an MFA in Film and Media Arts and a BS in Game and Art Design, a foundation that informs his dual expertise in visual aesthetics and interactive systems.

His professional background includes over 15 years of industry leadership, notably as a Senior Level Designer at Disney Interactive (Avalanche Software) where he shipped five AAA titles. Beyond level design, his industry career includes roles as a 3D artist for digital media, television commercials, and games at studios such as LAIKA/house and Metaversatility. This professional breadth allows him to bridge the gap between high-end visual asset creation and complex game logic.

Prior to his appointment at Texas State, Gabriel spent a decade at the University of Utah’s top-ranked Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE) program. There, he served as a producer and mentor for MFA and MS capstone teams, guiding dozens of interdisciplinary student projects from initial concept to successful publication on market platforms like Steam. He also served as the Director of Game Studies and Design at the University of North Texas, where he directed the creation of their first major in video game design. Currently, he remains an active developer as the founder of WalterNet Games and Squash Creek Games, focusing on Unreal Engine 5 architecture through a hybrid of C++ and visual scripting.