Getting started in game development can be difficult, especially if you don't have any mentors or resources to learn the basics. Microsoft is looking to help kick off aspiring developers' careers with free Xbox Academy virtual sessions, and you can register to attend one now.

Running on September 12 and 13 in two different timeslots each day, the Xbox Academy Game Development Workshop will introduce attendees to the basics of game design, as well as how to use the immensely popular game engine Unity. The 90-minute sessions will task you with creating a small playable game using Unity and a 3D resource file. You must be at least 16 years old to register.

Playground Games' senior producer Maria Lee and senior game designer Ryan Green will be leading the course along with East London Arts and Music's director of games Curtis Le Blance. Playground is best known for its Forza Horizon series, and as confirmed in July, it's also working on a new Fable game for Xbox Series X and PC.