Industrial robots have been crucial in manufacturing but remain underutilized in South Africa due to historical wage factors and a lack of exposure. In education, large class sizes made practical exposure to robots costly and logistically challenging. This study developed a low-cost, scalable serious game for industrial robot programming, aimed at undergraduate engineering students. The game addressed the challenge of limited resources while providing students with hands-on experience using only a laptop or Android tablet. The virtual environment, built using the Unity engine, is connected to a universal robot controller via TCP, allowing students to interact with robots using their native programming interface. The game guided students through structured stages, simulating real-world industrial applications and progressively enhancing their programming skills. A pilot study evaluated the platform's usability, learning outcomes, and student confidence. It was found that students experienced realistic robot behavior without the need for expensive physical robots. The feedback from this study informed future improvements to the game, contributing to more effective teaching methods in robotics. This solution addressed the skills deficit in South Africa by introducing students to industrial robot programming and Industry 4.0 concepts. By simulating robot behavior, the platform increased safety, reduced the number of robots required, and optimized physical robot utilization. The virtual environment offered a scalable, cost-effective alternative to traditional robotics education, helping to bridge the technical skills gap in resource-limited regions.