What is a game jam?

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to create a game in just a few days, then a game jam might be the challenge you’re looking for.

Game jams are exciting, creative, and sometimes chaotic events where ideas move fast. They’re popular across the games industry and are a great way for creatives to put their skills to the test.

How does a game jam work?

A game jam is a time-limited event where participants are challenged to create a game from scratch. These events can be done solo or in teams, and participants are usually given a prompt to inspire the game. During the jam, participants must develop ideas, design game play, create art and audio, and build a playable game.

Just like when musicians come together to “jam” and improvise, game jams bring together developers to prototype ideas and turn them into a fully functional game in a short time.

The benefits of going to a game jam

Attending a game jam gives creatives the chance to come together, collaborate, learn from each other, and have fun. It helps you develop your skills, explore new ideas, and gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment.

“A game jam is a crash course in game development, teamwork, resilience, and creative confidence – and it gives students portfolio work and community connections in the process. It’s chaotic, challenging, and often hilarious. But it’s also one of the most valuable learning experiences you can have in games.” – Nick Rodriguez, Dean of Games and Creative Technology

A global impact

Global Game Jam (GGJ) is an annual event where developers from all over the world come together to create games based on a shared theme. Teams gather to prototype and develop their games, with GGJ supporting local communities so people of all backgrounds and skill levels can participate. Game jams have become very popular, with over 500,000 games created for jams hosted on itch.io alone.

Famous examples of game jams include:

• Surgeon Simulator – originally created during a 48-hour game jam with a ‘heartbeat’ theme. 
• Celeste – originally created as a prototype for a four-day jam, under the theme ‘climbing’. 

Level up at the MetStudios Game Jam

We recently ran our very own game jam at MetStudios Brighton for students across our Games Art and Technology and Games Design and Development courses. Working in teams, students used Unity to create their games, bringing together design, art, and technical skills. They also had the opportunity to explore audio, adding sound and music to enhance their gameplay experiences.

We have an upcoming Game Jam in Berlin, a week-long event where you can fully immerse yourself in the game jam experience. It’s a fantastic opportunity to collaborate, create, and connect with other aspiring developers.

Interested in becoming a game designer or games artist at MetStudios?

Sign up for one of our Open Days or apply via UCAS.

Craft the Digital Worlds of Tomorrow

MetStudios is for people who imagine new worlds and want to bring them to life. Small classes, one-to-one mentorship, and practical, hands-on projects sit at the heart of everything we do. We put wellbeing and diversity first, so you have the space and confidence to explore your creativity and create work that feels truly your own.