Top List of Game Jams – What’s your Favorite?
Whether you want to become a game developer or use your Unity skills for enterprise applications, participating in a Game Jam is a fun way to work on your skills and get to know other amazing developers! Games are often harder to make than typical business applications, and so you’ll really sharpen your skills when you make them, and everything you learn is transferable. Build your skills and have a game to play after, it’s a win-win.
Hold up – let’s answer this question first: What is a Game Jam? A Game Jam is similar to a Hackathon, but where people come together to try and make a video game from scratch. They’re short, usually 24 hours to one week, and centered on a theme. Most Game Jam submissions are judged and there are often prizes. Participants generally have a wide variety of backgrounds, ranging from those who are already game developers to designers, programmers, artists, and writers. Game Jams are exciting, competitive and fun!
Alright, you’re bought in, let’s learn more about Game Jams! Here at XR Terra, we think the best way to learn about Game Jams is to participate in some!
We compiled a small list of sites where you can find jams:
- Unity hosts Showcases on their Unity Play platform, often featuring prizes and/or assets from the likes of Will Wright and Universal.
- Itch.io hosts dozens of game jams at any given time, all online. Their interactive Jam Calendar lists literally hundreds of game jams at a glance!
- Indiegamejams is a comprehensive and frequently updated list of game jams both around the world and online.
- The gamejams subreddit is updated less regularly than indiegamejams, but it is another good source for finding jams.
- Ludum Dare is a very popular long-running online jam and community. The “competition” (which is very supportive) runs every three months and lasts for 72 hours. The community submits ideas for themes and then votes to select a new theme each time.
- Global Game Jam is the biggest game jam event in the world. It takes place every January
Game Jams are free to sign up, so find one starting soon, put together your team and get jamming! Do you have other recommendations? Let us know @ hello@xrterra.com!
Questions about XR Terra or our programs? Contact hello@xrterra.com.
XR Terra is a Unity Authorized Training Partner.
