January 6, 2025
Malta Global Game Jam - Hackathon for designers, artists, and creatives
Registrations are open for the Malta Global Game Jam 2025! Are you creative in Malta, then this is the event to put your skills to the ultimate test: design a game in 48 hours. Games require such a diverse set of skills from artists to programmers that if you’re creative and interested in games, there is surely a role for you.
Image: Roles in videogames. You’re likely not going to translate or sell games in 48 hours, but you get the idea, there are many creative roles to fill and it is an excellent opportunity to learn and experiment without the pressure of success (or failure).
What is the Game Jam?
A game jam is similar to a hackathon where people come together for a short period of time to create games around a central theme revealed at the start of the jam. We’ll be start on Friday 24 January at the Institute of Digital Games with an international keynote (soon to be announced) and a guided brainstorming team-building event and finishing on Sunday 26 January where we try all the games that people made. Full programme is available here.
The Global Game Jam is the world’s largest game creation event taking place around the globe boasting tens of thousands of participants (jammers) at hundreds of physical and virtual sites in over one hundred countries around the world.
Image: Arcade Mode - And at the end we play them all!
Makers of Malta Unite!
Whatever discipline you are from, the Global Game Jam stirs a global creative buzz in games, while at the same time exploring the process of development, be it programming, iterative design, narrative exploration or artistic expression. It is all condensed into a shortened development cycle. Jammers are invited to explore new technology tools, trying on new roles in development and testing their skills to do something that requires them to design, develop create, test and make a new game. The GGJ is rooted in the idea that in today’s heavily connected world, we can come together, be creative, share experiences and express ourselves in a multitude of ways using the universal language of video games.
Socialize and network
The GGJ helps to foster new friendships, increase confidence in aspiring game developers and creates opportunities within local communities. The GGJ is dedicated to collaboration and camaraderie and is not a competition.
Image: Expert panel with Kari Koivistoinen (Sumo Digital, PUBG) and Julian and Andrew Farrugia (Anvil Games) provided the jammers with wisdom and encouragement
Game development experts in Malta
We also have an expert panel that will go over your games and give you tips and advice on how to finish or improve them. And this year thanks to the sponsorship of GamingMalta we’ll provide snacks and drinks as well as 1 meal a day, so you can power through the development! We also have 5 sponsored spots for people wanting to attend, but struggling to meet the participation fee. Send an email to digitalgames@um.edu.mt with a short note explaining your motivation and your qualifications to be selected.
Check out the FAQ on our website.