To become an expert in game development, you need to make a lot of games—that’s how you learn its ins and outs, discover new development methods, or even try out genres you’ve never made before
But making a game isn’t easy; it’s a long process that might take you several years to finish even a single game, especially if you’re an independent developer, which is usually the case
There is, however, another way to make many games without wasting too much time—games that are genuinely playable and not just exercises that look like prototypes
That method is called Game Development Competitions—Game Jams
What Are Game Jams
These competitions are similar to a hackathon, but held online without needing to attend in person. Developers are asked to build a game around a given theme within a set period, usually around 3 days—though it may be shorter or longer depending on the jam
For example, there’s a jam called “GMTK Game Jam,” which featured the theme “roles reversed,” where participants submitted the games they made during the competition’s two-day span. After the jam ends, participants start rating each other’s games, and you can play the submitted entries through the entries page
The rules of these competitions vary slightly from one to another—some require you to make the game within two days, others give you a month, some let you build a team, and others require you to develop the game alone
In short, game jams are competitions that ask developers to make a game within a fixed timeframe, around a specific theme, under rules set by the jam’s organizers
There are several questions that come up around this, including:
- Can a game really be developed within such a short timeframe?
- What proves that I, as a participant, actually developed the game within that time?
- Couldn’t someone just use a game they already made and submit it to the jam?
- What’s the actual benefit of these competitions, both for the developer and for the organizer?
I’ll answer all of that now in:
The Most Important Questions About Them
Can a game really be developed within such a short timeframe? Yes, of course. The idea here is that you don’t need to develop a fully detailed game with many levels and challenges—something small that gets the idea across is enough
You don’t need to build several levels; one is enough, or you could be clever and try making a game with no levels at all, just a small world with a handful of challenges
Since these competitions have a theme that’s announced at the start of the jam, this prevents the use of games made before it began—you might have a game about a forest adventure, only to find out the jam’s theme is about highways
Still, most of these competitions do allow participants to use pre-made assets, since you’d likely do the same if you were making your own game anyway
It’s also normal for these competitions to have no prizes at all, so the benefits mostly come down to you personally—meaning if you decide to cheat by submitting a game you already made, or by using something that’s not allowed, you’re the only one who loses out
That’s because the main goal of these competitions is to help you grow as a developer
What’s the Benefit of Participating
Experience
That’s the definitive answer for any jam. From the moment you start building a game from scratch, all the way to hitting the export button and uploading the game to its platform, all of that is experience for you
Testing your ability to work under pressure, testing your ability to communicate your idea, and testing new methods and approaches in production—all of that greatly boosts your experience in game development
You may also discover your strengths and weaknesses this way. When you’re coding a game and find out you can’t make the player push a box, for example, you’ll know you have an issue there and can focus on learning it
Or you finish your game, upload it, and people start playing it—praising your drawing or modeling skills because of the game’s art direction—and you’ll know that’s a genuine strength you can build your future games on
Participating in several jams and finishing a decent number of games also grows your portfolio, which increases your chances of landing a job at game development companies and studios
Some competitions give out cash prizes, others offer free courses, and some might even give you the chance to develop your game further with a company after the jam ends. And even though there usually aren’t any prizes, all of that is still valuable
The Most Popular Competitions (Arabic and International)
Arabic game jams have started spreading, including Twrni and Game Zanga, among others, and there are plenty of international ones too, the vast majority of which are found on a single site: itch.io
You can visit it to see more of these competitions and join whichever one you like, but we’ll dedicate a separate article to Itch.io and its usefulness for game developers next week
As for the most popular Arabic competitions, here are some:
- Game Zanga: a 3-day competition held once a year (barring special cases), usually with no prizes
- Twrni: run by the Twrni platform for teaching game development, usually lasting 3 days, with prizes varying each year
- SGN: Saudi Game Network is a platform that supports Arab developers with community, competitions, assets, and more
Among the most famous international competitions:
- Global Game Jam: a global competition, some locations of which require in-person attendance, but most don’t, and it lasts 3 days
- Ludum Dare: they have their own site for uploading games, and the jam lasts just two days
- GMTK: by far the most famous, breaking a new record in the number of participants every year
Those were just the most popular ones—there are still plenty of lesser-known jams, and they remain a great option. You can simply go to itch.io and find a jam that appeals to you and join it
Summary
Game jams are online events where developers compete to make a game within a set time frame (usually 3 days) around a specific theme
These competitions aim to help you gain experience, test your abilities, and discover your potential, and you can use them to build a portfolio and get to know the developer community better
They’re easy to join, cover a wide variety of themes, and let you experiment with new ideas and different techniques without needing a long-term commitment—and of course, showing your games to others and getting their feedback
Game jams are a great opportunity to learn and develop your skills in game development. Join a jam today and discover your potential!