GGJ Austin

What is Global Game Jam?

The Global Game Jam® (GGJ) is the world's largest game jam event (game creation) taking place around the world at physical locations. Think of it as a hackathon focused on game development. It is the growth of an idea that in today’s heavily connected world, we could come together, be creative, share experiences and express ourselves in a multitude of ways using video games – it is very universal. The weekend 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 48 hour development cycle. The GGJ encourages people with all kinds of backgrounds to participate and contribute to this global spread of game development and creativity.

Entering Games

All games need be uploaded to the GGJ server before the jam is complete. All content needs to be on our server by 5 PM local time Sunday. Sharing and showing your work is a core GGJ philosophy, so we ask that not only game executables be uploaded, but also source code, assets, makefiles, and anything else needed to compile your game. 

Location

This year the Hoft Institute will be providing their location for the Austin Global Game Jam.

This location will be open all 48 hours of the jam. We are still looking for volunteers to help us keep the location manned all 48 hours. If you are interested in helping, let us know!

Parking

There is some parking available at location, and street parking nearby. 

Equipment

We will not be able to provide computers or other equipment for jammers. If you are unable to bring your own device, please let us know and we'll see what we can do to help. 

Basic Schedule

Each Global Game Jam 2018 location starts at 5 PM local time on Friday the 26th. It ends at 5 PM local time on Sunday afternoon. Most jams end on Sunday with presentations or play sessions where teams take turns showing the games they created. Actual development time for jammers is generally less than 48 hours but the whole GGJ18 experience spans the entire time. 

Our Schedule:

1/26

• 5pm - Setup and Signin Opens. Get here early to reserve your spot!
• 7pm - Keynote and Theme Announcement

1/27 

• 12pm - Lunch provided w/ meal ticket
• 6pm - Dinner provided w/ meal ticket

1/28

• 12pm - Lunch provided w/ meal ticket
• 5pm - Game Submission deadline
• 7pm - Game Showcase and Awards
• 8pm - Breakdown

1/26 - 1/28: JAM, JAM, JAM!

Global Game Jam Registration

We will also require all jammers register on the official Global Game Jam site. This registration will be open up until the day of the jam. Register Here

So what's this "VIP" thing?

We'd love to provide food, drinks and awesome swag to everyone! Unfortunately, that costs money. So, with the VIP ticket, you land yourself a sweet GGJ 10 year anniversary t-shirt, and meal tickets for three provided meals during the jam. Three meals and a shirt for only $30? That's madness!