Collaborate, create, code and cram for fun at the Global Game Jam 2014

If you enjoy developing games as much as you enjoy playing them, perhaps you should consider participating the Global Game Jam in your country on January 24 to 26, 2014.

If you are unfamiliar with the Global Game Jam, it’s basically a social event where game development professionals, students, and enthusiasts come together to create games based on a certain theme for 48 hours. It is an annual event held in different countries across six continents. Asian countries such as Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, and Japan will all be participating in this event. A complete list of jam sites can be found on the official Global Game Jam website.

Game developers can join as a solo participant or as a team, which you can form with your friends or with other developers you meet in the game jam. The Global Game Jam has a previous record of 16,700 attendees, which organizers are planning to break this year with an expected 17,000 participants this year.

What do participating game developers get out of all this? While there are no guaranteed cash prizes, there will be some awards both official and for fun. However, this does not mean that this is a competition. Instead, the Game Jam just aims to create opportunities, increase confidence and foster new friendships and connections within the game development communities of the world.

For more information on the Global Game Jam 2014, head over to the official Global Game Jam website.