Collaboration with local operators and developer community at Global Game Jam
In February 2023 PHZ collaborated with the Game Makers of Finland and organized a game jam event, lasting 48 hours. The jam was organized as part of the Finnish Game Jam and Global Game Jam that is a highly anticipated event in the game development community. The Global Game Jam event brought together game developers from all over the world, creating an atmosphere of collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Our local FGJ Helsinki PHZ Game Studios and GMoF -site was one of the 25 global game jam sites in Finland and one of the 8 sites in the capital city area.
PHZ collaborated with Game Makers of Finland on organizing the event. “Game Makers of Finland´s mission is to develop, support and assist everyone in the gaming industry. ..” (https://peliala.fi/en/) and our site was organized as part of Finnish Game Jam, that is the national coordinator of Game Jams in Finland. (https://www.finnishgamejam.com/)
The theme of the event was “Roots,” encouraging participants to explore the foundational elements of game development and how they shape the experiences we create. The theme was a source of inspiration for the participants, sparking innovative ideas and thought-provoking discussions.
The event was held in PHZ Helsinki office, providing participants with all the resources they needed to bring their ideas to life. Over the course of 48 hours, participants worked tirelessly, coding, designing, and testing their games. The atmosphere was both focused and relaxed. Snacks, refreshments, sauna and hot tub were available for attendees to use on the site during the event, to keep their creative minds fresh!
Networking and skill development
During the event, new game developer teams were formed, letting all attendees work in groups using and developing new and existing skills. From 25 attendees, 5 teams were formed, and each team started working on their separate game concepts / prototypes.
The finale of the event was a showcase of all the games created during the jam. Each team had the opportunity to present their games and receive feedback. This years global game jam theme “Roots” was used by the teams in various unique ways in each teams game prototypes.
In conclusion, the FGJ Helsinki PHZ Game Studios and GMoF was a fantastic opportunity for game developers to embrace their roots in the industry and explore new ideas and perspectives. The event showcased the incredible talent and creativity of the game development community, and demonstrated the power of collaboration and innovation in shaping the future of the industry.
Articles about our jam in the interwebs
Finnish Gaming articles site KonsoliFIN wrote about event on their website: (article in finnish) https://www.konsolifin.net/artikkeli/pelijameilla-mennaan-luovuus-ja-hauskanpito-edella-ndash-finnish-game-jam-2023-kerasi-jalleen
Game Makers of Finland made various posts about the event in TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@gamemakersoffinland/video/7196266434392001797