What is a Game Jam?
A game jam is like a hackathon, but for making games. You get a short burst of time — usually a weekend — to dream up, design, and build a game from scratch. It’s fast, it’s messy, and it’s a ton of fun.
The magic of a jam isn’t about making the perfect game. It’s about creativity, experimentation, and community. With the clock ticking, you’re forced to make bold choices, try new ideas, and see what you can pull off in just a couple of days.
Game jams have been around since the early 2000s and now happen all over the world. Some are massive, like Ludum Dare or Global Game Jam. Others, like our own gm(48), are smaller but tightly focused — in our case, it’s a 48-hour jam just for GameMaker developers.
Because jams are one of the best ways to:
- Learn by doing — rapid prototyping teaches you skills fast
- Meet other creators — find teammates, collaborators, and new friends
- Experiment safely — try wild ideas you might never attempt in a bigger project
- Actually finish something — a complete game in just a weekend feels amazing
If you’re curious to learn more, check out what a game jam is and why you should participate. And hey — maybe join us in the next gm(48)! 😉