Aussie Jam is part of Global Game Jam® (GGJ): the world's largest game creation event taking place around the globe over the same few days.

A "game jam" is essentially 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 games making as a conversation space.

It’s universal, it’s a lot of fun, and everyone over 18 is welcome.

All you need is a desire to spend a weekend making games online with others. Games can be digital or analogue, they can be prototypes for something amazing down the track, they can be fun ideas that get explored and never finished. GGJ is all about having a great creative experience and meeting other game making enthusiasts.

Read more here

FAQs

When and where?

Pre-jam registration and team forming starts from 10am AEST/11am AEDT on Thursday 28 January.

The Jam proper will start online from 5pm AEST/6pm AEDT Friday 29th with the opening presentation and keynote reveal. It runs until 6pm AEST/ 7pm AEDT Sunday 31 January, 2021.

What’s supplied?

We will supply the online community space, Finished games to be uploaded via the Global GGJ site. Everything else is BYO

How do we form teams?

Teams can be any size and can be formed in advance or formed at the beginning of the Jam. Don’t worry if you haven’t got anyone to work with - come along and meet people from across the country.

That said, team forming can be tricky, particularly online, so preformed teams are very welcome - you’ll be asked about your plans so far re teams when you register.

Who can jam?

Jammers must be 18 years or older, if you’re under 18 look out for GGJNext 2021 later this year.

What will I need?

-Teams, comms, all the fun stuff will be hosted on Discord

-BYO tech, software, sticky notes and venue

-Feeling a boardgame or maybe a foray into a digital space? All mediums are welcome (even that exercise bike controller, we see you over there scheming you mad geniuses)

What’s the vibe?

GGJ is not a competition. You don't even need to finish your project! All we ask is you have fun and maybe try something new.

We recommend forming a team in advance if you can. But if you’re missing your D’Artagnan or have been running solo too long we will have spots for you to find a squad.

Never made a game before? Come along! This is a wonderful space to dip your toes in. We encourage inter team discussions and sharing.

In the spirit of the vibe, we take our Code of Conduct seriously, please take a moment to read it, as you'll need to agree to it to register.

How does it work?

If you’ve participated in a Global Game Jam before, you know how it usually works . If you’re new to it all or would like a refresher for the online version, here’s how it works. This year, social distancing means across the world we’ve moved online. This gives us a chance to jam together, so the organisers from jams in Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney have combined forces, and hope jammers will too!

We will meet on our custom Discord server from 10am on Thursday 28 January for registration and some mingling in the jam’s kitchen, cafe and garden spaces online.

Registrations, team forming and meeting jammers continue on Friday, and at 5pm AEST/6pm AEDT we will have opening presentations, including the theme announce.

How’s the theme being announced this year?

The theme is being released early and globally, so if you want to wait until opening prezzos on Friday night don’t visit the central Twitch page at 2pm AET/3pm AEDT. While it’s not the usual secret squirrel, no spoilers until we start our jam is only polite.

Then what?

We’ll put the finishing touches on team forming and then dive into the jam from wherever you are with whatever you have handy.

IMPORTANT:

• Only get 1 ticket per email address / Eventbrite account. If you get multiple tickets, you will not be able to give them to other people.
• If you have friends or colleagues who would like to attend, they will need to register on this site themselves.

In the spirit of reconciliation the Australian Global Game Jam acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Sovereignty was never ceded, and this always was and always will be Aboriginal Land.

Logo by Nicole Lawson.

This sensational, smash the borders, collaborative effort is brought to you by your friendly, neighbourhood gamedev community groups: