EPIC Hosts Global Game Jam Armenia for the 6th Consecutive Year

YEREVAN, Armenia — On January 28-30, 2022, the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) of the American University of Armenia (AUA) and Noor Games jointly organized Global Game Jam Armenia 2022 for the sixth consecutive year.

The Global Game Jam is the world’s largest annual international computer game creation hackathon that attracts game creators from all over the world to gather online, learn about new technologies, and develop new games in under 48 hours. 

Since its launch in 2009, the level of international engagement has dramatically increased to 50,000 participants from 119 countries and 940 locations, compared to 23 countries and 53 locations in the first year.

This year, Global Game Jam Armenia had 89 participants and 6 mentors in attendance, which resulted in the creation of 14 new computer games.

This is the second time Global Game Jam is held online due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, in Armenia, this has allowed more developers from the marzes (regions) to participate. Moreover, as articulated by 37.5% of participants in the Global Game Jam 2022, there were ample opportunities to meet others and network online.

The official opening of the Global Game Jam was held on Friday evening. The Armenia-based organizers, Narek Aghekyan and Tigran Minasyan, greeted the participants and provided them with the event program, game jam procedures, and other relevant information.

In the global keynote video, leading game creators Will Goldstone, Kate Edwards, Tanya X. Short, and Chase Bethea revealed this year’s game theme, Duality, and shared important tips with attending game developers. The participants were then given a set deadline for designing topic-related games. They competed for creativity in designing games within that theme. The games created within the framework of Duality included Enlighten, Dualight: Official Gameplay – Beta, DualCardGame 2, Light Inside the Dark Version 001 and many more.

Beginner game developers enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about game development with guidance and mentoring from professionals, network, explore the GGJ job fair, and potentially receive international job offers. The benefits GGJ proffers are multiple, particularly allowing participants to create games, join the international game developer community, and deliver new products to the global market.

The professional relationships forged during GGJ are expected to continue at the GCON Game Development Conference, held for the third time in Armenia on February 5, with subsequent weekly meetings on the Discord platform.