ABOUT THE GLOBAL GAME JAM

The Global Game Jam is an annual non-competitive game creation event that brings together the world’s game development community to create games around a common theme.

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Participants – or jammers – create teams to develop a game in a single weekend, while learning new skills, trying new tools and meeting new people.

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The 2025 Global Game Jam will be held from Jan. 20-26, 2025. Each site chooses its two-day jam period within that week.

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GERMANY

THE PHILIPPINES

SAUDI ARABIA

USA

ABOUT GGJ NEXT

GGJ Next® is an annual game jam event operated by the Global Game Jam to serve middle and high school youth who are interested in learning the creation of video games.

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Most recently, the GGJ Next jam has run concurrently with the Global Game Jam in January.

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The G4C Student Challenge�

The G4C Student Challenge is a game design competition that invites youth to create digital games inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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The Challenge is also platform for amplifying student voices, empowering young people to imagine creative solutions to social problems, and to see themselves as engaged citizens and changemakers. 

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There are multiple G4C Student Challenge Award Categories, with game of the year winning a $10,000 USD Scholarship.

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GGJ is the 2025 G4C Student Challenge Jam Partner

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This event will begin as a non-competitive jam stage. Teams are encouraged to explore creative and innovative ways to approach the G4C themes. This kickoff will align with the Global Game Jam on Jan 20—26, 2025.

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The option for shorter jams – as short as four- to six-hours that can be spread over one or more days

• These can run anytime from February to the end of Match. �

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How to Participate in GGJ Next

Go to globalgamejam.org to register a GGJ Next site.

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A member of the GGJ Next team will reach out to coordinate an interview.

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No minimum number of students

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Sites from anywhere in the world can participate.

• We have a limited number of stipends for sites outside of the U.S.

G4C Student Challenge Handbook

Any information you need about the G4C Student Challenge can be found the Competition Handbook and all categories.

https://gamesforchange.org/studentchallenge/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2025-Student-Challenge-Competition-Handbook.pdf

Requirements

• Sites must be working with youth aged 10 - 18 years old.
• Students should be in middle school, lower secondary school, or the equivalent for the Junior Division, or in secondary school, high school, or the equivalent for the Senior Division.�
• Sites must have a location to host a GGJ Next jam or be able to secure a location if approved. 

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• Commit to hosting a site between 20 January and 31 March. 

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Participant Eligibility

• Open to participants 10-18 years
• Two divisions: junior and senior. Students should be in middle school, lower secondary school, or the equivalent for the Junior Division, or in secondary school, high school, or the equivalent for the Senior Division.

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• Team size: 1-4 students
• (character design challenge must be solo)

• Digital games must be playable on a web browser and accessible via a URL

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• Digital games must be created using a free or open platform (ex: Scratch, Unity, Construct, Co-Spaces, Game Maker, Twine, Godot, etc.).

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• Games can also be board games

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• Games must be about one of this year’s 3 themes

G4C Student Challenge Game Requirements  

• English-speaking, expert Judges need to be able to play and understand students’ games. 
• If your game is in another language, please provide additional resources to enable English-speaking judges to understand and play your game. 

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DO NOT LET THE LANGUAGE BARRIER BE A BARRIER.

GGJ Next will provide support to GGJ Next jammers and organizers to ensure their games can be submitted.

G4C Student Challenge Game Requirements  

• Games must be uploaded to the G4C Submission Platform to be considered submitted to the Student Challenge
• We will assist in walking you through this process as needed.

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• Where it asks on the submission how you learned about the challenge, MAKE SURE you select through GGJ Next.

G4C Student Challenge Game Requirements  

https://g4cstudentchallenge.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home

Everything will be on globalgamejam.org

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• Search “GGJ Next”

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• Anything we share via email will also be available on our site.

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• You can also reach out to updates@globalgamejam.org or the GGJ Next channel on the GGJ Discord.

January 20-26: GGJ

Kicks off with the Global Game Jam

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April 18: Submission Deadline

Games must be submitted to the Games for Change Submission Portal

February – March: GGJ Next – G4C Jam

Host GGJ Next Jams (minimum 4 hours); Access to Mentors, Webinars and More to Support Jammers in Further Developing Games.

Timeline & Key Dates

Mid-May: Winners Notified

G4C Student Challenge

https://gamesforchange.org/studentchallenge/