7 Years of Global Game Jam in Ukraine
Global Game Jam, Regional Coordinator
- When:
- 14.07.2022, 18:00–19:00
- Hall:
- Red Sea Hall (indie Track)
In 2016, Ukraine joined Global Game Jam. Since then, more than 2,000 game developers have taken part in our events, together creating more than 300 games. GGJ has proved to be a powerful driver of community building, and in this talk we will share our experience and plans.
What the talk is about
Oleksiy Izvalov, the Global Game Jam regional coordinator in Ukraine, looks back on seven years of the jam in the country. He explains where the word "jam" comes from (the improvisation of jazz musicians) and how the idea grew from early invite-only and online jams into a worldwide movement built around innovation and collaboration. He then tells the story of GGJ in Ukraine: the first jam in Kropyvnytskyi in 2016, new locations in Kharkiv, Odesa, Rivne and other cities, and the partnerships with universities. He stresses that a jam is not a competition but a way to meet people and form teams, and that prizes, such as conference tickets, help games reach release. He shows examples of teams who met at jams and shipped games, and describes the Telegram community and its support for Ukraine during the war. Useful for indie developers, newcomers and community organizers.