The Global Game Jam® (GGJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in the state of California and our mission is to empower all individuals worldwide to learn, experiment, and create together through the medium of games in a safe and welcoming environment.
We hold the world's largest game creation event – The Global Game Jam – and directly serve 40,000 game creators every year in 100+ countries. More than just a 48-hour game jam, GGJ has been a starting point for hundreds of thousands of game developers around the world who have built successful, sustainable careers in game development, launched studios and created award-winning games. Throughout the year, we work to support our community of jammers through community engagement, partner jams and more.
GGJ seeks to drive innovation, experimentation, and collaboration in games. The annual event is held the last week in January. The GGJ encourages collaboration and its events are not a competition. Anyone can apply to host a jam site as long as they have a dedicated jam organiser who agrees to follow a few GGJ rules, and a venue with internet access.
The GGJ is the world's largest game creation event taking place around the globe boasting tens of thousands of participants (jammers) at hundreds of physical and virtual sites in over one hundred countries around the world. In January 2025, we had a great year which saw 35,000+ people at 803 locations in 97 countries create 12,000 games in 48 hours around the theme of "Bubble!" GGJ Consistently maintains a 90% satisfaction rate year over year among our participants. Of 2025 participants, more than 99% said they would definitely or probably participate again. Lifetime, Global Game Jam has had over 485,000 jam participants and resulted in the creation of over 100,000 games.
A game jam is similar to a hackathon where people come together for a short period of time to create games around a central theme revealed at the start of the jam. The structure of The GGJ is usually that everyone gathers on Friday late afternoon, watches a short video keynote with advice from leading game developers, and then a secret theme is announced. All jammers worldwide are then challenged to make games based on that same theme, with games to be completed by Sunday afternoon.
The GGJ stirs a global creative buzz in games, while at the same time exploring the process of development, be it programming, iterative design, narrative exploration or artistic expression. It is all condensed into a shortened development cycle. The GGJ encourages people with all kinds of backgrounds to participate and contribute to this global spread of game development and creativity. Jammers are invited to explore new technology tools, trying on new roles in development and testing their skills to do something that requires them to design, develop create, test and make a new game. The GGJ is rooted in the idea that in today’s heavily connected world, we can come together, be creative, share experiences and express ourselves in a multitude of ways using the universal language of video games.
The GGJ is the starting point for countless game developers who have turned a moment of bravery to join their first GGJ event into a successful and sustainable career in game development. Our vast network of volunteer organizers are vetted and committed to our mission of empowerment and inclusivity, helping us build a safe and welcoming event and community for everyone.
The GGJ helps to foster new friendships, increase confidence in aspiring game developers and creates opportunities within local communities. The GGJ is dedicated to collaboration and camaraderie and is not a competition.
The Global Game Jam and GGJ NEXT events are operated by Global Game Jam, Inc., an international non-profit corporation founded in San Luis Obispo, California, USA. See corporate bylaws. Our most recent 990s is available here.
The Global Game Jam organization is run by a combination of hired staff, volunteer board members, and a small international team of core volunteers organized as the "Executive Committee" (EC). This team, along with 58 regional organizers, 800 site organizers and thousands of jam site volunteers, puts on the annual Global Game Jam.
GGJ Staff
- Maria Burns Ortiz, Executive Director
- Richard Hebblewhite, Director of Programs and Events
- Tarja Porkka-Kontturi, Director of Community Engagement
- Zain Ul Hassan, Director of Technology
- Diana Sanchez, Sponsorships Coordinator
- Emmi Hattunen, Community and Events Coordinator
GGJ 2025-2026 Executive Committee (EC):
- Sabrina Culyba (USA)
- Sandro Daniel Gomes Gonçalves (Portugal)
- Jo Summers (UK)
- Joseph Olin (USA/Colombia)
- Ekinsu Turunc Gunes (Turkey/Canada)
- Yadu Rajiv (India)
- Oleksii Izvalov (Ukraine)
- Sandra Castro (Colombia)
- Richard Hebblewhite (UK)
- Johnson Lin (Taiwan)
- KunAn Li (China)
- Lucia Herrero (Spain)
- Victor Bruno Alexander Rosetti de Quiroz (Brazil)
The EC is supported by a large number of regional organisers who provide support to all of the local GGJ site organisers within their specific regions.
GGJ Board of Directors (as of May 2025):
- Jarory de Jesus (President, USA)
- Mishka De Caro (Vice President, Argentina)
- Kate Edwards (Treasurer, USA)
- Felix Hilgert (Secretary, USA/Germany)
- Sabrina Culyba (USA)
- Mashael Abualnaja (Saudi Arabia)
- Yadu Rajiv (India)
- Jo Summers (UK)
- Martine Spaans (The Netherlands)
The GGJ depends on the generous work and support of many other people around the world - including sponsors, jam site organisers, and volunteers.
If you are interested in volunteering, sponsoring, or otherwise assisting in a GGJ event, please reach out at [email protected]!
