Game Development Community Thrives at Annual Game Jam ‘25 Event Recap

Written by Mia Perez-Behringer, Editorial Intern with contributions from UW-Green Bay Assistant Professor Kris Purzycki

Green Bay, WI—The annual Global Game Jam held on January 24, 2025 marked another successful milestone in fostering creativity and collaboration within the game development community. The event brought together seasoned experts and budding amateur developers, showcasing a shared passion for game creation in a welcoming and inclusive environment like UW-Green Bay.

The Green Bay game development culture continues to thrive due to the vision of co-organizer and UW-Green Bay Lecturer Ben Geisler, who established the community years ago. Geisler’s deep regional roots and commitment to the game development sector have become the backbone of this thriving initiative.

The emphasis is on collaboration among participants responding to the industry’s increasing competition and associated fatigue. Global Game Jam aims to create an environment that offers a much-needed break from the rigors of work and academic life, allowing individuals to reconnect and collaborate in a more supportive, easy atmosphere.

This year’s primary goal was to use the event as a springboard to build a more substantial game development community. Co-organizers prioritized hosting a comfortable atmosphere, emphasizing collaboration over competition, and encouraging participation from amateurs who may feel uncertain about their skills. Feedback from participants indicated that the event successfully met these objectives, culminating in requests to host a summer social event, GATHR.

A particularly noteworthy accomplishment was the increased student participation, thanks partly to outreach efforts led by Rachel Sankey, UW-Green Bay College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences outreach coordinator. This year’s event featured the biggest student turnout yet, demonstrating a growing interest among young creatives in the game development field.

“One of my favorite aspects of the jam is seeing new amateur developers join,” said Purzycki. “It takes significant courage to participate in an intensive 48-hour event surrounded by strangers. When local amateurs and students share their talents, it reinforces the spirit of community we strive to cultivate.”

A standout moment from the jam included a solo project by an engineering student whose game developed over the weekend. The excitement around their creation highlighted the organic connection between participants and their projects, emphasizing the event’s focus on the process rather than merely the final product.

Looking ahead, the game jam’s impact continues to resonate in personal and community-focused work. “I’ve always thought of “jamming” as an excellent model for collaborative teaching and learning and am often trying to build more of that vibe into my classes,” Purzycki explained. “My research centers on game jams as a site for community-building, and I hope to further develop this idea into a comprehensive project.”

Addressing concerns regarding the emphasis on creativity over technical skill, Purzycki explained that the two are closely intertwined. “Technical skills are creative skills; this artificial distinction is one we see disintegrate at the jam each year. If we recognize that games are an expressive art form, we also appreciate that games can be meaningful without the luster and budget.”  The Global Game Jam encourages participants to enjoy the creation process, ultimately leading to a more authentic and personal game experience.

After the event, all created games are uploaded to the Global Game Jam leading site and itch.io. Participants often continue to refine their projects long after the weekend, expanding on their initial concepts.

While no education-based games emerged from this year’s jam, the event’s educational aspect was evident enough. This gathering of creativity and collaboration continues to build a brighter future for game development enthusiasts within the community.

Get more information about this year’s Global Game Jam and future events.