Cross Pacific Game Jam

Otago Polytechnic teamed with Enterprise Dunedin to co-host the inaugural Cross Pacific Game Jam over the weekend of May 27-28.

The 48-hour international gaming event, which connected Otago teen game enthusiasts with Japanese counterparts to create fully playable games in 48 hours, was the latest step in the growing relationship between Dunedin’s burgeoning game development sector and Japan.

Approximately 40 teenagers aged 16 to 17 from Dunedin and Tokyo collaborated and created as they applied their emerging developer skills, while continuing to strengthen Dunedin’s bilateral ties with Japanese students.

The Game Jam was designed to be collaborative rather than competitive, with local and international mentors helping to guide the teenagers during the challenge, including local developers Stef Animal (Spookysoft Games) and Anna Barham (Balancing Monkey Games), as well as Mr Ken Kawashima (JP Games in Tokyo) and Otago Polytechnic Bachelor academics Adon Moskal and Edwin McRae.

Dunedin is home to the New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) and represents an education hub where young people interested in a game development career can begin honing their skills at secondary school before heading into custom-made game development vocational pathways.

CODE is driving a goal for Dunedin to help produce a $1billion digital game development industry for the country by 2029, and Enterprise Dunedin and its partners have designed a strategic focus on nurturing local and international talent to create a sustainable gaming development ecosystem long-term.

Recognising this growth, Otago Polytechnic has created game development pathways within relevant existing qualifications.  

Its Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Design (Communication) degrees offer a focus on gaming development. 

Learners graduate with the wider skills and knowledge within those degree programmes, as well as be armed with a portfolio of skills and experience tailored to the games industry.  

Read more about Otago Polytechnic Game Design and Development pathways here

Read more about Cross Pacific Game Jam here