Otago Polytechnic to host Game Jam

Otago Polytechnic is set to host the inaugural Dunedin Schools Game Jam.

The event is open to Dunedin high school students studying the digital curriculum at years 12 and 13, and will run over the weekend of 28-30 May.

Students will form teams and be assigned a theme on the inaugural night, and then spend the next 48 hours designing and coding a fully-fledged game.

Game Jam will culminate in a mini showcase of games on Sunday evening. Open to the public, the showcase includes food and the chance to win spot prizes.

Game Jam is part of Techweek, a nationwide series of events showcasing New Zealand’s fast growing technology and innovation sectors.

“Over the past several years, Dunedin has firmly established itself as a viable destination for major game studios,” Otago Polytechnic Information Technology Principal Lecturer Adon Moskal says.

“Now, with the help of CODE, Otago Polytechnic is proud to be able to host an event that offers budding game developers a taste of this exciting industry.”

New Zealand’s games scene is fast becoming a billion-dollar industry. Tech companies, both in New Zealand and globally, are in need of specialist game designers and developers.

Recognising this growth, Otago Polytechnic is creating game development pathways within relevant existing qualifications.

From 2022 our Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Design (Communication) degrees will offer a focus on gaming development.

Learners would graduate not only with the wider skills and knowledge within those degree programmes, but also be armed with a portfolio of skills and experience tailored to the games industry.

Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s game development pathways

Read more about Dunedin Schools Game Jam and Techweek