10th Edition of Global Game Jam at ETIC_Algarve

The 10th edition of Global Game Jam at ETIC_Algarve once again confirmed the school as one of the leading national venues for video game creation. This edition, held between 30 January and 1 February, brought together 45 participants and was open to the entire community, with registrations from both ETIC_Algarve students and external participants. This number placed ETIC_Algarve as the 2nd largest institution nationally in terms of number of registrations, in what is considered the world’s largest event dedicated to video game creation.

In a weekend lived to the fullest, with intensity and creativity, the goal was simple and demanding at the same time. Form multidisciplinary teams and create a complete video game in 48 hours, under a theme defined by the organisation and revealed only at the start. To everyone’s surprise, this year’s theme was ‘Mask’. From there, the idea quickly became a plan, and the plan became a game.

What makes Global Game Jam so special?

Global Game Jam is a landmark event for ETIC_Algarve, and its continuity over the years proves just that. It is an international challenge on a global scale, experienced simultaneously by participants around the world. During the same 48 hours, thousands of people are creating in parallel, tackling the same theme and taking their ideas to the final presentation stage. This gives teams the real feeling of being on a global stage, with their work existing side by side with projects developed in dozens of countries.

In this edition, the focus was once again on the joint work between the areas of Animation and Video Games, Sound and Music, and Design. This collaboration resulted in complete games, with programming, design, and sound for video games. The teams organised themselves autonomously, divided tasks clearly and always worked together to achieve a cohesive final result, ready to be presented in record time.

The role of each Area

• Video games: programming, prototyping, mechanics and technical implementation
• Design: visual identity, UI, assets, and graphic consistency
• Sound and Music: sound design, original music and sound atmosphere

Over the course of 48 hours, these areas do not work separately. They adjusted decisions together, tested versions, fine-tuned details, and solved problems as a team. That is what transforms an idea into playable prototypes and, ultimately, into a game with aligned identity, gameplay, and sound.

Theme 2026: “Mask”

As tradition dictates, the theme is only revealed at the start of the event. This year, the theme was ‘Mask’, announced on the afternoon of 30 January. From that moment on, brainstorming sessions, planning and rapid execution began.

The final result spoke for itself: nine teams developed nine games, which were presented to the public on 1 February. This was an intense exercise that required creativity, focus, and the ability to solve problems in real time.

Watch the video of the 10th Edition of Global Game Jam at ETIC_Algarve

Event coverage by the Photography and Video courses

In addition to game development, Global Game Jam at ETIC_Algarve was attended by students from the Photography and Video departments, who were responsible for capturing images and recording the event, providing them with an opportunity to put the skills they had acquired in class into practice.

A practical exercise for various areas of ETIC_Algarve

Essentially, Global Game Jam was a practical exercise for various areas of training at ETIC_Algarve. It is precisely this type of experience that the school defines as Another Perspective on Teaching, taking learning out of the classroom and putting it into the real world, in an environment where trainees can put their training into practice live.

By working as a team, with specific deadlines and objectives, trainees gain:

• Practical experience
• Teamwork routines
• Contact with requirements similar to those of the creative industries
• More solid preparation for the future and professional integration