UKIE and Sharkmob collaborate in November Student Game Jam – Collab-jam.

Ukie and Sharkmob are set to collaborate on a Collab-jam for students across the UK in November, and are inviting students from Sweden to join, too.

The winning team will be given the opportunity to visit one of the studios, meet their teammates in real life and gain valuable experience through a tailor made visit to Sharkmob in London or Malmö.

The event will take place online from November 23rd-24th, and interested students can sign up here.

Ukie’s bi-annual student game jam, now in its ninth year, draws from a pool of 4,000 students from 40 different institutions across the UK. Last year’s jam saw 80 teams comprising 380 students creating games across the country.

This year, in a first for the Student Game Jam, each student team will be a mix of participants from different countries – meaning that teams will need to understand how to successfully collaborate with one another.

“We’ve expanded our London studio at a time when international travel and face to face working was greatly reduced, and we’ve seen that it is possible to foster teamwork, creativity and collaboration remotely,” said James Dobrowski, managing director at Sharkmob London. “Moreover, international cooperation is often a key part of making games – especially AAA ones, and this Gamesjam will help Ukie’s student members experience this first-hand. That being said, if 2020 and 21 have taught us anything – it is the value of real-life interaction, the importance of learning from others, and mentorship – and this is why we intend to open our doors to the winners for a bespoke developer experience in 2022.”

“The Student Game Jam is one of the highlights of our year, and it is so important to give students the experience of making a game together,” added Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of Ukie. “We always look forward to playing the imaginative and innovative games that they come up with and this year’s cross-cultural theme promises to deliver some fascinating interactive experiences.”