The 2017 Athens Game Jam returns the weekend of Friday, April 7th through Sunday, April 9th, bringing teams of “jammers” together at the Design Studios at 225 West Broad Street for a 48-hour marathon of game design and development. Participants will gather at 6pm Friday to form their teams and learn the theme of the weekend's challenge. Teams then create an original game, either digital or physical, based on the assigned theme.

Game Jam organizer Stephen Borden of the Georgia Game Developers Association Athens Chapter, explains: “We announce a theme on Friday night that no one knows beforehand. People with different skill sets, many of whom have never met before, come together to make a game based on that theme in 48 hours. At the end participants set up their game for anyone to play.” he went to describe the energy of the weekend with, “I love seeing everyone making new friends, collaborating, learning from each other, creating, and sharing. It's kind of a magical thing.”

While participation in the weekend is free, event organizers appreciate donations from registrants to underwrite the cost of feeding the game jammers and securing the prizes awarded to winning teams. Current sponsors of the 2017 Athens Game Jam include THINC UGA, Athens-based education technology company Cogent Education, and local economic development nonprofit Four Athens. The annual Athens Game Jam is a volunteer-led event coordinated through the Athens chapter of the Georgia Game Developers Association.

The public is invited to the showcase on Sunday April 9th at 4pm, where the original games created over the weekend will be available for open play during the judging period. Not just for gamers or techies, the Athens Game Jam is a chance for all facets of the community to experience the creative and collaborative spirit of Athens, and meet the talented artists, tech professionals, students, and families brought together by this unique event. Registration to participate is at www.athensgamejam.com/2017.