Highlights
- Global Game Jam 2026 is set to cross 500K lifetime participants worldwide.
- The event draws about 40K participants annually across 800 sites in 100 countries.
- Total games created surpassed 100K in 2025.
Global Game Jam is on track to surpass 500K lifetime participants during its 2026 edition, marking a significant milestone for the annual worldwide game development event, where developers collaborate in time-limited sessions to create complete games around a shared theme. The organization confirmed the figure in a press release ahead of this year’s jam, which runs from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, 2026, across hundreds of locations globally.
The event has consistently drawn about 40K participants each year, operating across roughly 800 sites in more than 100 countries. Since its launch in 2009, the jam has grown into one of the largest recurring developer events in the industry.
In 2025, it crossed another benchmark, surpassing 100K total games created since its inception.
Global Game Jam 2026 Dates, Format, and Participation Growth
The 2026 edition maintains the event’s core 48-hour development format but allows flexibility within a six-day window to accommodate different time zones, formats, and local holidays. While the jam officially runs from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, most sites are expected to host their sessions over the Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 weekend.
The global theme will be revealed during a livestream on YouTube and Twitch on Jan. 24 or 25, following GGJ Prep Week from Jan. 19 to Jan. 23.
Jam site registration closes on Jan. 12, after applications opened on Nov. 3, 2025 and participant sign-ups began on Dec. 1, 2025.
Executive director Maria Burns Ortiz said the event continues to bring creators together during a period of broader uncertainty, calling it “a celebration of creativity, innovation, and community,” and pointing to the scale of global participation as evidence of how games connect people.
Burns Ortiz was appointed to the role in May last year following a leadership transition, after former executive director Tim Cullings stepped down.
With participation nearing half a million, the 17th Global Game Jam underscores its lasting role as a global entry point for game development, education, and creative collaboration.
