Game Jam Jaipur 2026 Draws 240 Devs as India's Indie Scene Expands

Game Jam Jaipur 2026 was held on Jan 5-6, 2026, as part of the Rajasthan Digifest - TiE Global Summit 2026. The 48-hour game development marathon with a ₹1.75 lakh prize pool saw 76 teams create playable games under the mentorship of Indian industry veterans.

It was Jaipur's first game jam, a format popular in the global gaming industry where developers create games under tight deadlines. The Rajasthan government's DOTI&C and Outlook Respawn organized the event in partnership with NODWIN Gaming, a gaming,  esports, and youth entertainment company.

240 participants of varied backgrounds, from first-timers to experienced game developers, were excited to conceptualize, design, and build the games. Mentor Aditya Subramanian, former Programmer at Rockstar Games, said he was impressed by their eagerness to learn. “They're taking notes, formulating ideas,” he said, adding, “they're very open to exploring different tools and techniques."

Former Games Team Lead and Lead Designer of Threye Interactive, Vikram Khazanchi, who also acted as a mentor, encouraged the contestants to ask for help. He underlined the importance of the game being playable by the end, adding that it was crucial to take breaks and maintain “a steady pace, rather than a really, really fast pace.” Two other mentors joined them: Mangesh Thombare, Lead Game Designer at ProShooterVR, and ‘Appa’ developer Mridul Pancholi.

Megha Gupta, Director and Co-Founder at Wala Interactive and jury member, called Game Jam Jaipur 2026 a “great platform to give exposure and guidance to the students,” who made up the majority of the participant pool. Also on the jury were Avichal Singh (Co-Founder and Game Director, Nodding Heads Games), Anirudh Singh (Senior Concept Artist, Nodding Heads Games), and Vignesh Raghuram (Editor-in-Chief, Outlook Respawn). 

Team Elder Monk Interactive Wins Game Jam Jaipur 2026

The theme of Caravans & Crossroads at Game Jam Jaipur 2026 let participants explore movement, exchange, and chance meetings. Developers built games about journeys across routes, using mechanics such as managing limited resources and trading goods.  

Judges evaluated entries across six criteria. While the emphasis was on ‘Polish and Completeness,’ and ‘Gameplay and Fun Factor,’ ‘Art and Design,’ ‘Technical Implementation,’ and ‘Creativity and Innovation’ were also marked.

Team Elder Monk Interactive claimed the top spot with their game, Spicy Vendor, walking away with ₹1 lakh. The second spot went to team Phoenix’s Caravan Crossroads, with a ₹50K prize money. Team Daligo, who made Hawan, placed third and took home ₹25K.

The event reflects efforts to develop game-development talent beyond India's established tech hubs of Bangalore and Hyderabad. India's gaming industry has historically focused on mobile games and outsourcing rather than original titles, though that is changing as local studios gain experience and funding.

For Jaipur, hosting the game jam signals economic diversification ambitions. The partnership between state government and private gaming companies indicates institutional support for sector growth in smaller cities.

Game jams offer accessible entry points for aspiring developers to gain practical experience and industry connections. The 76 games created form part of India's expanding indie catalog, with participants gaining experience that could inform future commercial projects as the domestic gaming market continues expanding.