Sky: Children of the Light and Journey developer Thatgamecompany has launched a game jam with games investment initiative Coreblazer, themed around projects that create an emotional impact.
A $4,000 prize will be available for the ‘Best Overall’ game category, with $2,000 prizes available for each of the Best Visual Design, Best Gameplay and the Community’s Voice Award categories respectively. Developers worldwide are invited to participate.
The organisers say developers of all skill levels are invited to take part, with the goal being to create games influenced by Thatgamecompany’s ‘signature style’, which it defines as universally accessible, deeply emotional, and designed to be played by people of all ages.
The game jam kicks off today, with the finalists judging panel featuring Thatgamecompany co-founder and creative director Jenova Chen, director emeritus of the USC Games program Tracy Fullerton, and Hypergryph (which operates Coreblazer) co-founder and creative director Light Zhong, among others.
“This first game jam for us is a way for us to reconnect with our roots and continue to keep pushing the boundaries of emotional depth and interactive storytelling,” Chen tells GamesIndustry.biz.
“Cloud, a student project we created from our USC days, was the spark that ultimately led to founding TGC. Even now, as an independent studio, we’re inspired by the creativity in the indie game space – whether it’s a small, intimate project like Cloud to a project as ambitious and expansive as Journey and Sky: Children of the Light.”
As for the Coreblazer part of the equation, Chen says the collaboration on this game jam made sense for a few reasons.
“Partnering with Coreblazer felt like a natural fit. As developers themselves, they’re one of the few active investors who truly champion indie developers, and we share a strong, deep belief in the power of creative, heartfelt games.”
“For us, this game jam is about championing original voices and bold ideas – just as we were once encouraged to find our own,” says Hypergryph’s Light Zhong. Hypergryph is the publisher behind successful tower defence game Arknights, and Coreblazer’s portfolio includes games like 2023’s RPG Eternights.
“Like many others at Hypergryph, I grew up inspired by the indie games and communities that came before us, and eventually started making indie games, doujin projects, and other creative works during my university years,” Zhong says. “That journey shaped our pursuit of originality and artistic expression, paving the way for the creation of Arknights and everything that followed.”
Zhong calls the game jam “a convergence of shared ideals” for both companies.
For Chen, the game jam is the first time Thatgamecompany has done anything like this. “It’s actually our first time hosting a game jam,” he says.
“We’re really excited. Compared to when we first started, we now have more resources and a broader reach, and we see this as the beginning of a broader effort to support, uplift, and spotlight developers who share our vision for emotional depth and innovations in video games, accessible for [all].”
The visibility potential for participants is significant, with finalists and winners spotlighted via Thatgamecompany and Coreblazer’s press and social channels. Industry partners may also choose to share certain projects, according to Chen, and winning games will be showcased in booths at Coreblazer Game Fest 2025 in Shanghai, an indie developer-focused event.
Chen also says that while they can’t promise every submission will get feedback, it “definitely” won’t be limited to just finalists.
“In addition to our panel of renowned industry judges, we’ll be sharing submissions with various industry partners who may offer feedback or choose to spotlight projects that resonate with them,” Chen says.
“Our teams at Thatgamecompany and Coreblazer will also be actively involved in reviewing entries and will do our best to provide constructive insights wherever possible. We see this not just as a competition, but as an opportunity to connect, share ideas, and help support the growth of promising creators.”
Zhong sees the game jam as an extension of the work Coreblazer is already doing in the indie space, which started a few years ago as Hypergryph explored ways to build on its support of developers through funding, events, and student game awards.
For those familiar with Thatgamecompany and the very specific emotional frequency of its games, the theme of the game jam will make total sense.
“Since the beginning, our philosophy at Thatgamecompany has always been to expand the emotional range of what games can evoke,” Chen says.
“Most mainstream titles tend to focus on emotions like aggression or adrenaline – feelings tied to conflict and achievements. But as human beings, we crave and experience much wider emotions. Throughout history, these emotional needs are fulfilled via various mediums as technology enables them. We laughed and cried to poetries, paintings, music, theaters and films.
Chen continues: “For every medium before video games, we can find amazing experiences that are powerful and safe to share with both children and parents. Games, as a medium, are still just beginning to tap into and explore that same emotional depth and universal accessibility.”
The theme of the game jam, then, circles back to those beliefs at the studio.
“For us, ’emotionally impactful’ means any game that dares to explore those untapped feelings — connection, vulnerability…. If a game can make someone feel something unexpected or deeply human, then it’s already helping to push the medium forward.”
Find out more about the game jam, including submission dates, on the relevant itch page. Winners will be announced in July.
