GamingMalta once again supported the Malta Global Game Jam, held between 30 January and 1 February, as part of a worldwide creative sprint taking place across more than 295 locations in 60 countries.
The Malta edition was organised by the Institute of Digital Games at the University of Malta, bringing together over 40 students from the University of Malta and MCAST, alongside independent developers and hobbyists. Over three intensive days, participants worked side by side to design and build playable games under strict time constraints.
This year’s theme, MASKS, set the creative direction for the jam. The programme opened with a keynote by Josh Bayer, Senior Designer at CCP Games, known for EVE Online. His session focused on designing multiplayer games that foster strong social connections. This was followed by the global keynote and theme reveal, then structured brainstorming and team formation led by Professor Antonios Liapis, helping teams move quickly from idea to execution.
Day two centred on development and feedback. Teams refined mechanics, defined user profiles, and prepared their game pages, before receiving direct input from an expert panel that included Josh Bayer, Andrew Farrugia and Julian Farrugia from Anvil Game Studios, and Ali Motisi from Hand Rock Studios. These sessions gave participants the chance to test assumptions, adjust design choices, and learn from industry experience.
The final day marked the transition from development to sharing. Games were submitted to the Global Game Jam platform before moving into Arcade Mode, where participants played each other’s work and discussed design decisions face to face. Additional expert sessions featured John Chasoulidis Abela from Hasoo, Christopher Mifsud from Play On Words Studios, and William Calleja and Giacomo Liberio from NARC. The event closed with a community vote, reflecting peer recognition rather than formal judging.
The Popular Vote winner was Ballroom Break-In by Paul Psaila and Eneh Lang, both students at the Institute of Digital Games. Their project stood out for its clear concept and execution, earning support from fellow jammers.
The Malta Global Game Jam continues to play a clear role in building practical skills, confidence, and peer networks among emerging developers. It reflects the talent pillar of Vision 2050 by giving young creatives a space to experiment, collaborate, and connect with Malta’s growing digital and immersive gaming ecosystem.
The event was organised by the Institute of Digital Games with the support of GamingMalta and Playcon, in collaboration with MCAST and ODIN Malta.
More information is available here.
