New York City Launches a Youth Video Game Jam With a Transit Theme
New York City Launches a Youth Video Game Jam With a Transit Theme
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will debut a youth video game design competition this weekend. The NYC Game Jam asks young New Yorkers to design and build a video game around a set theme, according to Variety.
A game jam is a short, timed contest where teams make a playable game from scratch. This one is two days long and starts on Saturday.
The first theme is "Get There Already," a concept built around transit. Every entry must be about transit or getting around the city. Games must suit all ages and stay free of violence, weapons and other illicit activity.
Three finalists will be picked by a judging panel of industry veterans. Prizes are $3,000 for first place, $1,500 for second and $500 for third. The money is shared among team members. Mamdani will announce the winning team on social media in the days after the competition.
The Office of the Mayor, the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and the New York City Economic Development Corporation are sponsoring the event. It will also include a career fair, where participants can meet hiring gaming studios.
The city is pointing to its own games industry as the reason for the push. According to the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, New York's games sector supports about 7,900 jobs across roughly 380 firms. It generates an estimated $2.6 billion in economic impact each year. About 65 percent of those firms are small or independent studios.
New York is also home to Rockstar Games, the developer of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is set for release on November 19.
