Submissions open from 2025-11-15 09:13:10 to 2026-03-31 08:13:13
Submissions due in
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G4C-GGJ NEXT GEN EXPERT JAM is a partner jam between the Global Game Jam®  and Games for Change to engage the next generation of game creators and innovators ages 18-25 in tackling global social challenges through the medium of video games.

Between Nov. 15, 2025 and March 15, 2026, the G4C-GGJ Next Gen Expert Jam will support game jammers in creating games to submit to the G4C Student Challenge's Expert Division. [You do NOT need to be a student nor an expert to participate in the G4C Student Challenge Expert Division, that is just the competition and division name for participants between ages 18-25.] The G4C Student Challenge game design competition invites youth to create digital social impact games, and uses youth interest in video games to develop coding and digital design skills, as well as problem solving, collaboration, creativity, and other critical STEAM skills. 

Students and young adults between the ages of 18-25 are now invited to submit their digital games, tabletop games, game trailer or character design projects centered around this year’s social impact themes that focus on creating solutions for a better tomorrow through #GameDesign! 🎮 


G4C Student Challenge Requirements 

  • Participants can create digital games, tabletop games, character design or a game trailer.
    • Digital games must be playable on a web browser and accessible via a URL
    • Digital games must be created using a free or open platform (ex: Scratch, Unity, Construct, Co-Spaces, Game Maker, Twine, Godot, etc.).
    • In the game trailer category, students can use any platform of their choice.
  • Games must be about one of this year’s 3 themes
  • Games must be original work created by 1- 4 person teams 
    • Character design entries should be a solo work (1 participant)

🥣 Outgrow Hunger: Design a game or character design that encourages players to care for a natural space that nourishes and sustains a community, and helps fight hunger

🚗 Own the Road: Develop a game or character design that inspires safer behavior in and around vehicles and reduces the risks of being on the road.

🪸All in for Nature: Reefs & Rainforests: Create a game or character design that tells the story of a reef or rainforest under threat and how a community will unite to protect it.


For official G4C submission, all games must be submitted to the G4C portal directly. Only submitting a game through this itch.io page does not count as a G4C Submission. 

We have created this itch.io jam page to serve as a virtual jam hub for all G4C-GGJ Next Gen Expert Jam Participants.  You can use your link from uploading to itch.io as the link for your game submission.

Please ensure you are also creating an account on https://g4cstudentchallenge.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home to complete your G4C-GGJ Next Gen Expert submission process! 

The winning G4C Student Challenge Game of the Year team will receive a $10,000 USD scholarship (as a cash prize) to be shared among team members. 

Awards will also be presented for each of the three themes, best tabletop game, best international game, best gameplay, best game trailer and best game made with Unity. 

New in 2026, GGJ will also be recognizing a game from each participating G4C-GGJ country. To be included for consideration, when you are submitting through the G4C Portal, make sure that you select that "Attended a Student Challenge Game Jam" and that "Yes, It was a Global Game Jam Event."