GGJ NEXT® is an annual event operated by the Global Game Jam® to serve younger people ages 10-18 who are interested in learning about the creation of video games.

As the official international jam partner for the G4C Student Challenge, Global Game Jam will expand the global footprint of its GGJ Next jam while engaging youth around creating creative solutions to social problems through the medium of games.

 The G4C Student Challenge is a game design competition that 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. 

 GGJ Next® is an annual game jam event operated by the Global Game Jam to serve middle and high school youth who are interested in learning the creation of video games. Most recently, the GGJ Next jam has run concurrently with the Global Game Jam in January.

 Through this collaboration and focused on sites outside of the United States, GGJ Next jam organizers will have the option to participate as part of the Global Game Jam in January or as part of shorter jams from February through March to develop games that can be submitted to the G4C Student Challenge in April. The winning G4C Student Challenge Game of the Year team will receive a $10,000 USD scholarship to be shared among team members. 

 The option for shorter jams – as short as four- to six-hours that can be spread over one or more days – will be more compatible with school and afterschool programs schedules and enable the jam to be accessible to more students.

 Educator and/or jam facilitator training will be available around the game jam themes as well as curriculum from both Games for Change and Global Game Jam.

GGJ Next sites can sign up here. 

 A limited number of stipends are available to GGJ Next sites outside the United States. To request a GGJ Next stipend, please apply here. 

 More information on the G4C Student Challenge can be found here: 2025 Student Challenge Competition Handbook

Themes

Peaceformers - Design a web-playable game where players take action about how resources are shared and divided. Keep the peace among all groups in a fair and equitable way. (more info)

Nurture yourself with Nature - Design a web-playable game that tries to boost the mental health and wellbeing of players by connecting and deepening personal bonds with nature, and easing eco-anxiety. (more info)

Outplay Hunger - Design a web-playable game to encourage actions which encourage players to reduce food loss and waste, and/or how to achieve a healthy food diet in your school, community, or country. (more info)

G4C Student Challenge Game Requirements  

• Games must be playable on a web browser and accessible via a URL
• Games must be created using a free or open platform (ex: Scratch, Unity, Construct, Co-Spaces, Game Maker, Twine, Godot, etc.).
• Games must be about one of this year’s 3 themes
• Games must be original work created by 1- 4 students
  • University Student Challenge teams can have additional "mentor" team members who are over 25. Those mentor team members should be indicated on the submission. While a team with mentor team members is eligible to win the Game of the Year prize, the scholarship money would only go to the student (ages 18-25) team members. 

For Submissions

Please ensure you are also creating an account on https://g4cstudentchallenge.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home to complete your GGJ Next submission process! All games must be web-playable, and you will be asked to include the link to your game in your submission. We would love for you to include your game in our itch.io jam page in addition to completing the G4C portal submission.