GGJ NEXT® is an annual event operated by the Global Game Jam® to serve youth ages 10-18 who are interested in learning about the creation of video games. For 2026, we have again partnered with Games for Change as the jam partner for the G4C Student Challenge.  

 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. 

For more information on GGJ Next, please go here. 

 More information on the G4C Student Challenge can be found here: 2026 Student Challenge Competition Handbook

Through this collaboration, GGJ Next jam organizers can run their jams between Nov. 15, 2025 and March 15, 2026 to develop games that can be submitted to the G4C Student Challenge.  

Under GGJ Next, there are two G4C division: Junior (ages 10-13) and Senior (ages 14-18). 

 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.

If you are an organizer and have not yet organized a GGJ Next site, you can start the process by completing this form.  

If you do not have a GGJ Next site in your area, you can still participate as a virtual jammer, through joining the jam here on itch.io.  

The themes for GGJ Next 2026 are tied directly to the G4C Student Challenge themes. 

In 2026, the GGJ Next themes are: 

🥣 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. (Presented by the World Food Programme)

🪸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. (Presented by Playing for the Planet)

🚗 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. (Presented by GM)

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 provide GGJ Next jam sites with a location where students can upload and host their jam games. 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 at https://g4cstudentchallenge.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home to complete your GGJ Next submission process! 

The winning G4C Student Challenge Game of the Year team will receive a $10,000 USD scholarship 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 GGJ Next 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." 

• 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)

• GGJ Next Webpage
• G4C Student Challenge Handbook
• G4C Learn Site (including info on each theme and teacher/student resources)
• G4C Student Challenge Submission form (translations coming soon)
• GGJ Next Overview Presentation Slides