Global Game Jam 2023 ended on February 5th and all the games made during the time are now available on GGJ website. The games are made available under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Creative Commons license. This license grants the game’s creators ownership over the original content and gives them the right to use it as they see fit. Meanwhile, Global Game Jam® maintains a copy of the game that can be downloaded, altered, and shared for non-profit purposes by others.
What is Global Game Jam?
Global Game Jam is an annual event where people from around the world come together to create video games in a short amount of time, typically over a period of 48 hours. Participants, who can be game developers, artists, musicians, and others, form teams and work to create a complete game within the time frame. The event is designed to foster creativity and collaboration among game developers, as well as to encourage experimentation and learning in game development. The games created during Global Game Jam are typically made available for download and play under a Creative Commons license, such as the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 license.
Can you use the idea from a GGJ Game?
Making a clone of the same game is not permissible. You can get the inspiration from the game and make your own game. If you are creating one of non-commercial purpose then you are free to download any game from GGj website and modify it to make your own game.
While it’s possible to use an idea from a Global Game Jam game as inspiration for a new game, it’s important to keep in mind the principles of fair use and to be respectful of the original creators’ rights.
Are there any hit games made in GGJ?
There have been several games created during Global Game Jam that have gone on to become commercial successes. For example, the popular game “Fez” was created during a Global Game Jam event and later released as a full commercial game. Another example is “Her Story,” a narrative-driven game that was created during a Global Game Jam event and later released commercially.
These examples demonstrate the potential for Global Game Jam games to become successful, and highlight the importance of the event as a platform for fostering creativity, experimentation, and collaboration among game developers. By providing a supportive environment for game development and encouraging developers to take risks and try new things, Global Game Jam has helped launch the careers of many successful game developers and has contributed to the growth of the gaming industry.
Other ways to get idea for your game
There are many ways to get ideas for your game, and the best approach will depend on your interests and the type of game you want to create. Some common sources of inspiration for game ideas include:
- Personal experiences: Look to your own life for inspiration. Think about experiences you’ve had, emotions you’ve felt, and places you’ve been, and see if there’s a story or concept you can build a game around.
- Pop culture: Take inspiration from movies, books, TV shows, comics, and other forms of popular culture. Consider how you can adapt a story, character, or concept into a game.
- Other games: Look to other games for inspiration, and see if you can take elements of gameplay, level design, or narrative that you like and put your own spin on them.
- The world around you: Take a walk, observe your surroundings, and let the world be your inspiration. Consider how you can bring the natural world or elements of city life into your game.
- Collaboration: Work with others to generate ideas. Collaborate with friends, family, or other game developers to bounce ideas back and forth and come up with something new and original.
Ultimately, the most important thing is to find what inspires you and what you’re passionate about. Whether you’re inspired by your personal experiences, pop culture, other games, the world around you, or through collaboration, the key is to take those inspirations and turn them into a unique and compelling game.