Facts Game Jam registration (deadline 29 Feb 2024)
Dear Game Developers, Journalists, and Storytellers,
are you passionate about digital technologies, arts and journalism? Do you believe in the power of games to convey real-world issues and engage audiences in thought-provoking narratives? If so, we invite you to participate in the FACTS GAME JAM!
What is the FACT GAME JAM about?
The FACTS GAME JAM focuses on games and playful media (VR/ AR/ XR) and on how new technologies such as AI, VR, Chat GPT, etc. influence the way information is now produced, distributed, and presented. In the digital era, journalists face different challenges related to privacy, sourcing, conflicts of interest, objectivity, and the ambivalence of facts and fakes. New technological developments can both strengthen journalism and weaken it. They open possibilities for new producing forms (e.g. community journalism) and storytelling beyond the fact or fake binary. In this ambivalence, game mechanics can potentially support a better understanding of societal challenges and political conflicts.
Keywords: arthouse games, indiegames, playful media, indiedev, gamedev newsgames, docgames AI, immersive journalism, deep fake, automated news, technology-based journalism, Virtual Reality (VR) journalism, drone journalism, selfie journalism and robot journalism
How to participate:
Register here until February 29, 2024:
https://forms.gle/vd1pu7Rq4SReBktp9
Key information:
Prize: 1500€,1 month of mentorship to attend A MAZE. festival in Berlin, travel and accommodation
Date: 5 - 7 April 2024 in Bratislava (and online on Discord)
Duration: 2,5 days
Platform: Open to all platforms (PC, console, mobile, VR, etc.)
Teams: Solo developers or teams of up to 3 members (solo devs will be included in teams!)
English is the written submission language for the game jam and for the presentation of the outcome.
Important dates/timeline:
Call Deadline Sun, 29 Feb 2024
Confirmation sent by 1st week of March 2024
Game Jam 5 - 7 April 2024
Presentation at A MAZE./Berlin 8 - 11 May in Berlin
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for game developers, artists, journalists, and creatives who like to experiment with a playful approach to storytelling and/or with a vision of what ethical, critical, and independent journalism in the future might look like. This also includes experts from NGOs.
During the 2.5-day game jam, you can engage in a multidisciplinary team of artists, researchers, game developers, and journalists to develop artistic, playful, and speculative prototypes. We strongly encourage and support female developers to participate in the game jam.
The FACTS GAME JAM will have a main physical component and a possibility to join online for all interested people, who will not be able to travel to Bratislava. Online participants will not be allowed to form mixed teams with on-site participants and will not be eligible for the main prize.
What we offer!
The winner or winning team will receive financial means (1500€) and professional mentorship to further develop their prototype and present the outcome at the internationally known Berlin-based A MAZE. / Berlin 2024 - 13th International Games and Playful Media Festival. (availability for participating in the festival from 8 - 11 May 2024 is required). Travel & accommodation costs for Berlin-stay will be covered. The possibility to engage with a multidisciplinary team on contemporary topic with interested people from CCE and Germany. We offer learning from case studies and the possibility of exchange with internationally known experts. We cover the costs of travel and accommodation for up to 5 international participants (only EU); we provide accommodation for all participants from SK on-site; we provide food and drinks for the duration of the game jam. Selected participants will receive details by email after confirming registration.
Team conditions:
The game jam aims to connect experts from different fields and backgrounds interested in the connection between arts & journalism. Therefore, we encourage the formation of teams that represent diverse perspectives. We encourage you to aim for a good mix of teammates, women, queer people, people with & without a degree, and people with diverse professional backgrounds.
Both individuals and teams can apply for the game jam. We encourage you to add other persons to your team from different fields to make sure different perspectives (artists, gamers, journalists, …) are included.
Online participants can only form groups online!
On-site participants can only form groups on-site!
Discord will be the primary communication channel
What is the background?
PERSPECTIVES is a Europe-wide journalistic project and a new label for multi-perspective and constructive journalism. Co-financed by the European Union, PERSPECTIVES brings together independent young journalists from the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania and Ukraine.
The FACTS GAME JAM is part of this project and aims to support the importance of independent journalism in Europe through the lens of arts and games. The event is dedicated to artists, game developers, writers, professionals, experts, and enthusiasts who are interested in journalism and to journalists who are interested in arts and games.
Contact and support:
maros.brojo@sgda.sk
We’re environmentally friendly and we strongly support diversity and inclusion in games.
The FACTS GAME JAM is organized by Slovak Game Developer Association, A MAZE./ Berlin and Goethe-Institut Bratislava.
