Home EventsIn Finnish Game Jam 2026, Developers Created 259 Games and Celebrated Creativity

In Finnish Game Jam 2026, Developers Created 259 Games and Celebrated Creativity

by Sophie Laurent

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

  • The Finnish Game Jam 2026 (FGJ26) is Finlands largest game-making marathon, where enthusiasts, students, and professionals come together to develop new playable ideas within a 48-hour timeframe.
  • This years theme, Mask, inspired the creation of 259 games in a single weekend, making Finland a global leader in games created per capita during the Global Game Jam.
  • The event took place in various locations across Finland, including university labs and the National Gallery of Finland, which provided participants access to an open API and CC0 art collection.
  • The FGJ26 concluded with a postgame celebration that highlighted the vibrant atmosphere of the Finnish game jam scene, where individuals gather to create, share, connect, and support one another. Many of these games can be explored on the Global Game Jam website.

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The Finnish Game Jam 2026 (FGJ26), Finland’s largest game-making marathon, drew enthusiasts, students, and professionals who spent 48 hours developing new playable ideas. The theme, “Mask,” inspired the creation of 259 games in a single weekend. As in previous years, Finland leads in the number of games created per capita during the Global Game Jam. The organizers selected “Mask” as this year’s Global Game Jam theme for its multifaceted interpretations and ability to inspire creativity. Participants developed digital creations, board games, and experimental projects. The jam took place in over a dozen locations throughout Finland, including university labs and the National Gallery of Finland, where participants could utilize the gallery’s CC0 art collection and open API.

Finnish Game Jam (FGJ) is a nonprofit organization established in 2012 to host game jam events and promote video game development culture in Finland. FGJ emphasizes inclusion and experimental gaming, and received a Suomi Award in 2018. More information can be found at https://www.finnishgamejam.com.

The Global Game Jam is the world’s largest game jam, uniting participants worldwide to create games based on a common theme within a single weekend. The event emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and experimentation. Additional details are available at https://globalgamejam.org.

The FGJ26 event concluded with a postgame celebration that united IGDA Finland and Finnish Game Jam in Helsinki. More than 300 attendees packed the venue to test over ten unreleased games developed during the jam. Emil Ekroth, VP of FGJ, and Eddie Reyes, Communications Director, commenced the event by acknowledging the participants’ creativity and expressing appreciation for each team’s efforts. The vibrant atmosphere highlighted the vitality of the Finnish game jam scene, where individuals gather to create, share, connect, and support one another.

Finnish Game Jam 2026 Showcases 259 Games on Global Game Jam Website – Explore Kajaani & Helsinki Entries

Readers can explore many of the games from FGJ26 on the Global Game Jam website, where approximately 259 entries are showcased. For those specifically interested in games created at the Finnish sites, collections from Kajaani (https://globalgamejam.org/group/31516/games) and Helsinki (https://globalgamejam.org/group/31635/games) are available as examples. Additional site collections can be found using the search function on the Global Game Jam website. The Finnish Game Jam 2026 demonstrated the impressive talent and collaborative spirit within the Finnish game development community, resulting in a diverse collection of games inspired by the theme of “Mask.”

In Case You Missed It

In other exciting news, gear up for an unprecedented gaming extravaganza as Bruno Pferd’s “Finnish Game Jam Expands to Over 20 Locations, Including the National Gallery” is set to shatter records from January 30th to February 1st. With over 20 locations nationwide participating, including the prestigious National Gallery, this year’s game jam is inviting enthusiasts from all walks of life to create games within a single weekend. Last year’s impressive turnout of 1,088 participants and 325 games is just the starting point – dive into Bruno’s article Finnish Game Jam Expands to Over 20 Locations, Including the National Gallery to discover more about this groundbreaking event and how you can be a part of it!

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