Finnish Game Jam created 325 games last year and the 2026 Global game jam is coming this January

Posted on 12.1.2026 by FGJ

Finnish Game Jam 2026, the Finnish edition of the Global Game Jam, is taking place from 30 January to 1 February 2026.

Finnish Game Jam 2026 (#FGJ26) is part of the worldwide Global Game Jam (GGJ) where tens of thousands of participants design, develop and share games within a single weekend. In 2025 the FGJ united 1088 jammers at 24 sites across Finland, creating 325 games. Finnish Game Jam ry (FGJ) invites developers, students, hobbyists and partners across Finland to join FGJ 2026.

In 2025 the GGJ united 35,427 jammers at 805 sites in 98 countries, creating 12,100 games.

Finland consistently ranks first in games created per capita and has organised more GGJ sites and participants than all other Nordic countries combined.

Building on a record‑breaking 2025 event

The 2025 edition (#FGJ25) demonstrated Finland’s vibrant game‑making community: 1,088 jammers across 23 sites created 325 games. Jams were hosted from Helsinki to Rovaniemi and ranged from cosy forest cabins to elegant downtown offices. Earlier years show similar momentum: #FGJ20 (2020) gathered over 700 jammers at 32 sites producing 238 games, while #FGJ19 brought together 884 jammers who built 218 games. Finland’s dedication to nurturing creativity led the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture to award FGJ with the Suomi Award (Finland Award) in 2018, recognizing the organisation’s cultural impact.

Syncing with the world

#FGJ26 will run concurrently with GGJ’s 2026 jam week, allowing Finnish jammers to collaborate and share ideas with peers in more than 100 countries. Participants choose a local jam site or join online, form teams (or work solo), and develop a game from concept to completion in 48 hours. The jam welcomes beginners, hobbyists, students and professionals; past survey data from GGJ shows that 37 % of participants are first‑time jammers, highlighting the event’s accessibility.

Call for Finnish jam sites

FGJ is accepting site applications from universities, studios, libraries, community groups and companies interested in hosting #FGJ26 jams across Finland. Sites may be in‑person, online or hybrid, and organisers receive guidance from FGJ’s regional coordinators. In #FGJ26 the application deadline for Jam Site is early January, and we encourage prospective hosts to apply as soon as possible via the Global Game Jam site to ensure inclusion in official materials.

Confirmed partners and sponsorship opportunities

FGJ thanks its early sponsors for making #FGJ26 possible. Next Games: A Netflix Game Studio, Supercel, MiTale, Fingersoft and Visonist have already pledged their support, and additional partners will be announced.

About Finnish Game Jam

Finnish Game Jam ry (FGJ) is a non‑profit association founded in 2012 to organise game jam events and support game‑making culture in Finland. FGJ has organised hundreds of jams and training programmes and has collaborated with domestic and international partners. The association promotes inclusivity and experimental game development and was honoured with the Suomi Award in 2018. Finland ranks first globally in games made per capita during the Global Game Jam, reflecting the country’s thriving game community.

Contact

For site applications, sponsorship inquiries or media information, please contact:

Eduardo Reyes

Head of Communications & Partnerships, Finnish Game Jam ry

Email: eduardo.reyes@finnishgamejam.com

Emil Ekroth

Vice President of Finnish Game Jam ry

Email: emil.ekroth@finnishgamejam.com

Additional information and updates are available at finnishgamejam.com and FGJ’s social media channels.

About Global Game Jam: Global Game Jam® is the world’s largest game jam, bringing together tens of thousands of participants to create games around the same theme in a single weekend. The event fosters creativity, collaboration and experimentation and occurs simultaneously at sites around the world.

Thank you JAMMERS!

Posted on 6.2.2025 by irko

👾 FOR THE JAMMERS, ALWAYS – THANK YOU! 👾

🎮 As an organization, everything we do is for the jammers — because without you, there would be no jams!
✨ Thank you for being part of the Finnish Game Jam community, for bringing your creativity, energy, and passion to game-making, and for making this jam a record breaker, AGAIN!
🏅 #FGJ25 gathered together 1088 active jammers (82 more jammers than last year), who made a total of 325 games!

💙 Whether it was your first jam or your tenth, we’re grateful to have you in this amazing community. Here’s to many more games, friendships, and late-night brainstorming sessions!

Thank you ORGANIZERS!

Posted on 5.2.2025 by irko

💝 SPECIAL LOVE AND GRATITUDE GOES TO THE #FGJ25 SITE ORGANIZERS 💝

This is the second year in a row when the number of The Global Game Jam Finnish regional sites has exceeded that of the previous years. All thanks to our regional organizers, who join this fantastic celebration of creativity through game making. #FGJ25 had 23 regional sites scattered all around Finland, from Helsinki to Rovaniemi and from Vaasa to Kuopio!

🚗 During the jam weekend we had the pleasure of visiting several sites in and around the capital area—Porvoo, Helsinki, and Espoo—and one thing stood out: the incredible diversity between them! In just one trip, we went from a cozy cabin in the forest to an elegant downtown office, each offering a unique atmosphere for creativity to thrive.

🕹️ We also got to chat with jammers and see their games in action—and wow, the theme “Bubbles” sparked some truly amazing ideas! From defeating mosquitoes with a bubble blower to a bubble-themed card game and even a determined hamster in a bubble trying to escape—this year’s games were as inventive as ever.

🍀 We managed to visit 8 out of 23 jam sites, and it took a full 12 hours—not because of the distance, but because of how incredibly welcoming and enthusiastic the organizers and jammers were. Every stop was filled with exciting conversations, creative energy, and inspiring projects.

✨ Thank you to every amazing individual who made this year’s jam unforgettable and we hope to see you again among organizers next year! ✨

Thank you STREAM TEAM!

Posted on 30.1.2025 by irko

🎥 Streaming live from the jams has been a long-standing tradition, bringing the energy and creativity of our events to a wider audience. This wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and hard work of our incredible Stream Team! 💕

Huge thanks for making every broadcast smooth, engaging, and unforgettable!
Daria Khilchuk
Joni Suojanen
Micke Krasila
Venni Kauppila
Ali İrdiren
Ester Auroora From

▶️ Streams from #FGJ25 are available for you on our YouTube and Twitch channels!

Finnish Game Jam is coming on 24-26 January 2025!

Posted on 2.12.2024 by irko

Finnish Game Jam 2025, or #FGJ25, will be traditionally held as a part of Global Game Jam during the last weekend of January (24th – 26th of January, 2025).

Global Game Jam is the world’s largest game jam event, occurring simultaneously in multiple locations around the world. Finnish Game Jam in it’s turn unites all Global Game Jam sites from Finland under one umbrella. In 2024, the Finnish region of the Global Game Jam alone gathered more sites and participants than all other Nordic countries combined! Finland ranks #1 globally in games created per capita during the Global Game Jam, showcasing the immense talent we foster.

Are you a sponsor?

If you are willing to sponsor Finnish Game Jam 2025 (or other upcoming jams), contact Eduardo Reyes.

Are you a jammer?

Participation requires registration through our Eventbrite page – each location has their own registration, and each location establishes weather it is an online, in-person, or hybrid site. For more information contact your local organizer.
List of currently approved sites (subject to updates):
FGJ Helsinki Arabia
FGJ Turku
FGJ Kuopio
FGJ Jakobstad
FGJ Vaasa
FGJ Porvoo
FGJ Next Games Helsinki Hybrid
FGJ Kajaani
FGJ Jyväskylä
FGJ Veikkaus Helsinki
FGJ Espoo Game LAB
FGJ Rovaniemi
FGJ Pelitalo Sture Hybrid
FGJ Riveria Online
FGJ Oulu Hybrid
FGJ Kymenlaakso Hybrid
FGJ Tampere
FGJ Kauhajoki Hybrid
FGJ Metaplay
FGJ Ylivieska
FGJ LUT Lahti

Consider to host a site?

Send your application at Global Game Jam site, and our Regional Organizer will contact you shortly with further instructions.

✔️ if you want #FGJ25 swag – application deadlline is January 8th
✔️ if you don’t want #FGJ25 swag – application deadline is January 13th
✔️ apply ASAP to avoid any issues or delays! Keep in mind that the upcoming holiday season will considerably slow the registration process down!

Our socials

To be updated on the latest news, follow our social media:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Youtube | Instagram | Discord

Buy official #FGJ25 T-shirt, hoodie, or tote bag: #FGJ25 merchandise

Still not sure if it is for you?

A game jam is a game making event that brings together all types of game developers (beginners, hobbyists, students, and professionals), and creators of various fields (art, music, 3D modelling, storytellering, and others) to innovate new games in a single weekend. Typically participants work in small teams, or not so often solo, racing to produce as complete a game as possible with limited time and resources, but unlimited creativity. Join Finnish Game Jam 2025 with friends, join an ad hoc team, or do it solo,
YOU ARE WARMLY WELCOME!

Finnish Game Jam 2023

Posted on 15.12.2022 by admin

#FGJ23 is a 48-hour-long game development event organized as a part of the Global Game Jam. In 2023, FGJ#23 and the Global Game Jam are organized between the 3rd and the 5th of February. With various different #FGJ23 online locations, Finland is celebrating the 14th Global Game Jam in 2023! We will soon update this page with more information on #FGJ23. To hear the latest updates, follow this page and our other channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FinnishGameJam
Twitter: https://twitter.com/finnishgamejam
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/FinnishGameJam
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finnishgamejam
Discord: https://discord.gg/5hMyXB3tyQ

How to join?

Participation requires registration through our Eventbrite page – each location has its own registration. All of the sites are different, contact your local organizer if you need more info.

What is a game jam?

A game jam brings together all types of game developers, amateurs, professionals, and students to innovate new games in a single weekend or a similarly short time span. Typically participants work in small teams, racing to produce as complete a game as possible with limited time and resources, but unlimited creativity.

What is a Global Game Jam?

Global Game Jam (GGJ) is the world’s largest game jam event taking place worldwide every January. In 2017, jammers in 700 locations in 95 countries created over 7000 games.

What is Finnish Game Jam and #FGJ23?

Finnish Game Jam ry (FGJ) is a registered association founded to organize game jam events in Finland. Our main event is an annual game development event and a part of the worldwide Global Game Jam (GGJ). This year’s event is called #FGJ23, and comprises several game jam locations organized all around Finland. In #FGJ17, we had 22 locations, 888 jammers and 222 games created in one weekend!

Thank you FGJ22 Sponsors

Posted on 30.1.2022 by FGJ

Hello this is Chris Castro, the treasurer and sponsor lead in Finnish Game Jam. I want to personally thank the continual support of Skunkworks as our Gold Sponsor. Thank you Supercell for becoming our Silver Sponsor. Many thanks to Lightneer joining as our Bronze Sponsor. The FGJ22 became a success because of your support.
Chris Castro, FGJ Treasurer & Sponsor Lead

Greetings from Tampere Site

Posted on 29.1.2022 by FGJ

In Finnish Game Jam 2022, Tampere is one of the biggest sites! They’ve managed to gather 74 participants online. Tampere Site Organizer Pekka Nordlund, how’s it going so far?

“Warmest greetings from Tampere! We started this year with two ice-breaker evenings, filling the pre-jam anticipation with some good old laughter over online gaming.
Our site is nice and busy with jammers joining us all the way over from Oulu and Rovaniemi, and with us being online, we’ve even heard a game pitch live from a grocery store! Today we organizers will be hosting a pizza draw to follow the Tampere pizza tradition with the help of our local sponsors (Tampere Game Hub and 10tons Entertainment) so it’s safe to say that games will be made!”
Pekka Nordlund, Tampere Site Organizer

#FGJ20 Report

Posted on 23.2.2020 by FGJ

Another FGJ has been completed! Thank you everyone for participated no matter what role!

Every year despite limited time, we are amazed what you jammers can do. This year in Finland we had 32 sites, more than 700 jammers who developed 238 games.

You can find all the games developed in Finland on the Global Game Jam page:

https://globalgamejam.org/2020/games?title=&country=FI

This year, GGJ had over 48,700 jammers attending 934 jam sites across the world in 118 countries, all coming together became the biggest jam ever! Once again GGJ has broken all of last year’s records and become the newly-crowned Biggest Game Jam Ever!

GGJ had 9 new countries take part for the first time ever: Albania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cyprus, Mauritius, Senegal, Sudan and Zimbabwe, adding 213 jammers and 35 new games to the mix. One of GGJ’s biggest aims is to be able to bring new emerging voices and talent into the game making space, and welcome these new site organisers and jammers to our big jam family.

The global theme for GGJ20 was repair and jammers incorporated this theme as a concept in their games in different ways: various states of repair, breaking and repairing buildings and pots, repairing relationships, and plants repairing themselves.

In Finland we were lucky to have amazing national and local sponsors this year as well. We want to extend a big thank you to all sponsors one more time, we could have made #FGJ20 this awesome without them.

#FGJ20 wouldn’t be possible without Futureplay Games as our national GOLD Sponsor for the event! A huge thanks to this inspiring company!

Thank you again everyone who attended or followed the action through our streams and social media, it was crazy but amazing weekend! Follow our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and see you all at the next jam!