Worldwise Game Jam 2026: Unleashing Creativity From Tutorial to Endgame
Dulwich College Seoul recently hosted the 2026 Worldwise Game Jam, a hybrid educational programme bringing together more than 120 students and educators from across the EiM group for four days of hands-on game creation in partnership with the University of Utah Asia Campus and Ubisoft Shanghai. For the first time, the event included an in-person component, giving students the opportunity to design, build and present their own games while learning real-world skills in game development and digital creativity.
The 2026 Game Jam focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. Students were challenged to explore the meaning of education through their own creative lens, producing a wide range of games—from learning-focused simulations to narrative-driven and experimental projects. The variety of student projects demonstrated how educational games and interactive media can act as powerful tools for engagement, social commentary and problem-solving. Over the course of a year, the team worked to bring Worldwise Game Jam into an offline setting, shaping it into a programme with real educational depth and substance.
Day 1: Tutorial Level
Learning the Controls and Teamwork
The Game Jam launched with an introductory session, where students brainstormed ideas and began working on their projects.
Over 70 participants from Dulwich College Seoul, Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi and Dulwich College Beijing attended in person, while more than 50 joined online from Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong and Dulwich International High School Programme Suzhou.
The programme was led by Kristy Bryan from Dulwich College Seoul and Edgar Zillmann from EiM, with key support from Jared Rigby, founder of Game Jam and former Dulwich College Beijing EdTech teacher.
To keep the energy high and inject fun into learning, the day included a Mario Kart tournament and a game quiz. These activities encouraged teamwork, focus and friendly competition while giving students a chance to socialise.
Day 2: Quest Mode
Designing, Coding and Levelling Up
Creativity ramped up on day two as students continued developing their games, with some experimenting with AI tools to enhance gameplay and design.
One of the highlights of this year’s Worldwise Game Jam was that participants visited the newly opened Netmarble Game Museum in Seoul, where they explored modern gaming trends, interactive storytelling and immersive design. The visit gave them a tangible sense of how professional student-led game development combines art, technology and creativity.
Industry and academic partners, Ubisoft Shanghai (collaborating for the third year) and the University of Utah Asia Campus (participating in the in-person event for the first time), provided mentorship and guidance throughout the programme, ensuring students' game development projects were grounded in professional expertise while allowing their own creativity to shine.
Day 3: Boss Level
Mastering Story, Art and Strategy
Narrative and artistic development took centre stage on day three. Students immersed themselves in workshops on storytelling, created game art assets and built immersive worlds for their projects. Each session encouraged collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking, helping students combine coding, design, art, music and narrative into cohesive gameplay experiences.
The video game industry is no longer a niche sector — it is one of the world’s most influential creative industries, offering vast artistic, technological and career opportunities. The programme also introduced world-class expertise directly into the learning environment. Online sessions with a Godot game engine specialist, along with workshops at the University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon—ranked #1 globally for undergraduate game development—exposed students to advanced concepts in animation, non-linear storytelling and game marketing.
Through direct engagement with professionals from Ubisoft Shanghai and professors from the University of Utah, students gained rare access to real-world expertise. They were able to ask meaningful questions and test ideas. They were able to see how multiple disciplines converge in professional educational game creation and how to apply those insights directly to their own projects.
Day 4: High Score
Players Present Their Masterpiece
The Game Jam concluded with a vibrant Game Expo at Dulwich College Seoul. Students proudly presented their completed games to parents, peers and visitors, who explored each project with curiosity and excitement.
Attendees were amazed by the creativity, humour and ingenuity on display—from learning-focused simulations to narrative-driven experiments. Laughter, surprise and 'aha' moments filled the room as visitors discovered clever puzzles, hidden features and imaginative designs, highlighting the teamwork, dedication and problem-solving that brought each game to life.
'My favourite moment was the final Game Expo at Dulwich College Seoul. Watching students confidently present their games—explaining their ideas, mechanics, artwork and decisions to parents, peers and visitors—was electric. The energy in the room was incredible. It perfectly captured what the Worldwise Game Jam is about: creativity, collaboration and young people realising what they're capable of when given the right platform.'
Experience Earned: Growth, Resilience and Critical Thinking
Beyond creating games, students developed essential skills including collaboration, leadership, communication, critical thinking and resilience. In-person collaboration proved invaluable, giving students opportunities to ask questions, test ideas and see how coding, design, storytelling and art converge in a global gaming industry—one that surpasses even film and music in scale and influence. This immersive educational experience exemplifies how student game development programmes prepare young creators for the digital world.
In its first offline edition, Worldwise Game Jam unlocked a new level of energy, spontaneous collaboration and peer learning, that an online format alone could never fully deliver. Encouraged by the success of this edition, organisers plan to expand the programme by welcoming more students across the EiM network, introducing new creative and technical challenges and building deeper collaborations with industry and academic partners. Long-term ambitions include developing the Game Jam into a regional competition with multiple schools participating.
Above all, the event celebrated the creativity, curiosity and potential of Dulwich College International students, showing what is possible when education, play and innovation come together.
