About 40 16 and 17-year-olds are set to collaborate in small teams to create fully playable games within 48 hours at the inaugural Cross Pacific Game Jam.
The pupils will be mentored throughout the weekend by local developers from Spookysoft Games and Balancing Monkey Games, as well as Japanese developers JP Games and a pair of Otago Polytechnic lecturers.
Education New Zealand and the Dunedin City Council co-funded $70,000 for the international gaming event to be hosted by Otago Polytechnic and Enterprise Dunedin.
Enterprise Dunedin manager John Christie said the event represented an important step in a path that Dunedin was carving with international talent.
"Dunedin has cultivated a special relationship with Japan, and this student event is part of our fit-for-purpose, high-value education pathway to help supply the in-demand skills needed for digital game development.
"We are bringing together local and prospective offshore talent who can go on to contribute to Dunedin’s niche and flourishing game industry."
Otago Polytechnic information technology lecturer Adon Moskal said the event was a chance to showcase the polytech’s IT and design course.
"We’re excited to offer high school students who are interested in game development an opportunity to experience what we do at the polytech."
