The game development community in Western Australia will gather the Perth Spring Games Jam this weekend, from 3-5 September 2021. Run by community organisation Let’s Make Games, the game jam is a 48-hour challenge for developers to get together in groups and build a videogame from scratch, based on a theme to be revealed at the start of the event.
‘Events like this are really important for the games community in the state, as it supports the developers of tomorrow,’
Colton Onderwater, Perth Spring Jam organiser
Open to active and aspiring designers, artists, programmers and more, the event also promises industry mentoring. It’s being hosted at the Perth campus of SAE Creative Media Institute, situated in Northbridge, from 6pm. The school will provide catering, and options for remote participants are also available.
In a statement, event organiser Colton Onderwater remarked, ‘we have over 100 developers in Western Australia, so we have some work to do before we can be on the same level as cities like Melbourne and Sydney.’
Onderwater is a game design lecturer and independent game developer. ‘Events like this are really important for the games community in the state, as it supports the developers of tomorrow,’ he said.
Let’s Make Games is also responsible for the upcoming Perth Games Festival, which takes place at Perth Town Hall on 11 September 2021 and will showcase the best of local development.
Other major games-related events include XR:WA, which will feature a number of events and talks that deal with games, interactive storytelling, and the world of virtual reality, augmented reality. It takes place 17-19 September 2021, and all events are free.
General Manager of SAE, Dr Luke McMillan, said that the institute was ‘proud to support events like this that nurture future talent’.
Perth Spring Jam begins at 6pm on 3 September 2021. Registration is essential.
