Collaboration, Dedication, and Social Pressure: A Comparative Analysis of Virtual and Face-to-Face Game Jams

Abstract

Game jams are virtual or face-to-face events where game developers (often non-professional or hobbyist) collaborate to make digital games within a limited time frame. As these events have become not only game-creation events but also social collaboration spaces, important questions emerge regarding how exactly different modes of game jams can offer different affordances for developers’ social collaboration. Using 24 semi-structured interviews, we provide a comparative analysis of virtual and face-to-face game jams, especially with regard to the different technological processes and social engagement in each mode of game jams. We contribute to the game jam community by highlighting game jams as novel social collaboration spaces and by providing empirical evidence of the unique affordances of different modes of game jams for social collaboration.