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Abu Dhabi Gaming and Unity open registration for SHIFT Game Jam to develop fully playable games over one weekend. |
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| Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi Gaming, the government-led initiative driving the emirate’s transformation into a global gaming hub, [HA2.1][HA2.2][HA2.3]has opened registration for the next edition of the SHIFT Game Jam, taking place from 13 to 15 November at DCD NABDH MBZ – Al Manhal.
Organised in partnership with Unity, one of the world’s leading game development platforms, the three-day event will welcome up to 200 participants, from a range of creative and technical disciplines, to collaborate, develop and present playable games.  Beginners are also welcome, giving aspiring developers, artists, designers, writers and audio creators an opportunity to gain practical experience in collaborative game development. Teams will be supported throughout the event by Unity experts and industry mentors, giving participants the opportunity to work with professional tools, receive hands-on feedback and experience the collaborative, time-sensitive nature of game development. At the close of the event, teams will present their games to a judging panel comprising Hamdan Al Ali, Founder of Potion AI; Mustafa Yaya, Co-Founder of Blackburne Games; Ahmad Abo Bakr, Team Lead at Shababeek Labs; and Nayef Al Blooshi, Founder and CEO of After Work Games. The panel will assess each project based on gameplay, creativity, theme alignment, visual and audio presentation, technical execution and overall player experience. The announcement follows the October edition of the SHIFT Game Jam, which brought together 50 university students and recent graduates at Abu Dhabi University from 17 to 18 October. Working in teams of up to five, participants developed 16 playable game prototypes in 48 hours in response to the theme “Festival of Passports”. The November edition will offer a total prize pool of AED 60,000 in vouchers, with AED 30,000 awarded to the winning team, AED 20,000 to the second-place team and AED 10,000 to the third-place team. In addition, the winning team will receive access to premium Unity services, including expert sessions designed to help participants improve their games through project reviews and optimisation accelerators. Key Facts: • Event: SHIFT Game Jam – November edition • Dates: 13–15 November 2026 • Capacity: Up to 200 participants • Location: DCD NABDH MBZ – Al Manhal • Organiser: Abu Dhabi Gaming • Partner: Unity • Eligibility: Open to everyone • Registration: https://shift-game-jam.vercel. • Team Size: Up to 5 Previous edition: SHIFT Game Jam – October edition • Dates: 17–18 October 2026 • Location: Abu Dhabi University • Participants: 50 university students and recent graduates* • Theme: “Festival of Passports” • Game submissions: 16 • Prize pool: AED 30,000 • Games submitted during the October SHIFT Game Jam have been made available to the public through itch.io and can be accessed at: https://itch.io/jam/shift- Media Contact: ADGaming@BursonGlobal.com About Abu Dhabi Gaming: Abu Dhabi Gaming is a government-led initiative that coordinates the broad efforts throughout Abu Dhabi to transform the emirate into a global gaming hub. With a focus on talent development, business attraction and community and[HA6.1] esports, Abu Dhabi Gaming is accelerating the growth of the region’s gaming industry. Since its foundation, Abu Dhabi Gaming has been driving the ecosystem’s expansion by providing opportunities for aspiring talent, while working collaboratively with strategic global and local partners across the games industry spectrum. |
