Successful participation in Zamora’s Zam Jam, an International Video Game Creation event held as part of the ‘El Jap!’ project
The International Hub for Video Games and Animation, ‘El Jap!’, a project by AIR Institute and ICECYL, hosted Zam Jam 2025 this past weekend in Zamora. The event brought together young participants to develop video games from scratch and was organised with the support of students from the Bachelor's Degree in Interactive 3D Applications and Video Game Development at the University of Salamanca. This first edition was held at the Viriato Campus as part of the Global Game Jam, an international event taking place simultaneously in multiple locations around the world.
From 24th to 26th January, nearly 40 young participants took part in the event. Divided into six teams, they created video games based on a shared theme: bubbles. Among the participants were developers, graphic designers, and musicians, all working towards a common goal—fostering creativity, teamwork, and technological innovation through video game development.
The official opening and presentation of Zam Jam took place on Friday, 24th January, in the Auditorium of Zamora’s Viriato Campus. On Saturday and Sunday, participants worked on their trailers and video games in the campus classrooms. With a submission deadline of 4:00 pm on Sunday, the event concluded with a trophy ceremony following the selection of winners by a professional jury. The jury included representatives from Gamez Studio, a video game design studio in Zamora; Daloar Studios, a multidisciplinary video game design and development studio based in Valladolid; professors from the Bachelor's Degree in Interactive 3D Applications and Video Game Development at the University of Salamanca; and members of AIR Institute. Throughout the three-day event, numerous media outlets attended to document and report on the occasion, reinforcing Zamora’s growing reputation as an international hub for gaming innovation.
To recognise participants’ efforts and achievements in game creation, five awards were presented: Jury's Favourite, Audience Favourite, Best Mechanics, Best Art, and Best Idea. The six games developed during the event are available to play on the Global Game Jam website at this link.
About El Jap!
El Jap! is a project led by AIR Institute and the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICECYL), a government body under the Junta de Castilla y León. The aim of this event, along with other organised initiatives within ICECYL’s Wolaria accelerator programme, is to establish Salamanca as a centre for innovation and position Castilla y León within the global video game and animation industry. By attracting talent and promoting the development of cutting-edge projects, the initiative is helping to drive the region’s creative and technological growth. The project is backed by industry experts, leading companies, and institutional support from the University of Salamanca and Salamanca City Council.