Ghost Gaming unveiled on Thursday the “Build Together: Gaming, Storytelling & Belonging,” a three-day event set to take place from Feb. 20 – 22, in and around Atlanta, Georgia.
The main objective of Build Together is to “unite students from different communities through storytelling and game development, fostering both relationships and technical abilities,” as stated in the announcement.
This multi-day event is being organized by Ghost Gaming, Ghost Launchpad, Shine A Light Gaming, and Georgia Humanities. The event is supported by the National Black Empowerment Council, Technorganic, and the Georgia Game Developers Association.
Build Together will include various activities such as panel discussions, interactive game development workshops, and a 48-hour Game Jam focused on the theme of collaboration. The programming segment of the game jam will be held at Georgia State University and Spelman College in partnership with Spelman’s HBCU Game Jam.
“Gaming serves as a powerful platform for storytelling worldwide, and when it promotes inclusivity, it becomes a place where individuals not only play together but also belong together,” expressed Todd Harris, CEO of Ghost Gaming. “Build Together aims to involve communities in the creative process, merging technology with the humanities, and demonstrating to the next generation of creators that their voices are significant. By building together, we can develop stronger games, narratives, and communities.”
The primary goal of the event is to leverage the influence of gaming to bring people together, offer skills and workforce development through collaborating organizations, enhance positive social impact through community engagement and storytelling, and inspire participants to create original games during the 48-hour game jam.
It is important to note that the 48-hour Game Jam will offer cash prizes—A total prize pool of $12,000 USD will be distributed across multiple categories:
- Best “Build Together” Social Impact Theme: $4,000 total sponsored by Shine-A-Light Gaming.
- Best Storytelling: $4,000 total sponsored by Georgia Humanities.
- Best Online Multiplayer Experience: $4,000 total sponsored by Shine-A-Light Gaming.
Although participants are free to choose any engine, the use of Unreal Editor for Fortnite is recommended.
Registration is currently open at Georgia State University CMII (open to individuals aged 18 and above) and Spelman College HBCU (open to all students enrolled at HBCU).
If you are unfamiliar, Ghost Gaming is an Atlanta-based organization focused on competitive gaming and lifestyle, fielding teams in Fortnite, Rocket League, Valorant, and Counter-Strike 2. The organization also emphasizes community-driven initiatives that support local businesses, schools, colleges, and universities.