Mamdani hosts youth video game design competition ‘Game Jam’ ahead of GTA 6 release

The NYC “Game Jam” will take place starting on Saturday, where youth around the city will have the opportunity to build a video game around a theme. The event will take place at the headquarters of Rockstar Games, the developer of GTA 6.

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment said, “Participants will build a game about getting across the city. Every game must be about transit or the experience of getting around a city, suitable for all ages, and free of violence, weapons, and other illicit activity," per Variety.

The two-day competition will see the young developers design a game around the theme, "Get There Already."

There will be three finalists, and then Mamdani will announce the winning design team. First place gets $3,000, second place gets $1,500, and third place will receive $500. The money will be split up among team members.

The game design event will also be accompanied by a career fair that will allow developers to meet with studios that are looking to recruit talent. There are around 7,900 jobs in 380 gaming firms in the Big Apple. The majority of those studios are small or independent.

Rockstar Games, however, is the best-known company in the area, responsible for the wildly popular GTA and Red Dead franchises.

“Whether you’re exploring the forests of Hyrule or riding across the frontier at Nuevo Paraíso, video games invite us into worlds born from the imagination of their designers. And that creativity represents an enormous opportunity here in New York City,” Mamdani said. “As the industry grows, we want to make sure the next generation of game developers and designers can build their futures right here at home. This Game Jam is a chance to open the door to that industry for young New Yorkers, connect them with the people shaping it and give them the tools and support to turn their biggest ideas into careers.”