Epic-we fourth cultural game jam

Description

The fourth EPIC-WE Cultural Game Jam (Hilversum Hub) took place from 10–16 September 2025 across multiple locations, including Dropstuff Media, Sound & Vision, and the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. It brought together 27 students from the Communication and Multimedia Design (Immersive Environments) programme, who worked in small teams to develop 7 board and card game prototypes.

The game jam was structured as a four-day intensive process moving from introduction and ideation to prototyping, playtesting, and final pitches. Centered on the theme “Tides of Heritage (Heritage Remixed)”, the event placed a stronger emphasis than previous editions on integrating audiovisual cultural collections into game design. Participants engaged with curated archive materials, remix workshops, and scenario-based exercises linking sea-level rise futures with ethical dilemmas, which informed their worldbuilding and mechanics.

Overall, the game jam combined design methods (such as paper prototyping and iterative feedback) with research and documentation practices, positioning game-making as a way to explore climate futures, cultural heritage, and societal values through collaborative and experimental processes.

Period	10 Sept 2025 → 16 Sept 2025
Event type	Other