Columbia University Game Development
Game Development hosts two major events each year that give students the chance to design, build, and showcase their own games–Game Incubator in the fall and LionJam in the spring. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced developer, all experience levels are welcome. You also don’t need to be a programmer to participate! We welcome artists, writers, designers, musicians, storytellers, and anyone curious about making games.
Both programs are designed to help you learn, collaborate across disciplines, and create in a supportive, creative environment.
JOIN OUR DISCORD: https://discord.gg/QFU7ShgJzp
Game Incubator (Fall)
The Game incubator is a semester-long project where you form a team and develop a game from concept to completion with the guidance of an industry mentor. While the experience is largely student-driven, mentors provide support, feedback, and direction throughout the process.
Participants can expect:
- Regular progress check-ins
- Workshops led by industry professionals
- Collaborative team development
- A final end-of-semester showcase to celebrate your game
View games from Fall 2025 Incubator:
LionJam (Spring)
LionJam is a fast-paced, two-week game jam designed for rapid creativity and experimentation. Like Game Incubator, you can form teams - but LionJam is fully student-run with no assigned mentors.
Participants can expect:
- Open work sessions
- Skill-building workshops
- Intensive collaborative development
- A final showcase with industry judges
View games from Spring 2026 LionJam: https://itch.io/jam/lionjam-2026/rate/4312408
Past Jams: