Update: the game jam event was a huge success, and we will have a full recap soon.
ATLANTA, GA, February 13, 2026. Ghost Gaming yesterday announced Build Together: Gaming, Storytelling & Belonging, a three-day, multi-location event taking place Friday, February 20 through Sunday, February 22, 2026, designed to bring students together across communities through storytelling and game creation, building both connection and technical skills.
Presented by Ghost Gaming and Ghost Launchpad in partnership with Shine A Light Gaming and Georgia Humanities, the event features a panel discussion, hands-on game development workshops, and a 48-hour game jam centered on the theme Build Together. Programming takes place across Georgia State University and at Spelman College in partnership with Spelman's HBCU Game Jam.
Supporting partners for the event include the National Black Empowerment Council, Technorganic, and the Georgia Game Developers Association.
Gaming is one of the most powerful storytelling platforms in the world, and when it is inclusive, it becomes a place where people do not just play together, they belong together. Build Together is about bringing communities into the creative process, blending technology with the humanities, and showing the next generation of creators that their voices matter.
Shine A Light Gaming was founded to confront antisemitism in gaming spaces. Build Together puts that mission into action by giving students the chance to create together, learn together, and build the kind of communities we want to see online.
Build Together offers an open, welcoming space for anyone interested in learning, creating, and collaborating through storytelling in games. When young people come together in shared creative environments, they build the communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that matter in every field and every community.
Event Objectives
- Highlight the power of gaming to harness diversity and foster belonging
- Provide skill and workforce development opportunities at partner universities by blending the humanities, arts, and technology
- Amplify positive social impact through collaborative creation and storytelling
The Game Jam
At the heart of the weekend is a 48-hour game jam, encouraging participants to create original games that reflect inclusive themes, innovative storytelling, and meaningful social impact. A total prize pool of $12,000 is awarded across multiple categories:
- Best Build Together Social Impact Theme, presented by Shine A Light Gaming
- Best Storytelling, presented by Georgia Humanities
- Best Online Multiplayer Experience, presented by Shine A Light Gaming
Each category awards $2,000 in prizing at each of the two host sites. Ghost Gaming encourages use of Unreal Editor for Fortnite for accessibility, rapid collaboration, and project opportunities within their Atlanta-based Ghost Launchpad game accelerator, but participants may use any game engine. A hands-on Unreal Editor for Fortnite workshop is provided on site by Technorganic.
About Shine A Light Gaming
Shine A Light Gaming was founded to address antisemitism in gaming and online communities, and has since expanded its work to counter hate, extremism, and toxicity across the digital ecosystem. Our work spans the full ecosystem, from supporting individual creators to building scalable, industry-wide interventions.
