Global Game Jam, the annual developer jam, is likely to surpass 500,000 lifetime participants this year.

Announced via a press release, the organization says the event has amassed around 40,000 participants annually, ranging across "800 sites in 100 countries."

In 2025, Global Game Jam surpassed 100,000 total games created since its conception back in 2009.

This year, the event is taking place from January 26 to February 1, and the theme will be revealed two days before the start. The jam itself lasts for 48 hours, which site organizers are free to choose within the allocated 6-day period to accommodate different formats and local holidays.

"The Global Game Jam is a celebration of creativity, innovation, and community," Global Game Jam executive director Maria Burns Ortiz said in the announcement. "As we head into 2026 and the 17th edition of the Global Game Jam, amid ongoing uncertainty not only in our industry but around the world, seeing tens of thousands of creators from over 100 countries come together to make games around a shared theme speaks to the power of games to connect us."

Related:Xbox hardware now costs a lot more in the UK and Europe

Ortiz was named the new executive director in May of last year, following the departure of director of partnerships Charly Hardboard, who served as interim leader after former executive director Tim Cullings stepped down three months prior.

"I deeply believe in the transformative power of video games and that game development should be accessible to anyone anywhere," Burns Ortiz said at the time.

The jam site registration period ends on January 12, and more information can be found on the official site.