DreamRealm Jam 2025: A 48-Hour Creative Game Development Challenge

DreamRealm Jam 2025, organised by the Department of Game Studies under the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI), was a vibrant 48-hour game development event held from 18 to 20 April 2025 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. Co-organised with the Real Possibility Lab (RPL), the event brought together 17 passionate participants from UTAR and Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA), forming six creative teams. The event was launched by Department of Game Studies Head Mr Tan Han Keong, and guided by FCI Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Ts Dr Ang Kok Yew.

Centred around the theme Water, participants were challenged to create playable games within a tight 48-hour timeframe. The theme offered deep creative inspiration, drawing from the symbolism of water as a source of life, purity, transformation, and resilience. These concepts influenced diverse gameplay mechanics and narrative directions, reflecting water’s visual and auditory qualities and its cultural and philosophical meanings, particularly in traditional contexts.

Participants worked in designated classrooms equipped with internet access and power outlets, supported by staff and overnight safety measures. Teams were free to use any game engine, including Unity, Unreal Engine, or Godot, and development was allowed to continue overnight. A rest area was provided, though participants made their own accommodation arrangements.

The games were judged based on five criteria, namely narrative and storyline, user experience, playability, innovation and creativity, and technical execution. The judging panel, consisting of faculty and industry professionals, selected winners in four categories—Best Narrative, Best User Experience, Most Playable, and two Encouragement Awards. The total prize pool of RM800 recognised outstanding achievements in game storytelling, technical execution, and player engagement. The winning entries, “H2O,” “Rain Drop,” “Drip’s Escape,” “Kembara Nusan Tara,” and “Bonang in the Rain,” are available for public download.

The event concluded with a closing and award presentation ceremony officiated by FCI Dean Assoc Prof Dr David Tneh Cheng Eng. Beyond the competition, DreamRealm Jam 2025 aimed to cultivate a stronger game development culture at UTAR, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and provide students with hands-on experience in teamwork, creativity, and project execution. The event successfully achieved these goals, equipping participants with valuable skills, stronger peer connections, and game prototypes with the potential for further development.

The success of this inaugural Game Jam sets a strong foundation for future initiatives, celebrating innovation and student talent in Malaysia’s growing game development scene.