Marking a significant first for Central Florida’s thriving tech scene, Full Sail University has teamed up with Epic Games to host the inaugural “Unreal Fest Game Jam Orlando.”
This three-day intensive event, running from Friday, May 30, through Sunday, June 1, on the university’s expansive campus, brings this popular competition directly to Orlando.
“It has been an honor to collaborate alongside Epic Games to bring the premiere Unreal Fest Game Jam Orlando to life at Full Sail University,” said Phoebe Elefante, Full Sail’s Program Director for Game Design & Interactive Technology.
This premiere event serves as a dynamic prelude to the larger Unreal Fest Orlando 2025, set to attract top industry professionals and creators to the Orange County Convention Center from June 2-5, underscoring Central Florida’s growing importance in the realm of real-time 3D creation and interactive entertainment.
The game jam is open to Full Sail students and graduates across all degree programs, and also welcomes students from various invited Florida-based higher education institutions. Game jams serve as crucial incubators for talent, pushing participants to rapidly enhance skills, foster creativity, and build vital portfolio pieces and professional networks.
In addition to the main game jam, Sunday will feature a “Level-Up Experience” designated specifically for high school students.
More than 60 high schools from across 23 states are invited to participate in workshops, campus tours, and gameplay sessions, offering a unique opportunity to engage future developers with the cutting-edge tools driving the industry.
Bringing such a high-profile event and its associated game jam to Central Florida highlights the region’s robust and rapidly expanding tech scene. Orlando boasts top-ranked educational programs at institutions like Full Sail and UCF’s Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, and has become a recognized hub for game development. This robust local talent pipeline and an active tech community make Central Florida a natural fit for an event that pushes the boundaries of interactive experiences.