The War Games Jam asked participating teams to create an innovative war video game inspired by IWM’s collections and stories of conflict from 1914 to the present. We hoped for participants to create games or gaming concepts which featured unexpected and under-explored stories of conflict, embracing creativity, empathy and diversity in their design and challenging our expectations of what war video games can be. Each video game was inspired by one of several specially-selected IWM collection items from the First World War onwards. It formed part of IWM's War Games season.
We were hugely impressed with the results - from the challenges faced by a child growing up in wartime Britain to a First World War soldier’s long term struggles with facial disfigurement, entries into the competition showcased an eclectic mix of ideas and fresh new ways of exploring conflict stories through gaming.
We’d like to thank everyone who took part in the jam. The competition was very tight and it is a real achievement to conceive and develop an original war video game from scratch - all in the space of a week. We were hugely impressed by the creativity, skill and innovation exhibited in this competition. Congratulations on your efforts.
Part of the IWM Institute
How did the War Games Jam work?
We accepted two types of entry:
- Best Playable Game
- Best Game Concept
Submissions were judged by a panel of experts from Imperial War Museums, the Historical Games Network, University of Glasgow Games and Gaming Lab and World of Tanks, according to the below criteria:
- Originality and creativity: Does this game have a creative and original approach to storytelling around conflict? (5 POINTS)
- Empathy: Does this game embrace empathy in its storytelling and design i.e. does it explore the human impact of war? (5 POINTS)
- Diversity: Does this game embrace diversity in its different forms? (5 POINTS)
- Playability (for submitted working games): How accessible and sophisticated is the game in terms of playability? (5 POINTS)
- Presentation (for game narratives): How well is the game idea conveyed through narrative, visuals and/or sound? (5 POINTS)
- Fun (all concepts): How fun and engaging is the idea submitted for the game? (5 POINTS)
Terms & Conditions for Entrants
- IWM will not assert copyright ownership over entries into the War Games Jam, but submissions will be subject to IWM’s terms and conditions of entry. Please read them carefully before submission.
- IWM will use only your details for the jam and will not further use or disclose your email or any personal information without your consent. Your information will only be kept for as long as is required for the jam. See the IWM Privacy Policy.
- IWM will require that all entries are compliant with copyright, GDPR and other appropriate legislative requirements
- Prizes: the prize(s) must only be taken by the winner(s), unless otherwise agreed in writing by IWM. Details of how to claim the prize(s) will be included in the winner’s email. There is no cash or other alternative for the prizes in whole or in part.
- Prizes: If a team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the person identified as lead applicant. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing any prizes awarded as they deem fair.
- The competition excludes employees and the immediate families of IWM staff.
Sponsored by
In Partnership
Explore War Games
-
-
© IWM (COM 1873)What can video games tell us about war?
Video games are one of today's most popular storytelling mediums, but how are the realities of war represented in the virtual world? IWM Senior Curator Ian Kikuchi explores.
-
© 2019 Activision Publishing, Inc.How realistic is Call of Duty?
Call of Duty is the best selling first person shooter franchise of all time. But how realistic is it? Explore in our YouTube video.
