Auckland: 2026
Join us this July 24th - 26th in Tāmaki Makaurau!
Thanks for cooking with us 🔥
New Zealand’s own homegrown free-range annual fruity in-person game jam — and Auckland’s ready to go again!
Over 46(-ish) hours, newcomers and veterans alike come together to design and build a game from scratch around a theme revealed at the start of the event. Board games, digital games, weird games — whatever you can jam and hack together in the span of a jam-packed weekend! Our Auckland site especially has plenty of tools in our unique UoA MakerSpace, meaning it’s time to hurriedly make the haptic game of your short-lived dreams.
No experience needed. Programmers, artists, writers, musicians, builders, total beginners and curious observers are all welcome! Kiwijam is, and always will be, free to attend, free to play, and free to participate.
Check out what was made at Kiwijam 2025 or learn more about the jam. Kiwijam Auckland is an R18 event.
Registration is FREE, but you must register before you can jam with us. Please make sure you’ve read the small print and the Kiwijam Code of Conduct before signing up too! Otherwise, see ya soon 😀
Our Supporters
Kiwijam Auckland wouldn’t be possible without the legends over at UoA Maker Club and UoA Game Developer Guild, who put in plenty of mahi to ensure Akl runs somewhat smoothly. Give their student clubs a gander, their projects some love, and their community your hi’s and hello’s!
Thank you also to NinjaKiwi for providing their koha. We’re sure you know them, but check out their games if you haven’t already!
Finally, we’re also grateful for the space provided by UoA’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, alongside their MakerSpace. Thank you.
Schedule
We aim to run all weekend (within reason), but we won’t be open overnight, so we encourage you make arrangements to get home. We’d strongly recommend public transport where possible, as you’ll likely be quite tired!
Friday
- 5:30 pm – Pre-Kiwijam gathering*.
(*If this is your first Kiwijam, this is for you!) - 6:00 pm – Sign-in desk opens
- 6:30 pm – Welcome presentation & official kick-off
- 7:00 pm – Team-forming and food
- 10:30 pm – Venue closes for the night
Saturday
- 8:00 am – Venue & MakerSpace opens
- 9:00 am – Morning announcements
- 1:45 pm – Lunch & Check-in with teams
- 5:45 pm – Dinner & Progress Mic
- 11:00 pm – Venue closes
Sunday
- 8:00 am – Venue & MakerSpace opens
- 10:30 am – Morning announcements
- 12:30 pm – Check in with teams
- 4:30 pm – Deadline for submissions!
- 4:45 pm – Play & Tell (show off and demo your projects!)
- 6:30 pm – Pack up, Awards & Closing
WiFi details!
UoA-Unleash
UoA_Unl3ash
Where to go
Kiwijam AKL is taking place at the Unleash Space at the University of Auckland. Go to 20 Symonds Sreet, Auckland CBD. Turn left after entering the Engineering Building (with the flying saucer), and pass through a few glass doors till you see a big “Unleash” sign.
We’d recommend taking public transport to get here if you can, as parking in the CBD can be expensive! If you do end up taking a car, the OGGB carpark is your best bet for nearby covered parking at $6 per day during our schedule.
Code of Conduct
Our objective in Auckland is all about encouraging every droplet of creativity enter your work, as that is the desire of our team. Our Code of Conduct lists the general principles we adhere to as hosts, and our Auckland-specific disclaimers about AI and asset use.
In case of emergency, issues, or general guidance, you can also find our our host contact details, site-based emergency numbers, and other important information can be found on our Auckland tabs in the Code of Conduct.