Source: Nexon

Nexon announced on the 22nd that it is accepting applications for the 2026 Nexon College Student Game Jam, 'Jaemit-Nexon.

Now in its fourth year, Jaemit-Nexon is a game jam event for college students that Nexon has hosted annually since 2023 to discover and nurture young game development talent. Over the course of three days and two nights, participants form teams to build a complete game from scratch based on a given theme, competing on creativity and collaboration.

The biggest change this year is the transition to an 'AI-native' game jam. The event has been entirely redesigned to assume the use of AI throughout the game production process. Accordingly, the recruitment process has been overhauled: the traditional distinctions between planning, programming, and art have been removed, and participants are now recruited under a single 'game creator' position. Any college student who wants to bring their ideas to life without being restricted by specific job roles can apply, regardless of their major or professional experience. Teams will be formed on-site after participants are selected.

Additionally, to encourage participants to freely experiment with various AI tools and incorporate them into their work, a new AI utilization grant of ₩400k per team has been introduced. Nexon employees will participate in mentoring and judging, sharing their practical game development expertise on-site.

Applications are open until June 28 on the official website, and any college student interested in game development can apply regardless of their major. A total of 56 participants (14 teams) will be selected through a document and assignment screening process. The main event will take place over three days and two nights from July 24 to 26 at the Nexon headquarters in Pangyo.

The completed games will be evaluated by a panel of current Nexon employees based on theme relevance, completeness, creativity, and fun. A total of four teams will be awarded prizes, including one Grand Prize (₩3 million), one Top Excellence Award (₩2 million), and two Excellence Awards (₩1 million each), for a total prize pool of ₩7 million.

Hong Ja-hyun, head of Nexon's recruitment team, stated, This year's Jaemit-Nexon has been redesigned to embrace AI as a new team member, allowing anyone to complete their own game ideas without the boundaries of specific positions. She added, We hope that future game talent will challenge themselves to push their limits by experiencing a game production process that actively utilizes AI.

Meanwhile, Nexon has been supporting the college student game development club 'Nexon Dream Members (NDM)' since 2007 and operates 'Metoring,' a four-day, three-night camp program where students receive job training and mentoring from current MapleStory developers, continuing its various efforts to foster young talent and aspiring creators in the gaming industry.

More information about the Nexon College Student Game Jam, Jaemit-Nexon, can be found on the official website.