Full Sail Hosts Unreal Fest Game Jam in Collaboration with Epic Games

Published Jul 17, 2025

Full Sail Hosts Unreal Fest Game Jam in Collaboration with Epic Games

Students and grads from game degree programs teamed up with peers from across Florida to create original titles ahead of Unreal Fest Orlando.

Full Sail Live, lit in a purple hue, is filled with a crowd seated at workstations during the Unreal Fest Game Jam.

Full Sail students and graduates from game degree programs, including Game Design, Game Development, Simulation & Visualization, and more, recently participated in Unreal Fest Game Jam Orlando, a kickoff to Epic Games’ Unreal Fest Orlando 2025.

Held on the Full Sail campus, the three-day game jam was open to students from other Florida universities, and kicked off with participants split into teams of four and challenged to build a unique game using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). They had one evening to learn the basics of UEFN, with demonstrations provided by education-focused developer Cleverlike Studios, who facilitated the jam on campus.

A speaker on stage in a venue of seated attendees, the large LED display behind him reads ‘Unreal Engine: 3D Visualization & Animation.’

A speaker discusses Unreal Engine on stage during day one of the three-day jam.

For the remaining two days, attendees used their allotted time to develop original games, designing immersive environments and gameplay mechanics using the editor.

A large venue with rows of workstations featuring gaming laptops and students seated while developing games.

Participants developing their games on MSI laptops in Full Sail Live during the event.

“It has been an honor to collaborate alongside Epic Games to bring the premiere Unreal Fest UEFN Game Jam Orlando to life at Full Sail University,” shared Game Design & Interactive Technology Program Director Phoebe Elefante. “While this is one of the many hands-on learning opportunities that we’ll hold on campus for students to have fun and collaborate, hosting a game jam to kick off the week of Unreal Fest is an ideal venue to celebrate the spirit of community."

From a resource-driven 2v2 multiplayer deathmatch to a multi-genre adventure featuring a quest to build the perfect hamburger, the participants' entries utilized the latest generation of hardware from event partner MSI in the development process. And, during development hours in the venue, Full Sail faculty members and Cleverlike Studios President Brian Dickman provided real-time feedback and support.

Brian, who hosts game jams with Cleverlike across the country, was impressed with this event in particular, saying, “Full Sail is a wonderful facility and has such great targeted programs, and so we’re super excited to be a part of this.”

A group of students, faculty, and event staff pose on stage together with ‘Prize Categories’ on the LED display behind them.

Winners on stage posing for a photo with faculty and staff.

The jam included notable judges such as Simulation & Visualization graduate Mitchell Hartwell and Hall of Fame inductee Caris Baker. At the end of the three-day competition, winning teams earned passes to attend Unreal Fest Orlando 2025 and showcase their games during the festival’s Student Showcase at the Orange County Convention Center on June 5.