What could an outcast gnome, a magical refrigerator, a horror scavenger hunt, evil machines and a swarm of ants possibly have in common? Intellectual Property (IP)! These unlikely characters were developed by the 5 winning teams of the “Next Great IP Game Jam,” organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Global Game Jam from October 9 to 27, 2025.
Game Jams are fast-paced creative marathons where participants design and prototype games within a limited time. This edition went a step further, as teams were asked not only to create playable concepts, but also to submit short proposals explaining how they would protect and manage the IP behind their games.
Apart from game development, participants took part in expert-led webinars (available on YouTube) exploring IP and learning how it can help to protect creative assets like characters, stories and visual identity, and to support branding and commercialization.
The response was truly global, with 317 young developers from 31 countries attending the launch and leading to 63 teams submitting original game proposals accompanied by plans outlining how their IP would be managed.
For many participants, this was their first exposure to game creation through an IP lens. The jam highlighted how early attention to IP can help creators avoid ownership disputes, protect their ideas, and retain control as projects grow.
Introducing the Winning Teams
Five games—one from each region—were selected after being evaluated by a panel of judges comprising experts from WIPO, Global Game Jam and game industry representatives. Projects were assessed based on creativity, integration of IP considerations, strength of characters and narrative as well as long-term business potential.
A Gnome’s Tale: Spellbound Stones (South Africa)
Developed by Tahirah Ngoepe
“A Gnome’s Tale: Spellbound Stones” puts players in the shoes of an outcast gnome in an inspiring and relatable journey towards embracing difference.
South Africa has been reported as Africa’s largest gaming market, part of a broader surge of interest and talent across the continent. Game developer Tahirah Ngoepe exemplifies this new wave: trained in Game Design, she is “passionate about visuals that enhance player experience” and now works as a User Interface and Environment Artist. Through the jam, she explored how strong characters and world-building can form the foundation of a distinctive game-identity with long-term potential.
Avarice (Philippines)
Developed by Mathan Gaius Duran, Arbenn Jaime Espinoza, James Francis Lorenzo, Katrina Bernadette Maestro, Lourd Evangel Saldavia, and Shannaya Vasquez
“Avarice” is a 2.5D online cooperative game in which players explore abandoned buildings, while relying on teamwork to survive.
The team behind Avarice is a diverse group of friends balancing different career paths while continuing to collaborate on game jams and passion projects. They hope one day to take things further and build games that make a real impact while keeping the fun and passion that got them started.
For the team, the jam offered clarity about their identity and potential as game developers and what kind of space they could occupy in the gaming market: “This jam helped us understand that to be ourselves is to know our reach in this market.”
Humbug Tales: Keeper of the Swarm (United States of America)
Developed by James Bowler, Lydia Bragg, Milan Brindic, Carrie Easter, Joe Roe, Johann Steinegger and Florian Wespenwald
“Humbug Tales: Keeper of the Swarm” is an action-adventure game where players guide Eacus, a humbug, and his ant friends through a wetland, conquering puzzles, pirates, and predators along the way.
The game was developed by Gazehound Games, a studio founded by James Bowler. James and his team aim to expand the Humbug Tales brand and create new works that reflect their purpose: “Inspiring new perspectives through the power of play.”
The team valued the opportunity to showcase their project through the Next Great IP Game Jam: “We’re grateful for this opportunity to share [our game’s] potential alongside other creators of great new IP!”
Meal Quest (Lithuania)
Developed by Ignas Eismantas and Matas Palujanskas
In “Meal Quest,” players explore a magical world inside a fridge, plan meals, and gain combat bonuses based on nutritional choices.
The developers met through a university assignment to create a gamified nutrition app and later decided to turn the concept into a full game. Ignas and Matas hope their work will inspire others and make a meaningful impact on how people learn and interact with educational content.
What they learned about IP through the jam proved directly relevant to their work. As the duo noted: “Joining the sessions on IP and marketing was genuinely exciting. Seeing real-world examples helped us understand the topics much more clearly and gave us a better sense of how to develop our ideas responsibly and creatively.”
Rilo vs The Machines (Ecuador)
Developed by David Betancourt and Jonathan Echeverría
In this game, players control Rilo, a brave armadillo on a mission to rescue his friends and defeat evil machines.
Jonathan and David studied game development together and later founded their own studio, SEKIDAN Games. They both dream of becoming full-time game developers, creating memorable games and supporting the growing industry in Ecuador.
The team found the jam’s focus on IP particularly valuable, as Jonathan noted: “I think jams that focus on aspects beyond just game development, like IP, are important and should have more support.”
By combining game development with practical IP learning, the Next Great IP Game Jam contributes to WIPO’s Intellectual Property and Youth Empowerment Strategy (IP-YES!), equipping young creators with the tools and skills they need to succeed.