UKIE partners with Alzheimer's Research UK for Journo/Dev Swap game jam

Alzheimer's Research UK is hosting a special game jam next week with the help of UKIE -- and you'll be able to read about the participants' progress right here on GamesIndustry.biz.

Revamping a concept first tried in 2012, the Journo/Dev Swap game jam challenges journalists to develop new titles and prototypes from scratch, while experienced developers try their hand at writing up news stories and other press coverage around the event.

The 2019 Journo/Dev Swap will take place from Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29 -- towards the end of World Alzheimer's Month -- and will be hosted at UKIE's London headquarters.

For Alzheimer's Research UK, it's a further chance to explore how games can be used to raise awareness of the condition and the need for research to overcome it.

"We hope the theme will prove evocative for the teams; there's certainly a lot of directions a game could take with the idea we have," said Tim Parry, director of partnerships at Alzheimer's Research UK. "The gaming sector has infinite reserves of creativity and innovation, and as an R&D focused organisation, we're excited to begin to work with the industry to see what's possible."

UKIE CEO Dr Jo Twist added: "The original Journo/Dev Swap game jam has always been remembered warmly, and is talked about often. We're delighted to host it again, and we can't wait to see how our intrepid developers and press do. We're also delighted to help Alzheimer's Research UK continue to further their relationship with the millions of people who play games, and the industry itself."

The press participants (including our own James Batchelor) will be given a theme set by Alzheimer's Research UK to base their game idea around, and must build something for a panel of judges to play on the Sunday. The developer-written coverage of the event will be published as a daily digest on GamesIndustry.biz each day.

The journalists will be assisted by game development students and industry mentors, while press mentors and the on-site reporters will aid the developers. Members of the games industry are welcome to visit.

Organiser Will Freeman said: "Letting game developers and game press swap roles offers a fascinating exercise in empathy, and a way to explore the dynamic of the interplay between game makers and game journalists. Having GamesIndustry.biz providing a platform for our 'game devs turned game press' to publish their stories for real; that is essential to making the swap meaningful.

"Our game devs will be writing real articles to real deadlines for a significant publication. GamesIndustry.biz has always provided a platform for the voices of those in the game industry, so its a perfect fit."