From 16-18 May 2025, 66 gaming enthusiasts met for the Hetzner Game Jam in a space provided by the Ansbach University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Ansbach). They formed teams with the goal of creating games about a theme that had been kept secret, and to build their games from start to finish within 48 hours. Everyone was allowed to join in on the fun of developing the games, regardless of their previous experience or technical knowledge.
After getting to know each other quickly, the participants learned what this year’s theam was: balance. Then they formed teams, did some brainstorming, discussed design concepts, and began to put their plans into motion. The creative sessions went on late into the night, and resulted in a wide variety of games.
In the game “Baguette Ballet”, for example, a mother duck must try to bring her babies bread by balancing baguettes that she carries on her head. With “Food Balance”, participants are challenged to quickly gather healthy foods, while also avoiding junk food. In another game, “Thermal Balance”, players must find the perfect balance on their oven so that the flame stays lit, but their food doesn’t burn. All in all, the Game Jam teams presented 16 creative games, all of which dealt with the theme “balance” in some way or another.
“Once again, Hetzner Game Jam made a big impression, and proved that it is possible to complete exciting projects within a very short time with a little technical know-how, some creative ideas, and a bit of team spirit. The wide spectrum of games from this year’s event also demonstrated just how broadly the teams could interpret the theme of balance,” explained Christian Fitz, Spokesperson for Hetzner Online.
This was the third time that Hetzner Game Jam took place, and the first time it happened in cooperation with the Ansbach University of Applied Sciences. This year’s games are all available at https://github.com/hetzneronline/game-jam
