ISTANBUL OF 100 YEARS AHEAD DESIGNED AT STARTGATE

The first phase of the Istanbul 2124 Game Jam, launched with the motto “Imagining thefuture of Istanbul together,” has been successfully completed. Held at the StartGate Campusfrom May 24-26, the event saw 26 game developer teams shaping Istanbul’s future 100 yearsfrom now. Successful teams were awarded a total of 30,000 SAND. StartGate CEO Mustafa Cihat Durmuş stated that the Istanbul 2124 Game Jam is a platform that brings Turkey’syoung talents to the world stage.

The first phase of Istanbul 2124 Game Jam, organized to create a dream of the future in theheart of Istanbul, has been successfully completed. The event, held in collaboration with TheSandbox, StartGate, and YTU GamesUP at the Digital Gaming and Game Technologies Development Center StartGate from May 24-26, featured 26 game developer teamsinterpreting Istanbul in 2124 in the Sandbox Metaverse with different approaches. Theyredesigned Istanbul’s history, streets, sky, and culture.

Using The Sandbox’s free Game Maker and VoxEdit tools, the teams completed their gamesand presented them on the Sandbox platform, depicting how Istanbul would look in 2124. Developers reflected Istanbul's rich cultural heritage and presented visions for the futurethrough their games.

30,000 SAND AWARD

Experienced names from the gaming industry provided mentorship support to the participantsat Istanbul 2124 Game Jam. Mentors helped young people showcase their creativity and gavefeedback to improve their projects. Among the projects reflecting the future of Istanbul, thetop three projects stood out in the jury's evaluation and won various awards. The prize poolof 30,000 SAND awarded 6,500 SAND and 1x1 LAND to the first-place participant, 3,500 SAND and 1x1 LAND to the second, and 1,500 SAND and 1x1 LAND to the third. Additionally, a total of seven individuals received honorable mention awards, each receiving500 SAND.

The top three projects also received awards from Google and Hotel Z. Google gifted$100,000 Web3 Cloud Credits to each of the top three projects, while Hotel Z awarded 3,000 Zpara to the first place, 2,000 Zpara to the second, and 1,000 Zpara to the third. Turknet, GoogleCloud, CocaCola Turkey, Ponchiqs Game, HotelZ, DeneBunu, Algida Turkey, Arby'sTurkey, Burger King, Popeyes, Marsea Store, Knorr, and Şölen contributed to participants' visions of Istanbul with enjoyable, delicious, and technological inputs.

A PLATFORM BRINGING YOUNG TALENTS TO THE WORLD STAGE

Istanbul 2124 Game Jam was not just a game development event, but also a platform thatbrought Türkiye's young talents to the world stage. Following the game jam, the 'self-publishing' process began, allowing participants’ works to be exhibited in The Sandboxmetaverse, reaching a global audience.

A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ISTANBUL

Hosting the journey to shape the future of Istanbul, one of the world’s most significantcultural and historical centers, the event created future visions for Istanbul. StartGate CEO Mustafa Cihat Durmuş emphasized that Istanbul 2124 Game Jam is a platform that bringsTürkiye’s young talents to the world stage. Durmuş expressed, “We are very happy to host an event that offers game developers the opportunity to redesign the history, streets, sky, andculture of Istanbul 100 years from now. Throughout the event, the projects presented by theteams stood out with their innovative ideas and creative narratives. These projects, whichenvision the future of Istanbul, provide valuable insights not only in the gaming world but also about the cultural, social, and technological future of our city. Istanbul 2124 Game Jam will continue to inspire the game development community and contribute to the discovery of new talents.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, mentors, jury members, and sponsors whoparticipated and supported the event,” he added.