Orlando Game Jam & Orlando Gaming Expo returning Feb. 19-22
The Orange County Library System is calling on video game creators and lovers to unleash their creativity for a chance to learn, win a cash prize and connect with professionals
LOCAL VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS, CREATORS AND ARTISTS ARE GETTING READY TO BRING THEIR IDEAS TO LIFE NEXT WEEK. EVERYONE FROM EXPERTS TO NEWCOMERS, ARE GOING TO CROSS PATHS IN SHOWCASE OF GAMES WITH A CHANCE TO WIN A BIG CASH PRIZE. IT’S ALL PART OF THE ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY’S GAME JAM AND GAMING EXPO. ALL RIGHT, GOT IT RIGHT. JOINING ME NOW TO SHOW US WHAT’S IN STORE IS JUAN RIVERA, A DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN INSTRUCTOR AT THE MELROSE CENTER. OKAY, WE’VE GOT SOME COOL TECHNOLOGY. YOU’RE EVEN DECKED OUT IN IT. WE’LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THAT AS WE GET THROUGH IT HERE. THESE ARE THE TOOLS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO USE COMING UP. THE THESE TEAMS THAT WILL BE COMPETING IN THIS GAME BUILDING CAN YOU TELL OUR COMMUNITY WHAT’S AHEAD FOR THIS WEEK A WEEK FROM TODAY. SO IT STARTS ON THURSDAY AND WE WANT YOU GUYS TO BE THERE FROM THURSDAY NIGHT UNTIL SUNDAY PRETTY MUCH AT 5:00. AND DURING THAT TIME, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS TO THESE TOOLS. ALIENWARE LAPTOPS, META QUEST VR HEADSETS, THESE LITTLE DEVICES RIGHT HERE. THEY LOOK LIKE ALMOST SOMETHING YOU’D USE WITH YOUR TELEVISION, LIKE A LITTLE IR BLASTER. THE INFRARED REMOTE BLASTER. IF YOU NEED TO EXTEND THAT. YEAH, AND THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT YOU’RE DECKED OUT IN. YEAH. THIS IS THE SONY MOTION CAPTURE SUIT IS A OKAY. LIKE WE’VE SEEN FOR MOVIES. THAT’S RIGHT. AND WHAT IT DOES IS YOU CAN RECORD YOUR MOTION DATA, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE. OH MY GOODNESS MY CHARACTER. WAIT. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN SEE THIS, BUT AS HE MOVES, YOU RAISE YOUR HANDS. ALL RIGHT. PUT YOUR RIGHT ARM OUT. YOU PUT YOUR RIGHT ARM IN. NOW DO THE HOKEY POKEY. COME ON, GUYS, WE’RE GOING TO MAKE HIM DANCE. AND THEN. AND THEN TAKE IT RIGHT THERE. YEAH. NOW YOU GOT TO DO THE DANCE FOR US WITH THE LAPTOP UP. COME ON, COME ON. LET’S DO IT. ALL RIGHT, HE’S GOING TO DO A LITTLE DANCING. YEAH. OH, COME ON, I THINK THAT’S THE MACARENA. OKAY, SO WHILE WE’RE HAVING WAY TOO MUCH FUN WITH IT. YEAH, WAY TOO MUCH FUN WITH IT. THIS IS ALL PART OF GAMING DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN IT LEADS INTO THE BIG EXPO. AND THIS IS ALL PART OF THE ORANGE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM. SOMETHING THAT THEY DO. YEAH. SO THE ORLANDO GAME JAM, LIKE I SAID, STARTS THURSDAY AND IT IS A VIDEO GAME COMPETITION WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND IN TWO DAYS BUILD A GAME OR AT LEAST A PROTOTYPE. AND THEN ON THE ORLANDO GAMING EXPO, WHICH IS SUNDAY 22ND FROM 1 TO 5 PEOPLE, THE DEVELOPERS CAN ACTUALLY SHOWCASE THE GAME THAT THEY CREATED. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, COMPETE FOR VOTES FROM THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN TO PLAY THEIR GAMES. AND THAT’S USUALLY WHAT DETERMINES WHO WINS THE GAME. OKAY. THE COMPETITION. AND SO YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT. THEY’RE GOING TO SORT OF COME THURSDAY. GET THE GUIDELINES THAT EVENING. AND THEN FRIDAY THEY START BUILDING. CORRECT. AND YES, IT’S A PROTOTYPE. BUT STILL THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE TRYING OUT THESE GAMES. AND THEN THEY’RE HOPING TO WIN THAT TOP PRIZE, WHICH IS $700 FOR FIRST PLACE, $500 SECOND PLACE AND $300 THIRD PLACE FOR THE TEAMS. OH THAT’S FANTASTIC. SO YOU HAVE SOME EXTRA SURPRISES THERE. OKAY, BUT AT LEAST 1500 BUCKS IN PRIZES UP FOR GRABS. HOW DO PEOPLE SIGN UP AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS? SO THEY JUST HAVE TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE IS OCLS.ORG/GAME JAM. YEAH. AND THEN JUST REGISTER FOR FOR TO COMPETE. AND THEN ON THURSDAY THEY HAVE TO BE THERE AT 4:00. WE GIVE THEM ALL THE INFORMATION AND THEY CAN GET GOING. OKAY. WE’VE GOT THE INFO UP ON SCREEN. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. YOU CAN ALSO SCAN THAT QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN TO TAKE YOU TO MORE INFORMATION. LET’S ALSO JUST TALK ABOUT YEARS PAST WHAT YOU’VE SEEN COME OUT OF THIS COMPETITION, AND WHERE SOME OF THOSE WINNERS ARE TODAY. YEAH, YEAH YEAH. SO LAST YEAR WE HAD A A THEME OF LIKE, OH, THE THEME IS SECRET FOR THIS YEAR’S THEME IS SECRET. SO THE THEME WAS LIKE SERVICES LIKE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY. OKAY, SO SOME OF THE TEAMS MADE A GAME WHERE IT WAS CALLED THE CARE CANNON. SO IT WAS KIND OF FUN, BUT IT WAS KIND OF THEY HAD TO DO SOME RESEARCH ABOUT THE THE TYPE OF THINGS PEOPLE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO DELIVER THE, THE, THOSE ITEMS AND SERVICES IN A CANNON. AND THEY JUST SHOOT THE SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE AS THEY DRIVE BY. IT WAS PRETTY FUN. THAT’S AWESOME. YEAH. SO IT’S EDUCATIONAL, BUT A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL. WE’RE GOING TO POST A LINK TO ALL THIS INFORMATION, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE’VE GOT A LOT OF GAMERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO GET INTO DEVELOPMENT, AND THIS IS A GREAT GATEWAY IN. YEAH, YEAH, IT’S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE TOOLS AT HOME. AND THEY CAN ABLE TO DO IT. THEY CAN COME IN, USE IT AT THE MOTOR CENTER, WORK ON THEIR OWN PROJECTS. SOME OF THESE TEAMS GO TO CREATE GAMES THAT YOU SEE NOWADAYS IN THE STORES. WE LOVE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU AND FOR INTRODUCING US
Orlando Game Jam & Orlando Gaming Expo returning Feb. 19-22
The Orange County Library System is calling on video game creators and lovers to unleash their creativity for a chance to learn, win a cash prize and connect with professionals
Updated: 9:31 AM EST Feb 12, 2026
The Orange County Library System is calling on video game creators, and lovers, to unleash their creativity at the Orlando Game Jam & Orlando Gaming Expo.The event is returning to the Orlando Public Library’s Melrose Center from Thursday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 22.Juan Rivera, senior digital media design instructor at the Melrose Center joins WESH 2 to preview the event. The weekend features a timed video game creating competition where teams gather, plan and create a video game using premiere technology at the Melrose Center. The teams can present their games at the expo for guests to play, vote and get feedback. The winning designs will win a $700, $500 or $300 cash prize. The event is an ideal experience for aspiring game developers, artists, programmers, writers, students, and people curious about Orlando’s growing gaming and tech community.Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
The Orange County Library System is calling on video game creators, and lovers, to unleash their creativity at the Orlando Game Jam & Orlando Gaming Expo.
The event is returning to the Orlando Public Library’s Melrose Center from Thursday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 22.
Juan Rivera, senior digital media design instructor at the Melrose Center joins WESH 2 to preview the event.
The weekend features a timed video game creating competition where teams gather, plan and create a video game using premiere technology at the Melrose Center.
The teams can present their games at the expo for guests to play, vote and get feedback.
The winning designs will win a $700, $500 or $300 cash prize.
The event is an ideal experience for aspiring game developers, artists, programmers, writers, students, and people curious about Orlando’s growing gaming and tech community.