‘Game’ marathon

Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Vocational School organized the ‘Gameathon 4.0’ event to increase high school students' interest in the rapidly growing gaming industry. A total of 72 students from high schools in Izmir worked for 24 hours to design the best game. Highlighting the importance of time, the event was held with the theme ‘One More Second’, and 17 games were developed. The young participants created games in various genres such as adventure, strategy, sports, and action and competed fiercely in a contest at the end of the event to claim first place. Their projects received high praise from the jury members, who work in different gaming companies.

Gameathon 4.0, which was successfully organized under the coordination of IUE Vocational School Computer Programming lecturers Asst. Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Tokat, Burak Evrentuğ, and Turgay Zülam, was sponsored by the technology company Bilicra. The IUE Conference Hall was packed with young participants, who had the opportunity to learn about the gaming industry and gain valuable experience to set a clear career path. IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Hakan Abacıoğlu also visited the event, examining the work and chatting with the students. Additionally, IUE Computer Programming students provided mentorship to the high school students, supporting them in all stages of game development.

AWARDS FOR THE TOP 3

All the games developed were evaluated by the jury at the end of the event. The game team Expendables secured first place and won a prize of 30,000 TL. Steel Ball Run came in second, receiving 15,000 TL, while the third-place team, Kosh90, was awarded 10,000 TL.

WILL CONTINUE NEXT YEAR

Stating that the Gameathon event will continue in the coming years, Turgay Zülam, Lecturer of the Computer Programming Program at IUE said, “The students who joined us at our University developed creative projects using various game software over 24 hours. They worked intensively, even late into the night, to complete their game projects. We have concluded a process full of excitement and enthusiasm. Our goal was to introduce students to the gaming industry and contribute to the development of their 21st-century problem-solving skills. Additionally, we wanted them to gain knowledge about the gaming sector. High school students not only experienced the university environment but also had the chance to interact directly with industry representatives. We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to the organization of Gameathon.”