Deciphering hackathons and game hams through play

One of the many challenges facing the growth and proliferation of game jam communities is the ambiguity between game jams and allied activities including hackathons and other high intensity events. This research identifies the distinguishing characteristics of games jams and uniquely identifies the technical, cultural and experimental differences that define the game jam practices. The benefit of such understanding not only supports the continued growth of such act activities, it helps to disambiguate game jam activities from other productive practices.