Last week, 85 Historically Black College and University students from across the country competed in Spelman College’s third annual HBCU Game Jam. Hosted by Spelman’s Innovation Lab, the Game Jam is a beginner-friendly 24-hour hackathon competition where students engage in rapid game development to create the best video game.
The 2025 HBCU Game Jam was planned entirely by Spelman students for the first time and included an inaugural HBCU Game Jam Conference featuring educational coding workshops. Through the event, students expanded their coding and video 
game development skills, learned about career opportunities in the tech and gaming industries and networked with industry professionals.
The top three winning teams won big industry prizes, including PlayStations, Apple iPads and pencils, JBL headphones, Visa gift cards and more. This year, 61.8% of the contestants had never made a video game before the hackathon, which is an increase from last year’s Game Jam.
First Place: North Carolina A&T (NCAT)
Game Title: Buried Roots
Students: Noire Meyers, Kimora Mohan, Rocklyn Clarke, Elias Lope
Buried Roots Game Synopsis:
A young, ambitious recent graduate, determined to become the next big entrepreneur, returns to his hometown to launch a tech company. Hoping to restore it to its former economic glory, he buys a cheap, historic property—ignoring local warnings. But after a freak accident leaves him unconscious, he awakens to a building that feels…wrong. Familiar faces appear distorted, and memories no longer align. Hunted by doppelgangers, he must confront the unraveling reality and question whether he's saving the town—or destroying it.
Second Place: Alabama A&M University (AAMU)
Game Title: Campus Crossroads
Students: Ty'Queyious Houston, Elijah White, Prithak Shrestha, Prashant Banjade
Third Place: Alabama A&M University (AAMU)
Game Title: Climbing the Corporate Ladder
Students: Sydney Fleming, Mia Jones, Chimdinu Okenyi
Best Presentation:
Climbing the Corporate Ladder (AAMU)
Best Game Concept:
Buried Roots (NCAT)
Best Twist Integration:
Invincible The Game (Howard University)
Most Market Ready:
Campus Crossroads (AAMU)
Social Impact Award:
Climbing the Corporate Ladder (AAMU)
Best Game Art:
Roach Run: Music Never Dies (Spelman College)
The Las Drop (Spelman College)
Best Sound Design:
Odyssey (AAMU)
Best Narrative & Story
Internal (Clark Atlanta University)
Best Narrative & Story
Internal (Clark Atlanta University)
Best Game Execution 2D
Campus Crossroads (AAMU)
Best Game Execution 3D
Buried Roots (NCAT)
Most Technically Complex
Buried Roots (NCAT)
Best Game Mechanics
Buried Roots (NCAT)