Thatgamecompany x COREBLAZER Game Jam Winners Announced

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Thatgamecompany x COREBLAZER Game Jam Winners Announced


Celebrate the Emotional Impact of Games with these Select Projects


SANTA MONICA, Calif. – July 23, 2025 – Video game studio, thatgamecompany, and games investment initiative, COREBLAZER, are thrilled to announce the winners of the first ever thatgamecompany X COREBLAZER Game Jam, which kicked off earlier this year. The game jam launched with the theme of “generosity” and how the inherently human act fosters connections between people, places, and nature – challenging young and talented developers with encouraging players to embrace the act.


Winners of each category can be found below:

BEST OVERALL - “GIVE ME YOUR HANDS” by unSAME Studio


In Give Me Your Hands, players can get a “hands-on” comedic puzzle experience like never before. Solve challenges together by metaphorically and literally lending your hands, forming bridges, smacking buttons, and generally being silly. Give Me Your Hands was unSAME Studio’s last project as students, ushering them into the wider world of game development with a bang.


“This award inspires us to keep creating games the 'unSAME' way!” said unSAME Studio. “We hope our game captures the heart of this jam: we‘re here to share the fun with every player, and connect everyone's hearts around the world."

BEST GAMEPLAY - “HIEROPHANTS” by HIEROPHANTS TEAM


Hierophant is a quiet 2D platformer about growth, starlight, and reaching beyond yourself. Players collect stars, grow towering plants to create platforms, and climb ever higher through crumbling ruins and silent skies. The Hierophants team focused on a theme of “generosity,” taking inspiration from diverse sources like the 2001 film Amelie, the fundamentals of ecology maintenance, and even the Bible, culminating in a climax (which we won’t spoil here) that truly tests the player’s willingness to give to another.


“We are truly humbled to receive this recognition,” said Hierophants Team. “ThatGameCompany has long been an inspiration to us, and this award only deepens our drive to explore how games can evoke genuine emotion and create unique, heartfelt experiences.”

BEST VISUAL DESIGN - “WIND WILL READ” by Ruby Zhixuan Wang, Jin Tang, Xiao Ye


Wind Will Read is a narrative exploration game where you play as a robot mail carrier in a post-apocalyptic town. Before you lies a pile of dusty, forgotten letters - no senders, no clear destinations. Still, you set out to complete your task.


By tracing the path of each letter, you quietly soften the hearts of those left behind, reviving the warmth of a broken community. You don’t carry answers - only the hope that people might connect once more.


“We’re newcomers to the game industry, driven by our passion for games,” said game designer Ruby Zhixuan Wang. “Through our work, we hope to deliver positive messages that inspire and encourage our players. This win undoubtedly gives us greater confidence, strengthens our belief in ourselves, and provides a ray of light on our uncertain path ahead. For some of us, like our animator, who comes from an animation background, this experience has been especially inspiring, encouraging her to keep creating and exploring new forms of storytelling.”

COMMUNITY’S VOICE - "Garden Rush" by MicroGiant, Joran De Pessemier and Tijmen Matthys


In Garden Rush you can make your entire garden grow before the watering can runs out! Players can enjoy 15 chapters of speedrunning platformer action with cute and gentle vibes.


“We’re truly grateful to everyone who took the time to play & rate our entry,” said Tijmen Matthys. “It’s incredibly encouraging to know it resonated with people, especially in the context of this community which has so many values in common with us. It reminds us why we love making games.”


Category winners were rewarded with monetary prizes and selected works will be featured in the 2025 COREBLAZER Game Festival in Shanghai on July 27 and 28, in addition to other exposure opportunities with industry partners.


The thatgamecompany X COREBLAZER Game Jam received close to 300 entries across a wide range of skill levels, visual styles, and team makeups.