NYC Mayor Mamdani Launches Youth Game Jam With Prizes Up To $3,000

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani will debut a youth video game design competition this weekend in the headquarter city of Rockstar Games, just days before the scheduled November 19 release of Grand Theft Auto 6.

Launching on Saturday, the NYC Game Jam challenges young New Yorkers to build a game around the transit-oriented theme “Get There Already.” Unlike the M-rated Grand Theft Auto franchise developed locally by Rockstar, the city-sponsored event focuses on family-friendly transit concepts.

According to the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, participants must design a game about traveling the city that remains suitable for all ages and completely free of violence or weapons. Three winning teams will receive cash prizes ranging from $500 to $3,000, distributed among team members after Mamdani announces the winners on social media.

The competition is sponsored by the Office of the Mayor, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Alongside the jam, the city organized a career fair connecting participants with local gaming studios for mentorship and hiring opportunities.

NYC Mayor Mamdani Launches Youth Game Jam With Prizes Up To $3,000

The local games sector currently supports about 7,900 jobs across roughly 380 firms, generating a $2.6 billion annual economic impact. Small and independent studios make up about 65 percent of those businesses, alongside major anchors like Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive.

“Whether you’re exploring the forests of Hyrule or riding across the frontier at Nuevo Paraíso, video games invite us into worlds born from the imagination of their designers,” Mamdani said. “And that creativity represents an enormous opportunity here in New York City.”

“As the industry grows, we want to make sure the next generation of game developers and designers can build their futures right here at home,” Mamdani added.

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City officials view the weekend event as a direct bridge between creative passion and professional employment within the five boroughs. Previous municipal initiatives in the sector include backing a digital game design bachelor’s degree program at CCNY, establishing the Gaming Pathways Program for high school students, and forming the Digital Games Industry Council.

“Right now, New York City is having an undeniable moment as a global hub for digital games, with hundreds of independent studios and major industry leaders calling the five boroughs home,” said Rafael Espinal, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

Espinal said that the municipal administration aims to use this current momentum to open doors for younger residents. The “Get There Already” competition runs through the weekend ahead of the high-profile software release on November 19.