Bluebird Studios and Ann Arbor SPARK

Michigan Game Development Conference 2025

March 28-30, 2025
In-Person @ Ann Arbor, MI
Remote Online via Discord

Conference Agenda

Herein lies the Conference Agenda for the
Bluebird Studios and Ann Arbor SPARK
Michigan Game Development Conference 2025.

About the Agenda:

  • All times are in the Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) timezone.

  • Food is available from Friday evening (6pm) until Sunday evening (8pm) for registered participants during the conference.

  • The Agenda may change leading up to the event and even during the event at the discretion of the conference organizers.

  • If a sponsor paid money (i.e., Silver, Gold, or Platinum Sponsors), and one or more of the sponsor’s tier perks is cancelled due to Agenda changes after the sponsor had paid, that sponsor will receive a full refund.

Pre-Conference - March 1, 2025 to Conference Start

  • March 5, 2025 - Registration opens

  • March 23, 2025 - Deadline to register in order to be eligible for a chance to have a hotel spot* (for non-Ann Arbor residents)

  • March 24, 2025 - Registrants receive Week-Of Event Announcements and are notified if they received a hotel spot

  • March 25, 2025 - Pre-Conference Casual Game Night (Online via Discord, just a simple casual game night)

  • March 26, 2025 - Pre-Conference Development Team Mixer (Online via Discord, for registrants to meet people and form teams)

  • March 27, 2025 - Day-Before Event Announcement to all current Registrants

  • March 28, 2025 - Day-Of Announcement to all current Registrants

  • March 28, 2025 - Deadline to register as an official participant of the Michigan Game Development Conference 2025

  • March 28, 2025 - Bluebird Studios, along with Ann Arbor SPARK and WolverineSoft, sets up the kickoff event

    *There are a very limited amount of hotel spots in Ann Arbor for this new conference, so it is recommended people who attend in-person plan on covering their own room and board costs. Additionally, the hotel spots are not allocated totally by chance.
    For example, X amount of hotel spots are allocated to Y university, etc. Priority for further away universities/registrants.
    The current universities/colleges that participants must be from to receive hotel spots are: Michigan Technological University; Northwestern Michigan College; Oakland University; Michigan State University.

Friday - March 28, 2025

  • 4:00pm - Conference Kickoff @ Ann Arbor SPARK (Address: 330 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)

  • 5:30pm - Arrive at Game Jam Site (a University of Michigan building)

  • 6:00pm - Start building games!

  • 6:00pm - Workshop: Development Team Mixer (optional for all participants, primarily for those who want to join a team)

  • 7:00pm - Workshop: Game Jam Basics (optional for all teams, primarily for those new to game development)

  • 8:00pm - Dinner

  • 11:59pm - End of Day 1

Saturday - March 29, 2025

  • 8:00am - Breakfast

  • 11:00am - Workshop: Art / Audio / Design / Programming (optional for all teams)

  • 2:00pm - Lunch

  • 2:30pm (until 5:30pm) - Esports Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament: Opening Rounds (optional for all teams)

  • 4:00pm - University faculty meeting (open to Silver Sponsors and above)

  • 5:00pm - State of Michigan ecosystem meeting (open to Silver Sponsors and above)

  • 6:00pm - Prototype Showcase (optional for all teams)

  • 7:00pm - Workshop: Art / Audio / Design / Programming (optional for all teams)

  • 8:00pm - Dinner (open to everyone)

  • 8:00pm - VIPs Dinner (open to Gold Sponsors and above)

  • 11:59pm - End of Day 2

Sunday - March 30, 2025

  • 8:00am - Breakfast

  • 1:00pm - Lunch

  • 2:00pm - Media Press Conference (open to Platinum Sponsors and above)

  • 2:30pm (until 4:30pm) - Esports Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament: Semi-finals and Finals Rounds (optional for all teams)

  • 4:00pm - Workshop: Marketing / Sales / Website / Design (optional for all teams)

  • 5:30pm - Set up for Showcase / Game and Prototype Submissions Due

  • 6:00pm - Start of Showcase

  • 7:15pm - Winners Announced and Group Photos

  • 7:30pm - End of Day 3 and optional Celebration Dinner (for any participants)

Post-Conference - April 1, 2025 and after

  • April 2025 - Bluebird Studios Launches a Michigan Game Development Leader Community (open to Bronze Sponsors and above)

  • April 2025 - Bluebird Studios Hosts Ongoing Newsletter/Podcasts/etc. With Leaders in Michigan about Game Development

  • May 2025 - Bluebird Studios Continues to Champion and Catalyze Michigan’s Emerging Game Development Ecosystem

  • March 2026 - Potential Michigan Game Development Conference 2026, which hopes to collaborate with GDC


Registration Support:
(231) 735-6923
paul@bluebirdstudios.org