The Transmedia Game Jam Accelerator: Testing IP Across Formats
Over the past months, Helsinki became the testing ground for a new model of IP development. The Transmedia Game Jam Accelerator, produced by Helsinki Film Lab, brought together established animation studios and professional game developers to explore how existing story worlds can expand into interactive formats.
Participating studios, Anima Vitae, Gigglebug, Character House and Fiilin Good Films, opened their IP for structured experimentation. Instead of developing new concepts from scratch, the focus was on adaptation-ready properties and a central question: how does a story world evolve when it becomes playable?
The programme began with masterclasses and strategic sessions led by mentors Christian Fonnesbach, Begum Dogan, Inari Revonjoki, Tatu Petersen-Jessen and Jukka Jäske, building a shared understanding of the business of transmedia, IP positioning, cross-industry collaboration, marketing and community building and international IPR.
The core of the accelerator was the Game Jam weekend at Valofirma in Helsinki. The atmosphere was joyful yet focused, combining creative freedom with clear KPIs and a publisher-facing goal.
Within under three months, teams developed playable prototypes, demonstrating that early transmedia validation can happen far faster than traditional multi-year development cycles.
The project outcomes will showcased to publishers and investors on 26 February 2026 at SuperBario in Helsinki, marking a concrete step toward further development.
Rather than chasing overnight success, the accelerator created a practical framework for collaboration across animation and games, proving that the future of IP lies in building worlds, not just formats.
