---
title: "Build Your Game Challenge: Join in and Compete for Prizes"
description: "JetBrains Academy announces the Build Your Game Challenge for October, where participants complete the Build a Game With an AI Coding Agent course, add custom features, and submit their projects for prizes. The challenge runs from October 12 to October 23, with community voting and a JetBrains jury evaluating submissions on creativity, originality, gameplay, and player experience. Prizes include $400 and $250 for Community Choice, $150 for a Jury Award, and four $50 Jury Awards for standout projects, all as digital gift cards. Participants can use Junie Lite in JetBrains Air for free to build their game, or switch to a more capable model for complex mechanics. Submissions and voting open on October 19 via Discord, and winners will be announced on October 28."
---

# Build Your Game Challenge: Join in and Compete for Prizes

[Jetbrains](https://yomu.fyi/company/jetbrains) · Regina Muradova · Oct 12, 2026

**Type:** Announcement

## Summary

JetBrains Academy announces the Build Your Game Challenge for October, where participants complete the Build a Game With an AI Coding Agent course, add custom features, and submit their projects for prizes. The challenge runs from October 12 to October 23, with community voting and a JetBrains jury evaluating submissions on creativity, originality, gameplay, and player experience. Prizes include $400 and $250 for Community Choice, $150 for a Jury Award, and four $50 Jury Awards for standout projects, all as digital gift cards. Participants can use Junie Lite in JetBrains Air for free to build their game, or switch to a more capable model for complex mechanics. Submissions and voting open on October 19 via Discord, and winners will be announced on October 28.

## Context

A community challenge by JetBrains Academy to encourage learning computer science through game development with an AI coding agent.

## Approach / What changed

Participants complete the Build a Game With an AI Coding Agent course, customize the game with new features, and submit via Discord. They can use Junie Lite in JetBrains Air for free or switch to a more capable model for complex mechanics.

## Takeaways

- The challenge runs from October 12 to October 23, with submissions and voting open from October 19 to October 23.
- Winners are selected by community voting (reactions on Discord) and a JetBrains jury evaluating creativity, originality, gameplay, and player experience.
- Prizes are digital gift cards: $400 and $250 for Community Choice, $150 and four $50 for Jury Awards.

## FAQ

### How do I participate?

Complete the Build a Game With an AI Coding Agent course, add custom features or improvements, and submit your project on the Discord server.

### How are winners selected?

Winners are chosen by community voting (reactions on Discord) and a JetBrains jury evaluating creativity, originality, gameplay, and player experience.

### What prizes are available?

Prizes include $400 and $250 for Community Choice, $150 for a Jury Award, and four $50 Jury Awards for standout projects, all as digital gift cards.

**Tags:** [AI](https://yomu.fyi/topic/ai), [Coding Agents](https://yomu.fyi/topic/coding-agents), [Game Development](https://yomu.fyi/topic/game-development), [JetBrains](https://yomu.fyi/topic/jetbrains)

- Source: [Jetbrains](https://blog.jetbrains.com/education/2026/10/12/build-your-game-challenge-join-in-and-compete-for-prizes)
- Source URL: https://blog.jetbrains.com/education/2026/10/12/build-your-game-challenge-join-in-and-compete-for-prizes
- Ingested by Yomu: 2026-10-12T12:00:17.291Z

[Read original post](https://blog.jetbrains.com/education/2026/10/12/build-your-game-challenge-join-in-and-compete-for-prizes)