Game Foundry

Join a small team. Build a real video game. Create something amazing.

Launching Term 1, 2026 — Pilot Program

Game Foundry is a new 10-week, mentor-led program for students in Years 5–8 who want to take the next step in coding and game development.

Each week, students meet online with a senior developer, work in small teams, and design, code, animate, and publish their own video game using Godot, GitHub, and real professional workflows.

It’s a unique chance to experience what it feels like to build a game from idea → prototype → release — with guidance from industry mentors.

Who is it for?

Game Foundry is designed for:

• Students in Years 5–8
• Returning CodeWarriors Code Camp students
• Young developers who enjoy collaborating, solving problems, and finishing what they start
• Kids excited by the idea of making a real game (not just following tutorials)

Students don’t need advanced experience — just enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment.

The Term 1 2026 pilot will run with 2–4 teams (6–16 students total), mainly from 2025 CodeWarriors camps.

How it works

Weekly online sessions

• Length: 10 weeks
• Format: Weekly 90-minute online session after school
• Teams: Small groups of 3–4 students led by a senior developer mentor
• Focus each week:
  • Check-in and session plan
  • Quick updates (Show-and-tell)
  • Learning bite (a focused concept or technique)
  • Debug & Build time
  • Goals / Next steps

In-person “Game Jams”

Each term includes two full-day Saturday intensives at CodeWarriors venues:

• Mid-term Game Jam: Team review & alignment, playtest, and push the game forward
• End-of-term Game Jam + Showcase: Final polishing, team presentations, and celebration

Morning tea and lunch are provided. These in-person days are a core part of the program, and their cost is built into the term fee.

Where possible, nearby teams (for example, Hills and Hawkesbury) will meet at the same venue and date to build a sense of shared community.

What students learn

Technical & creative skills

Game Foundry builds practical digital-creation skills that align with Australian Education Department STEM learning objectives, including computational thinking, design processes, and digital systems understanding.

• Coding fundamentals and game logic in Godot
• Animation, sprite workflows and level tilemaps
• Integrating audio effects and music
• Using GitHub for version control and project structure
• Taking a game from idea → prototype → release

Personal & teamwork skills

• Working as part of a small, focused team
• Planning work and managing scope
• Problem-solving and debugging
• Giving and receiving constructive feedback
• Presenting their work to others with confidence

By the end of the term, each team aims to have:

• A real, playable game published on itch.io
• Students credited by name for their contributions
• A deeper understanding of what it feels like to ship a project as a team
• (Some terms) Participation in selected local, state, or national STEM competitions, such as the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge, where applicable to that term’s goals

Tools & safety

Game Foundry uses a safe, education-aligned toolset:

• Godot – the game engine used to build projects
• GitHub Education – for managing project code and versions
• Zoom – for weekly online sessions
• Google for Education Fundamentals - accounts + identity
• itch.io – for publishing completed games

Parents will receive detailed information before the term starts, including:

• What platforms will be used
• How online sessions and recordings are managed
• Safeguarding and privacy practices
• Consent requirements for participation and publishing

Schedule & commitment

• Weekly: One 90-minute online call outside school hours
• Two Saturdays per term: In-person Game Jams (mid-term and end-of-term)
• Catch-ups: If a session is missed, students will be able to access a recording and notes for that week

Students don’t need to be perfect in attendance, but they should be ready to:

• Join most sessions
• Communicate with their team
• Put in some light work between sessions if needed (e.g. fixing a bug, drawing a sprite, or testing a level)

Term 1 2026 Pilot

The Term 1 2026 program will run as a pilot, with limited places so we can:

• Keep mentor attention high
• Gather feedback from families and students
• Refine the structure for future terms

Families from 2025 CodeWarriors Code Camps will be offered early access to apply.

How to express interest

Ready to join the very first Game Foundry teams?

If your child would like to be considered for one of the pilot teams, please complete the Game Foundry Register Interest form using the link below.

codewarriors.laudwords.com/gamefoundry/register/

Pilot places are limited and will be offered based on suitability and order of registration. We’ll contact all families on the list in January with next steps.

Be part of the first Game Foundry teams

If your child is ready to go beyond “just playing games” and start making them — together with a small team and an experienced mentor — Game Foundry is built for them.