27/02/2026 - The programme wrapped with an industry showcase in Helsinki, highlighting how established animation IP can be transformed into playable prototypes and positioned for global interactive markets

(© Saku Suominen)

Produced by Helsinki Film Lab (HFL), the world’s first Transmedia Game Jam Accelerator culminated on 26 February with a live showcase at Super Bario Helsinki. Participating teams presented playable prototypes to publishers, investors and industry professionals, highlighting the potential of existing IP to expand beyond linear storytelling into interactive formats. This inaugural edition featured five animation IPs, six multidisciplinary teams, and 37 participants, marking a first step for cross-industry collaboration.

Unlike traditional game jams, which focus on entirely new concepts, the accelerator centred on adaptation-ready IP, enabling animation creators and game developers to collaboratively reinterpret established story worlds, characters and audiences for interactive media.

Finnish animation studios Anima Vitae, Gigglebug, Character House and Fiilin Good Films joined forces with game development teams and companies including Savukivi Games and MiTale. Working side by side, they developed interactive prototypes that tested gameplay mechanics, narrative translation and audience engagement.

The accelerator also featured masterclasses and mentorship sessions led by experienced experts including Christian Fonnesbach, head of IP at Leverage Partnership; Begum Dogan, marketing strategist at Hexen Marketing; game designer Inari Revonjoki; Tatu Petersen-Jessen, founder of OddLatent; and Jukka Jäske, senior legal counsel at Fondia. Sessions addressed transmedia business models, IP positioning, cross-industry collaboration, marketing and community building, and international intellectual property rights, ensuring that the prototypes were developed with both creative integrity and commercial viability in mind.

Alisha Hasan, founder of Helsinki Film Lab, stated: “Traditionally, validating whether an IP can truly expand across formats takes years of development, financing rounds, and market testing. What we demonstrated with this pilot is that through focused, mentored, rapid prototyping, you can meaningfully test transmedial potential in under three months. That changes the risk profile for creators, studios, and investors.” She added: “At the same time, this programme is not designed to create overnight unicorns or one-hit wonders. It is a concrete and necessary step toward helping the global creative industries learn how to work together across silos, animation, film, and games, in a structured, strategic way.”

One of the participants, Mia Palmgren, producer and co-founder of Character House, mentioned: “Participating in the TGJ has been a blast and has opened up a new world of possibilities regarding our IPs! It has given us a sneak peek into the game development world and concrete next steps in terms of developing a transmedia strategy. We hope to further strengthen the collaborations we started during the Game Jam and to continue developing the game concepts as a part of these strategies. Who knows, maybe the game concept will actually become the main format for one of the IPs?”

Positioned as the first structured programme worldwide to systematically connect established animation IP holders with professional game studios in a hands-on accelerator format, the initiative moves beyond theory into practical prototype development. The process focused not only on technical development, but also on narrative translation - understanding how characters, worlds and audience engagement evolve when moving from screen to controller. By delivering playable builds and cross-industry teams prepared to continue development beyond the pilot phase, it underscores Finland’s ambition to strengthen the commercial lifespan and export potential of its creative IP.

The initiative was partly funded by AVEK through its Creademo instrument, enabling cross-industry experimentation and commercial prototype development, and was supported by the Finnish Game Jam Association, Valofirma, Game Makers of Finland and Finnish Business Angels Network, among others.

Helsinki Film Lab continues to position itself as a hub of cross-industry innovation, curating accelerator programmes, Film × Game × Book matchmaking sessions, international masterclasses and networking events connecting film, television, games, animation and publishing. The Lab has previously collaborated with Pocket Gamer Connects on the Transmedia Summit programme and has hosted speakers including Eeva Aaltonen (Rovio/Angry Birds), Petri Alanko (Alan Wake, Control), Ann Austen, Antti J. Jokinen (Kalevala, Purge), and Joni Lappalainen. More information and early access to upcoming labs and cross-industry initiatives can be found on the official website.