Loud & proud: Jyväskylä pride at DGC

Jyväskylä Pride -viikkoa vietettiin 7.–13. syyskuuta 2026. Peliosuuskunta Expalle oli kunnia-asia olla mukana menossa yhtenä Priden kultasponsoreista ja osoittaa tukensa yhdenvertaiselle, turvalliselle ja tasa-arvoiselle tulevaisuudelle. 

Pride-viikko oli meille täynnä kohtaamisia, yhteisöllisyyttä ja tietenkin pelaamista. Tässä parhaat palat viikon varrelta!

 

 

Sateenkaareva Monthly Meetup

Viikon käynnisti Expan perinteinen Monthly Meetup 8.9, joka sai tällä kertaa ylleen erityisen sateenkaarevan ilmeen.

Illan puhujana meillä oli Besa Istrefi (Remedy Entertainment, HR), aiheenaan monimuotoisten ja osallistavien tiimien rakentaminen pelialalla. 

 

 

Perinteinen Priden lautapeli-ilta

Yksi viikon odotetuimmista kohokohdista oli Expan järjestämä lautapeli-ilta. Lautapeli-illan idea on yksinkertainen mutta tehokas: kynnys osallistumiseen pidetään matalana, jotta jokainen voi tulla mukaan juuri sellaisena kuin on. 

 

 

Expa osana puistojuhlaa

Jyväskylän Pride-viikon kalenteri huipentui perinteiseen kulkueeseen ja suureen puistojuhlaan Jyväskylän keskustassa sijaitsevassa Lounaispuistossa. Hulina pyörähti käyntiin Kirkkopuistosta, josta värikäs kulkue kiemurteli kaupungin katujen läpi kohti puistoa, jossa odotti elävän musiikin, värien ja hauskan tekemisen festivaali. Jyväskylän Setan puheenjohtaja ja pääjärjestäjä Petri arvioi, että päivän aikana tapahtumaan osallistui yli 4 000 kävijää – enemmän kuin koskaan tapahtuman historiassa.

Expan ständi sijaitsi paraatipaikalla, missä jaettiin tuotteita ja toteutettiin tärkeä kysely: “Kuka on suosikkisi LGBQT+-pelihahmoista?”. Ääniä kerättiin yhteensä 210!

 

 

Moninaisuus on pelialan voimavara

Kultasponsorina toimiminen oli Expalle tärkeä arvovalinta. Uskomme vahvasti siihen, että pelialan luovuus ja innovaatiot kumpuavat moninaisuudesta. Jokaisella tulee olla oikeus pelata, luoda ja ilmaista itseään ilman pelkoa syrjinnästä.

Kiitos kaikille Jyväskylä Priden järjestäjille sekä jokaiselle, joka piipahti tapahtumassamme viikon aikana. Teitte viikosta ikimuistoisen!

 


 

Jyväskylä Pride Week was celebrated from September 7 to 13, 2026. Game Cooperative Expa was honored to be part of the action as one of Pride’s Gold Sponsors and to show its support for an equal, safe, and fair future.

Pride Week for us was filled with cool events meeting new friends, a sense of common community and of course gaming. Here are the highlights from the week!

 

 

Rainbow Monthly Meetup 

The week kicked off on September 8 with Expa’s traditional Monthly Meetup, which took on an especially rainbow-themed look this time. Our speaker for the evening was Besa Istrefi (Remedy Entertainment, HR), on the topic of building diverse and inclusive teams in the games industry.

 

 

Traditional Pride Board Game Night 

One of the week’s most anticipated highlights was the board game night organized by Expa. The idea behind the board game night is simple yet effective: the threshold to participate is kept low so that everyone can join in exactly as they are.

 

 

Expa at the park party

Jyväskylä pride week’s calendar reached its climax with the traditional parade and the huge party at LounaisPuisto in Jyväskylä city centre. The fun kicked off in the Church park as the colourful parade wound its way through the city streets, meeting a festival of live music, colour and fun activities at the park. Petri, the lead organiser and chair of JKL Seta said that they estimated more than 4000 visitors attended over the day. The most in the event’s history.
Expa’s stand stood front and centre, giving out merch and conducting an important poll ‘Who is your favourite LGBQT+ game character? We received 210 votes! 

 

 

Diversity is the Games Industry’s Strength 

Serving as a Gold Sponsor was an important values-driven choice for Expa. We strongly believe that creativity and innovation in the games industry spring from diversity. Everyone should have the right to play, create, and express themselves without fear of discrimination.

Thank you to all the organizers of Jyväskylä Pride and to everyone who stopped by our events during the week. You made the week unforgettable!


 

2026 Expa Game Industry Alumni Day at Jyväskylä City Hall

Thank You for Joining Expa Game Industry Alumni Day 2026

Dear Expa Game Industry Alumni Day participants,

Thank you for joining us at the Expa Game Industry Alumni Day 2026 on August 13 at Jyväskylä City Hall!

It was a great day with a fantastic atmosphere, interesting discussions, and, most importantly, a lot of familiar and new faces from the Finnish game industry. We hope you enjoyed the event as much as we did.

 

 Photos from the event
:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MDicEtGWc2l-SEIG22JCdAHh6O5q3H5L?usp=sharing

 

 2026 Expa Game Industry Alumni Day – After Movie:
https://youtu.be/ACktvcLzzFk

 

We hope to see you all again next year! Until then, keep in touch and keep building the Finnish game industry community together.

Pictures and video by: 
Joonas Nieminen, Company: JoonasNieminen.fi

 

Thank you once again for being part of the day and our community, share these freely!

 

Learn all about Digi & Game Center:

https://www.digigamecenter.org/

Learn all about Expa Game Business Co-operative:

https://expa.fi/

The DGC Podcast:  Switching countries and careers – unexpected ways to enter the Finnish game industry with Rory Warwick, Dreamloop games.

May meet up with Rory wawick

Taking the leap into not only into a new career in the games industry but also in a new country at the same time takes self-belief and a small bit of self-created good luck.

 

Present in the studio this month :

 

Rory Warwick.                          Associate producer of Dreamloop games.

Dmytro Zhovtobryukh:         Lecturer, Jamk. CEO Snowhound games. deputy chairperson, Expa

Wanda O’rly:                             Host. Chairperson, Peliosuuskunta Expa. Producer, Psyon Games

                                                      The guest speaker at the Expa monthly meetup, Rory Warwick, associated producer at Dreamloop games talks                                                             with Wanda O’rly and Dmytro Zhovtobryukh about blind faith, work life in Finland and drawing parallel lines from                      seemly different jobs from other industries.’

 

To hear the full podcast click here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ig7rpEI0pMx98hYMf837r

 

Podcast teaser

 

What makes Finland a welcoming environment or challenging environment for international talent in games?

The Finnish game awards, Rory stated, is a great example of how the games industry remains supportive of one another considering that it could easily turn in a competitive market. It feels as if Finland is competing against the world as opposed to single companies and that a “rising tide lifts all ships” attitude prevalent in Finland. Dmytro agreed with that opinion adding, “it is a mantra for Finland that it is a community effort and new people arriving from the outside are surprised to learn this. It is natural that we do not compete as the country’s population is so small.”

 

Other topics covered in the podcast:

  • The flip side of the coin. What are challenges when working in Finland?
  • How did you experience translate into the games industry?
  • How did you find the courage to make the change?
  • For an international student or career changer, what practical advice, how can a person do to increase the chances of getting their first steps into the Finnish games industry?

 

To hear the full discussion click here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ig7rpEI0pMx98hYMf837r 

 

The monthly meet-up evenings in the Digi&Game center is a chance to hear important insights from industry leaders and to network with game development professionals. At the event we host  Game DemoCorner where people can show-off their latest creations be in a video or board game!

 

Find out more about our events here: https://expa.fi/expa-events/

May meet up with Rory wawick
May meet up with Rory wawick

Peliosuuskunta Expa / IGDA Finland Jyväskylä Hub Meetup #4 / 2026 (28.04.2026) Henri Lindgren, CEO, Kokoon Games

Guest: Henri Lindgren. Founder & CEO, Kokoon Games. 
Topic: The Early Game : Navigating the shit-show that is an early stage game studio
Time: 18:00
Interviewer: Wanda O Rly (Valtteri Lahti, chairman of Expa)

Date
: Tue 28.04.2026
Where: LIVE @ Digi & Game Center, Matarankatu 2
– STREAM on Expa’s Twitch channel:

SCHEDULE
17:30 Doors open
18:00 Streaming starts, interview with TBA
18:30 Q&A with TBA
19:00 Free mingling on-site

#DemoCornerJKL is open for all to showcase their things at event

 

 

Peliosuuskunta Expa / IGDA Finland Jyväskylä Hub Meetup #4 / 2026

(28.04.2026)

Henri Lindgren, CEO, Kokoon Games

The Future of Gaming Takes the Stage: Bit1 Semifinals Held at Jyväskylä Digi & Game Center

The hunt for Finland’s next hit game reached a fever pitch in Jyväskylä as the Bit1 Semifinals took over the Digi & Game Center. Student teams showcased their talent, competing for a coveted spot in the national finals.

 

 

JYVÄSKYLÄ – The atmosphere at the Digi & Game Center (DGC) was electric as the Bit1 competition, Finland’s largest contest for student game developers, arrived for its regional semifinal. The event brought together the brightest young minds to pitch their projects to a jury of industry veterans.

A Hub for Innovation

The choice of venue was no coincidence. As the heart of the Central Finnish game industry, the Digi & Game Center provided the perfect backdrop for the event and a faithful audience.  A few exciting game demos were showcased by aspiring Jamk student teams, including an impressive 2D retro-style metroidvania side-scroll shooter made by a solo dev and a couple of promising indie co-op multiplayer romps for “friendslop” lovers. 

 

Insights from the Core: A Conversation with Dmytro Zhovtobryukh

Among the industry veterans guiding the next generation was Dmytro Zhovtobryukh, a central figure in the Finnish game education and development scene. An indie studio founder with a decade of leadership experience behind his back, a board member and Vice Chair of Expa Game Business Hub, and a lecturer at Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Dmytro’s has a rather unique perspective. He has experienced Bit1 from every possible angle: as an audience member, a judge, and a lead organizer.

Bridging the Gap Between Lectures and Legend

For Dmytro, Bit1 is far more than just a competition; it is a vital laboratory for professional growth. While classrooms provide the foundation, Dmytro believes the “magic” happens when students step into the arena.

“Students learn significantly more through practical work like Bit1 than they do during traditional studies,” Dmytro explains. “It gives them a genuine feeling of  challenge and success, which is vital—it’s the kind of experience that truly ‘gives you wings.'”

He emphasizes that Bit1 serves as a reality check and a launchpad. It allows student teams to put theory into practice, helping them understand the industry’s inner workings while building the two pillars of a successful career: knowledge and connections.

The “Cave” Era is Over

When asked about the current state of game development, Dmytro is quick to dispel the myth of the lone developer. Today’s industry is as much about market and audience as it is about mechanics or pixels. Especially in a hub like Jyväskylä, the community is the catalyst for success.

“Success in game development requires more than just focused, solitary work,” he notes. In Dmytro’s view, effective networking is often the key to validating creative ideas and transforming a promising prototype into a viable product. Ultimately, technical proficiency works best when paired with the ability to communicate your vision to a broader, outside audience.

Advice for the Brave: “Baby Steps to Success”

For those looking to break into the industry or considering applying for future Bit1 events, Dmytro offers a mix of pragmatism and encouragement:

  • Be Bold and Brave: “Show your talent, even if it feels scary. You might feel like you don’t have what it takes yet, but you have to put those doubts aside and just do it!”
  • Master the Pitch: Dmytro views pitching as a craft. “It’s a skill, and to master it, you simply have to do it. Practice is essential; baby steps will eventually lead you to success.”
  • Find Your Edge: Don’t just follow trends. Find what makes your work unique and learn to communicate that “edge” clearly to your audience and business partners.

As the semifinals concluded at the Digi & Game Center, Dmytro’s message remained clear: the next generation of Finnish game developers needs every bit of help to truly shine — so Expa will by all means continue to pave the way to a brighter future for them. And events like the Bit1 contest will keep serving as low-barrier proving grounds to test their skills and ideas, one pitch at a time.

DGC Internship & Employment Day – Jamk Game Degree Edition | 2025 By Expa – 18.2.2025

2025-DGC-recruitmentday
DGC Internship & Employment Day - Jamk Game Degree Edition | 2025 By Expa

 

DGC Internship & Employment Day – Jamk Game Degree Edition | 2025 By Expa

This event is brought to you by Expa Game Business Cooperative.

 

Are you looking for internship in Game Industry?
Is your company looking for skilled game industry interns?

This in-person event is your opportunity to connect with Game Industry professionals and Digi & Game Center Community Companies.

 

Discover exciting career & Internship opportunities, and showcase your Skills and Motivation.

 

Whether you’re a recent Jamk graduate or a Jamk Student looking for an internship or looking to level up your career, this event is tailored for game enthusiasts like you.

In addition to matchmaking between students and companies, this year you can also participate The Entrepreneur Clinic: a coaching session for those students who are looking to complete their internship building a company of their own! The Entrepreneur clinic includes a lecture and a Q&A session with a seasoned game entrepreneur.

Don’t miss out on this chance to kickstart your journey in the game industry!

 

Companies that attended to the event on 18th Feb 2025:


 

Info about the Jamk intership program

General description:
The Jamk internship is a 5 month training period where the student intern becomes an integral part of the company workforce with real responsibilities, professional connections, output expectations and professional growth. The company will onboard the intern and provide guidance and the intern works diligently to deliver for well-defined company needs while actively developing their work life skills.

 

Intern skills:
The students applying for internships are Jamk Business Information Technology / Game Development students educated in

  • programming (C#, Unity + others)
  • arts
  • design
  • production
  • quality assurance
  • usability
  • marketing
  • team work
  • project management
  • business.

This skillbase is widely applicable for many types of digital and creative work for various use cases.

 

Target time:
Negotiable based on company needs and student curriculum, but the students are looking to start their internship during the spring, or latest by the end of summer.

 

Intern salary:
Negotiable based on company resources and intern needs.

 

Benefits for companies:
For companies looking for junior workforce, this is a great opportunity to do a 6 months low-risk trial period. Interns are also an excellent resource for project specific work. In several cases, the internship has led to a hiring.

 

Responsibilities for companies:

  • Making an internship contract with Jamk
  • A separate job contract for paid internships (+NDA if needed)
  • Guidance and mentoring throughout the internship period
  • Evaluation and reporting based on Jamk criteria
  • Contact kalle.raijonkari@jamk.fi for additional info and questions

 

 

Info about The Entrepreneur Clinic

Before starting your entreprenur internship make sure you have

  • a business plan
  • a cash flow statement
  • convinced your guiding teacher (Kalle Raijonkari) that your activities aim for a career as an entrepreneur.

 

The internships completed at the students’ own company are completed similarly to any other internships. However, the students don’t need to create a business ID during the internship because game companies are often formed around an existing product with a promising outlook. This way it is safer to complete the internship even if the outcome is that the business idea doesn’t work well enough.

 

Learn more about
Jamk University of Applied Sciences ,Studies at Game Production degree programme in business information technology.

https://www.jamk.fi/en/apply-to-Jamk/bachelors-degree/study-game-production-and-become-a-bba-in-our-degree-programme-in-business-information-technology

Venue:
Digi & Game Center
Matarankatu 2
40100 Jyväskylä
Finland

How to Get to the Digi & Game Center?
https://youtu.be/zG9dPwpSa6o

Signing up for the event is required via Eventbrite

See you there!

*Schedule may change without prior notice.


The Event is made by
Peliosuuskunta Expa (Expa Game Business Co-operative)

 

Learn more and join our networks check Linktree: https://linktr.ee/peliosuuskuntaexpa

 

If Your Company wants to join the event to offer internships and jobs please contact directly Peliosuuskunta Expa, Vice Chairman Tuomas Roininen email tuomas.roininen@expa.fi


 

Trying to find a new location for your company?

Jyväskylä’s Business Development Services offers soft landing service, and it is free of charge; a turn-key package to get you settled and started in Jyväskylä. Together, you can make a plan with the personnel of Jyväskylä’s Business Development Services to get you established, map out your options for existing premises or a greenfield site for new ones, They will help you also to find the right partners for you in the region, and give you a picture of what staff may be available.

 

Jyväskylä’s Business Development Services

Take the leap and contact us, let’s find the best opportunities for your business in Jyväskylä.

 

read more:
https://elinkeinopalvelut.jyvaskyla.fi/en/

Learn more about Jamk University of Applied Sciences

 

– Game Production, Business Information Technology, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

 

https://www.jamk.fi/en/Apply-to-Jamk/bachelors-degree/study-game-production-and-become-a-bba-in-our-degree-programme-in-business-information-technology

Learn all about Game Business Co-operative Expa:

https://expa.fi/

 

Expa Board Games is finally happening – Join us!

Expa Board Games

Expa Board Games Meetup 2024 (01.04.2024)

 

The Lonely dice needs some new friends!


Expa Board Games is finally happening.

 

Every Months first Monday 16-21 at Digi & Game Center, Matarankatu 2 40100 Jyväskylä

Start Monday 1.4.2024

 

The event is non alcoholic, snacks are welcome

 

#ExpaBoardGames is open for all to meet and hangout

 


The event is FREE and open for all

 

Be there – Socialize – Get Expa!

 

ExpaBoardGames.black

Expa Board Games

 

Check event details here:
https://www.digigamecenter.org/stageandevents/

Learn all about Game Business Co-operative Expa:

https://expa.fi/

 

23rd of April 2024 – Bit1 – PreBit at Jyväskylä coming with via Meetup, join now!

PB JKL

2024 Bit1 – PreBit at Jyväskylä coming!

The Expa Game Business Cooperative sets Jyväskylä in the nationwide Bit1 game development competition for students.

 

Come and present your own game!

 

We are organizing our own Prebit qualifying event, on Tuesday 23.4. At Digi & Game Center, with the monthly IGDA JKL Meetup event.

 

PreBit schedule at Jyväskylä

 

  • 16:00 Doors open at DGC
  • 16.30-16.40 Welcoming ceremony and judges’ introduction
  • 16.40-17 Pitches
  • 17.30-18 Judges game testing, free game testing for participants
  • 18-18.30 Judges retreat to discuss, free game testing for participants
  • 18.30-18.45 Judges announce winners, give the basics for the choices and photos
  • 19.00 – IGDA Finland Jyväskylä Meetup speakers
  • 20.00 – 20.15 Demo booth disassembling, Judges stay to discuss with participants proceeding to finals

 

*Please take note that our schedules are subject to changes, depending on the situation

 

The final will take place at the beginning of May in Espoo.

Invite the students of Jyväskylä to the prebit event:
https://www.digigamecenter.org/2024-bit1-prebit-at-jyvaskyla-coming/

 

You can register for the race here:
https://forms.gle/yjXfvZxMQW5qrb7q9

 

More information about the Bit1 competition:
https://www.bit1.fi/

 

Bit1

Bit1

 

Check more details here:
https://www.bit1.fi/

Learn all about Game Business Co-operative Expa:

https://expa.fi/

 

DGC Recruitment / internship event 14.3.2024 | Jamk University of Applied Sciences | Edition

2024_DGC-recruitment-event
DGC Recruitment Event - Jamk Game Degree Edition | 14.3.2024

 

Companies & Jamk Students, Come join the ultimate DGC Recruitment Event – Jamk Game Degree Edition on March 14, 2024!


DGC Recruitment Event – Jamk Game Degree Edition | 14.3.2024 by 
Peliosuuskunta Expa (Expa Game Business Co-operative)

 


Are you looking for internship in Game Industry?

 


Join us for the DGC Recruitment Event – Jamk Game Degree Edition on 14.3.2024 at the Digi & Game Center!

This in-person event is your opportunity to connect with Game Industry professionals and Digi & Game Center Community Companies. Discover exciting career & Internship opportunities, and showcase your Skills and Motivation.

 

Whether you’re a recentJamk graduate, Jamk Student looking for internship or looking to level up your career, this event is tailored for game enthusiasts like you.

 

Don’t miss out on this chance to kickstart your journey in the game industry!

Mark your calendars and join us at the DGC Recruitment Event – Jamk Game Degree Edition on 14.3.2024 at the Digi & Game Center.

—-
Companies Join now!

Company joining form to DGC Recruitment / Internship – Jamk Game Degree Edition on March 14, 2024 to the Digi & Game Center!

 

We wish to get as many companies as we can to the DGC Recruitment / Internship – Jamk Game Degree Edition, because now if ever it is super important to help student to get experience and the needed internship to be done so they can graduate.

 


This is Amazing opportunity for Companies
to be seen and find new fresh talent via 5-6 months internships.

 

Hop on the board and join us to the event and please share among the fellow game companies and people!

 

Also if your company wants to somehow sponsor the event its ofcourse doable, but the main point is that the event is fully FREE for companies to attend.

 

Please fill You details here to the form and we shall contact you asap for more details and needs.
https://forms.gle/V3P6kLJuJAKR7b4E9

—-

Learn more about

Jamk University of Applied Sciences ,Studies at Game Production degree programme in business information technology.

https://www.jamk.fi/en/apply-to-Jamk/bachelors-degree/study-game-production-and-become-a-bba-in-our-degree-programme-in-business-information-technology

—

Venue:
Digi & Game Center
Matarankatu 3
40100 Jyväskylä
Finland

 

How to Get to the Digi & Game Center?
https://youtu.be/zG9dPwpSa6o

 


Signing up for the event is required via Eventbrite

https://www.eventbrite.fi/e/dgc-recruitment-event-jamk-game-degree-edition-1432024-tickets-838442192167

 


See you there!

 


The Event is made by

Peliosuuskunta Expa (Expa Game Business Co-operative)
Learn more and join our networks scheck Linktree: https://linktr.ee/peliosuuskuntaexpa

 


If Your Company wants to join as presentative offering internships and jobs please contact directly
 Peliosuuskunta Expa, Vice Chairman Tuomas Roininen email tuomas.roininen@expa.fi

*Schedule may change without prior notice.

Companies that attended to the Digi & Game Center Recruitment event on 14th March 2024:

  • shall be added ongoing

Learn more about Jamk University of Applied Sciences

 

– Game Production, Business Information Technology, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

 

https://www.jamk.fi/en/Apply-to-Jamk/bachelors-degree/study-game-production-and-become-a-bba-in-our-degree-programme-in-business-information-technology

Learn all about Game Business Co-operative Expa:

https://expa.fi/

 

2023-2024 Game Industry Alumni Search Survey for Jyväskylä, Central Finland

JKL-Game-alumni-survey
Game Industry Alumni Search Survey for Jyväskylä, Central Finland

2023-2024 Game Industry Alumni Search Survey for Jyväskylä, Central Finland

The aim of this survey is to find people that have

  • Graduated from a Jyväskylä based university or school like JAMK University of Applied Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, HUMAK or Gradia etc.
  • and are now working in Game Industry
  • and/ or have been part of the Central Finland Game Industry scene at some point.
By finding these contacts Peliosuuskunta Expa – IGDA Finland Jyväskylä Hub  aims to
  • spread awareness about the activity of Peliosuuskunta Expa, Centeral Finland Game Industry hub
  • offer opportunities for nation-wide and international collaboration
  • offer opportunities for re-locating in Jyväskylä.
 This Do not mean that you would need to be graduated from game industry studies (still rarely people are)

This data is collected by Peliosuuskunta Expa – IGDA Finland Jyväskylä Hub for the use of networking with these people and to build the local community.

The data will also be used (in aggregated, anonymous way) in the Annual Central Finland Game Industry report for the City of Jyväskylä. The report will be publicly accessible when published. The names of the survey respondents are not shared in the report.

 


NOTE: This survey is not for the current Game Industry students in the scene.

 

Please Share the Love and use the link below to share the survey to your relevant contacts.
https://forms.gle/TJLDz1kdX5RYLibv6 

 

You can also use the link below to join our Game Industry Slack channel. It’s open for everyone to join.
https://join.slack.com/t/expajkl/shared_invite/zt-nqzb3yaq-gHCQRt79qtnzQk1~8M1J_Q

 
Thanks for taking the time to answer!

 

We shall invite the respondents to visit Digi & Game Center for a networking event in the future.

If want to know more about the details please feel free to contact:

 
Regards,
Tuomas Roininen
Vice Chairman of the Board
Peliosuuskunta Expa 

– Jyväskylä Game Industry Hub

Email: tuomas.roininen@expa.fi

Meanwhile Check:

 

Learn all about Digi & Game Center:

https://www.digigamecenter.org/

Learn all about Expa Game Business Co-operative:

https://expa.fi/