Annual Showcases & Events

SMU Guildhall hosts a number of events and showcases each year. Follow our News & Events page for announcements regarding these events and more.

Event Type: Student Competition
Time Frame: Every Spring, typically in February
Open-to-Public? No
In-Person or Online? Online
Details: The annual Esports Iron Skillet takes place between TCU and SMU's esports clubs each Spring. In past events, the teams have competed in League of Legends, Overwatch, Overwatch 2, Valorant, CS:GO, Rainbow Six Seige, and Rocket League. You can find recordings of the live-streamed competitions at .

Event Type: Student Work Showcase
Time Frame: Every Spring, typically early April
Open-to-Public? Yes
In-Person or Online? In-Person
Details: Guildhall students have the opportunity to prepare and present their work during the Graduate Poster Session at SMU Research and Innovation Week. Here, members of the SMU community and the public are invited to join us to learn about the groundbreaking research being done at SMU.

Event Type: Student Work Showcase
Time Frame: Every Spring, typically one week before graduation
Open-to-Public? Yes
In-Person or Online? In-Person
Details: The SMU Guildhall Master's Thesis Exhibition includes demonstrations of the graduating cohort's Thesis projects in Art Creation, Level Design, Production, and Programming. Thesis Exhibition participation is a required component for our Thesis students in the Master’s of Interactive Technology degree, as part of Thesis IV: Graduate Exhibition, for course credit and degree completion. The event is open to the public and takes place in the Spring semester each year, just prior to graduation. Follow our News & Events page for future event date announcements.

Event Type: Summer Camp
Time Frame: June and July, if announced for that year
Open-to-Public? Yes, Registration Required
In-Person or Online? In-Person
Details: SMU Guildhall's Advanced Game Design Academy is a rigorous two-week summer camp in which students create a video game using cutting edge game engine technology. It is open to students in grades 8-12.

Event Type: Student Competition
Time Frame: Every August during Orientation Weekend
Open-to-Public? Invitation Only
In-Person or Online? In-Person
Details: The SMU Guildhall GameJam is an annual student event which includes eight hours of quick, creative game development by each new incoming cohort. For many, this is their first experience creating a game in a team environment and gives them an exciting taste of the next two years of their life. The event follows new student Orientation and precedes the first day of Fall classes. Game Jam allows new students to get acquainted with one another as well as the Guildhall culture and its team game development process. The event was built around bonding through the passion of making games, serving as an icebreaker and bonding experience. In the GameJam, participants are divided into teams and develop video games, card games, and board games. The event encourages fun and the incorporation of wit and humor. Video games are produced in Unity and allow everyone involved to contribute to conception and development, whether students are experienced in Unity or new to the system.

Event Type: Student Work Showcase and Open Playtesting
Time Frame: Every Fall, typically in November
Open-to-Public? Yes
In-Person or Online? In-Person
Details: Each Fall, SMU Guildhall student teams bring their games to the public for playtesting in Beta stage. SMU students and the community are able to visit the playtest booth on campus to learn about the newest batch of student games, play them, and offer feedback as part of the quality and bug testing in our Team Game Production courses. Follow our News & Events page for future playtest event date announcements.

Event Type: Student Work Showcase
Time Frame: Every December, preceding winter break
Open-to-Public? Yes
In-Person or Online? In-Person
Details: At the end of each Fall semester, SMU Guildhall showcases the new games made by its students. Commonly also known as "Bagel Day," this event invites the SMU community, local game community, and the public to come and see our new games from our Team Game Production classes, some of which will be available for play the following semester on platforms such as Steam and Epic Game Store. Follow our News & Events page for future event date announcements.

Event Type: Keynote Presentation
Time Frame: As Announced
Open-to-Public? As Announced
In-Person or Online? As Announced
Details: SMU Guildhall's Game Changers Speaker Series and Industry Insights Speaker Series invites industry professionals to deliver special topics presentations to the Guildhall student body and community as an extension of the SMU Guildhall mission — to educate and inspire the next generation of video game developers. Both series are presented in collaboration with SMU Guildhall Career Services and Industry Relations.

Spring Events