LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 23, 2025--
Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company that helps developers launch, grow, and monetize their games, today announced a new partnership with Global Game Jam (GGJ) as the Headline Sponsor for the 2026 event cycle. This collaboration reinforces Xsolla’s commitment to supporting developers of all experience levels and expanding opportunities for creators across the international game development community.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251223955533/en/
The Global Game Jam brings together tens of thousands of participants from around the world each year to create games, learn new skills, and collaborate in a supportive, creative environment. Through this partnership, Xsolla and GGJ will introduce new educational experiences, co-branded content, and direct support that reaches aspiring developers and established creators alike.
This year’s diversifier is Cross-Platform Play, encouraging teams to design and create games that seamlessly connect across platforms, including PC, the web, and mobile. Core gameplay stays consistent, while the UI and controls can adjust based on the device. Teams can optionally connect their idea and game to other relevant GGJ diversifiers to add more creativity and discoverability to their game.
As part of the experience to support the creators, Xsolla will be hosting the GGJ at their office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and hosting additional workshops and providing all the things needed to help them launch, grow, and win.
“Global Game Jam embodies the spirit of creativity, experimentation, and community, driving our industry forward,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “We’re proud to support the incredible developers who come together each year to learn, collaborate, and build new ideas. Our focus is on providing clear pathways and practical resources to help creators take their projects further long after the jam concludes.”
Global Game Jam continues to expand as a key entry point for new talent and an international gathering place for developers, educators, students, and studios. The collaboration between Xsolla and GGJ strengthens the connection among learning, creation, and long-term opportunities for participants worldwide.
For more information about Global Game Jam, locations, and participation details, visit: globalgamejam.org
For more information about Xsolla’s sponsorship of Global Game Jam, visit: https://xsolla.pro/globalgamejam2026
About Xsolla
Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute, market, and monetize their games. Grounded in the belief in the future of video games, Xsolla is resolute in the mission to bring opportunities together, and continually make new resources available to creators. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, Xsolla operates as the merchant of record and has helped over 1,500+ game developers to reach more players and grow their businesses around the world. With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.
For more information, visit xsolla.com
About Global Game Jam
The Global Game Jam (GGJ) is the world’s largest game creation event, bringing together developers, artists, and creators of all experience levels to innovate, experiment, and create games within a 48-hour period. GGJ fosters creativity, collaboration, and learning within a global community of game makers.
For more information, visit: globalgamejam.org
(Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla)
(Graphic: Xsolla)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — England's managing director of men's cricket Rob Key says he will investigate the drinking habits of the England team following reports that their mid-Ashes beach resort break may have involved over-indulging of alcohol.
England lost each of the first three tests to allow Australia to retain the Ashes in just 11 days of on-field action.
The England squad visited the resort town of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane between the second and third tests, a long-planned part of the itinerary designed to help players relax and unwind on the long tour.
A video emerged on Tuesday which appeared to show England's opening batter Ben Duckett unable to remember how to get back to the hotel.
In the video posted on X, Duckett was apparently talking with a group of people. When a woman asked if he knew how to get home, he allegedly replied “No" and the conversation then continues with Duckett appearing disorientated.
Another video posted on social media showed batter Jacob Bethell dancing in a club. Bethell, however, has not played in the test series so far.
According to multiple reports, the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement that it was aware of content circulating online but that it would not comment further until it had established the facts.
Duckett has been one of test cricket's most productive openers in the past couple of years at test level and in the shorter one day international format.
He entered the series with six test hundreds and was touted by some observers to make an impact in Australia with his crisp and decisive stroke-making. But his tendency to rarely leave the ball coincided with his form dipping considerably during the Ashes series, with a top score of 29 from six innings.
In the third test, Duckett was finding his free-flowing form with 29 scored from 30 balls before being bowled by premier spinner Nathan Lyon playing a somewhat defensive shot.
In the second innings, with England trying to save the match and the series, Duckett lasted two balls. He hit a fine four off Pat Cummins and was then caught off the next delivery from Cummins when he played a shot well away from his body.
Key, who did not join the players in Noosa, earlier said he had no problem with the break, but would not be happy if he found evidence of over-indulging.
“If there’s things where people are saying that our players went out and drank excessively, then of course we’ll be looking into that,” he said Tuesday in Melbourne, where the fourth test begins Friday.
“Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol for an international cricket team is not something that I’d expect to see at any stage and it would be a fault not to look into what happened there. From everything that I’ve heard so far, they actually were pretty well behaved. Very well behaved.”
He added: “We’ve got enough ways of finding out exactly what happened and everything that I’ve heard so far that they sat down, had lunch, had dinner, didn’t go out late, all of that, had the odd drink. I don’t mind that. If it goes past that, then that’s an issue as far as I’m concerned."
Key also said he had previously looked into reports that players had been spotted drinking the night before a match in New Zealand shortly before the Ashes.
A short clip of white-ball captain Harry Brook and Bethell was shared by a member of the public on social media, said to have been taken while they were out in Wellington before the third one-day international on Nov. 1.
“I didn’t feel like that was worthy of formal warnings, but it was probably worthy of informal ones,” he said.
“I think that was a bit of a wake-up call actually for what they’re going into. I don’t mind players having a glass of wine over dinner. Anything more than that, I think is ridiculous, really.”
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Australian players celebrate the dismissal of England's Jamie Smith during play on the final day of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
