ARCADATHON Apply for a seat · very limited

Upcoming live events · Next up: VIBETOBER · Live online · Ages 13+

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ARCADATHON

Build your own arcade game in one live day.

A guided, live, one-day creation sprint: you design, build, soundtrack and playtest your very own arcade game, then get it ready to publish. Small cohorts, real facilitators, serious fun.

Apply for a seat · very limited See how the day works

Local review flow only — no payment is connected.

LIVE COHORTSTAGED UNLOCKSREAL-TIME SUPPORTPLAYTEST + SHIP

01 · WHY LIVE

Join the excitement.

Positive pressure produces results. Join the Arcadathon community.

01

Structure

One capability at a time. Students keep creative control without facing a blank six-hour chat.

02

Support

Checkpoint restore, rescue prompts and a human facilitator when the first fix does not work.

03

Cohort

Build alongside other teenagers, observe a real playtest and finish in a shared arcade opening.

04

Follow-through

A moderated release pathway and project access after the event—not a disposable workshop file.

02 · THE LIVE DAY

One day. Eight deliberate unlocks.

After a calm arrival check and a playable opening demo, the whole group moves through eight clear creation stages together. Fast builders use Power-Ups; nobody races ahead into later stages.

  1. 09:15

    01

    1. Game DNA

    Choose the player fantasy, arcade style, controls, goal and the feeling the game should create.

  2. 09:40

    02

    2. First Light

    Turn the idea into a working first version with controls, a goal, a challenge and a restart.

  3. 10:25

    03

    3. Loop Lab

    Make the core game loop more interesting, replayable and fairly challenging.

  4. 11:05

    04

    4. Art Drop

    Give the game a distinctive visual identity using browser-native graphics and animation.

  5. 13:00

    05

    5. Sound Lab

    Add useful sound and audio feedback that makes every action feel more alive.

  6. 13:35

    06

    6. Playtest Exchange

    Watch another person play, collect honest feedback and choose the change that matters most.

  7. 14:15

    07

    7. Polish Lab

    Improve clarity, controls, accessibility and reliability until the game is ready to release.

  8. 15:00

    08

    8. Ship Room

    Validate, moderate and publish the finished game, then open the arcade for everyone to play.

ARCADATHON MUSIC LIBRARY

Original arcade music? You got it!

Hundreds of original arcade backing tracks, made for Arcadathon by Lapeche Music and tagged by style, mood, energy, tempo and game type. On the day you search it with your Game DNA and pick the track that makes your game feel right.

Loading the library…

Browse the whole library

Loading the library…

03 · READY TO ROCK · SEVEN DAYS OUT

Ready to rock? Let’s get ready.

Exactly 7 days before the event, Ready to Rock unlocks. As you have made a commitment to us, we will commit to supporting your preparation—and give you a taste of the workflow you’ll use on the day.

Draft policy — wording requires Graham and Max approval
Cancellation/refund is available until 7 days before the event. At that point the booking becomes committed and the pre-event Warm-up unlocks.

Preview Ready to Rock
PRE-EVENT ACCESST−7 DAYS
07DAYS
  1. Booking confirmedParent contact + cohort selected
  2. Ready to Rock availableSetup checks · controls · audio · ChatGPT · a taste of the workflow
  3. Real game lockedGame DNA and starter prompt arrive on event day
STUCKIE · PLAYER SUPPORTIf you’re stuck,
he’s your first port of call.
“I’ll try the quick checks with you. If that doesn’t solve it, I’ll raise a support flag with the details already attached.”

04 · BUILT-IN HELP

Meet Stuckie.

Meet Stuckie, your personal AI assistant for the event. If you’re stuck, he’s your first port of call—ready to support you with technical difficulties and guide you towards human help whenever you need it.

Meet Stuckie

05 · THE PEOPLE

Human support at the moments that matter.

Arcadathon began with one unforgettable afternoon and grew into a carefully designed live creation experience.

Max

The inspiration behind Arcadathon

During a holiday with friends, Max spent an afternoon vibe coding video games with their kids for fun—and it became the highlight of the holiday. He brought the concept to Graham, and Arcadathon was created.

Graham

International educator · event learning designer · lead facilitator

Graham designed the Arcadathon learning experience and leads participants through the event on the day.

Canant

Technical support during the event

Canant is our IT guy and will be there to help make sure everything runs super smoothly on the day.

05 · FOR PARENTS

Serious about a good room.

The public promise stays within what the product can support and what still needs specialist approval.

Parent-led booking

A parent or guardian makes the booking and remains the primary contact.

Display names by default

Public game identity is separate from school and contact information.

Moderated release

A game is checked before it can appear in the public arcade, with withdrawal and recovery paths built into the local system.

Staged, recoverable building

Version checkpoints and facilitator catch-up paths reduce the cost of a bad AI revision or a student getting stuck.

06 · THE OFFER

US$99 for the live event.

Want to team up with a friend for the experience? As long as you use the same screen, they can join for free.

  • 6 live, facilitated hours with a small cohort
  • Seven-day pre-event setup Warm-up
  • Staged prompts, checkpoints and stuck-point support
  • Peer playtesting and a moderated release pathway
  • Follow-up access to the student’s Arcadathon project
  • Bring a friend for free

Choose your event day

Choose between Wednesday 14 October and Wednesday 21 October 2026. Each live event is limited to 20 paid places.

Choose the October event date that works best for you. Each live event is limited to 20 paid places.

07 · QUESTIONS

FAQ

Why pay for a live event if ChatGPT can make code?

Because code generation is only one small part of finishing something worth playing. Arcadathon provides the sequence, live facilitation, cohort energy, tested prompts, checkpoint recovery, peer observation, moderation and a finish line.

Does the participant need to know how to code?

No. Students direct, test and evaluate; AI handles much of the syntax. Experienced students can push further without leaving beginners behind.

What happens seven days before?

The booking reaches its commitment point, the setup Warm-up unlocks and the participant receives a Game DNA Google Form. That is when they choose their game style and creative direction, test their browser, audio, Google Meet and ChatGPT access, and get ready for event day. The real game project remains locked.

What if they get stuck?

Every stage includes a rescue prompt, a last-good checkpoint and a visible way to ask Graham. The Arcadathon support helper handles common setup issues first and can raise a support flag when self-help is not enough.

What software do we need?

A modern browser and a ChatGPT account. A ChatGPT account is required, and we recommend ChatGPT Plus for the event. You may use the Free version, but you are responsible for managing its usage allowance and Arcadathon cannot restore or extend access if that allowance runs out. No development tools or coding setup are required.

Can the Bring a Friend for Free option be used for a younger sibling?

Yes. A younger sibling may join on the same screen, as long as the lead participant is aged 13 or over and remains in charge of the ChatGPT account and the game-building process.

Do we need the paid version of ChatGPT?

We recommend ChatGPT Plus for the event. You may use the Free version, but you will need to manage its usage allowance yourself. Unfortunately, Arcadathon cannot restore or extend access if the Free allowance runs out during the event.

What can they do before event day?

Only the setup Warm-up. It uses neutral practice content to teach the build → test → iterate loop and does not reveal a starter prompt, Game DNA or any way to begin the real project early.

Can I sign up for more than one event?

Yes, of course. Each event is a chance to create a new arcade game, so joining three events could give you three games to submit for moderated publication on the Arcadathon website—and more opportunities to qualify for a future judged leaderboard.

What is the cancellation/refund point?

The proposed workflow allows cancellation/refund until 7 days before the event, then commits the booking as the Warm-up opens. This is product-flow copy only; final legal and commercial wording requires Graham and Max approval.

6 hours · A ChatGPT account is required, and we recommend ChatGPT Plus for the event. You may use the Free version, but you are responsible for managing its usage allowance and Arcadathon cannot restore or extend access if that allowance runs out. · Cancellation/refund is available until 7 days before the event. At that point the booking becomes committed and the pre-event Warm-up unlocks. · hello@thearcadathon.com · Commercial entity to be confirmed by Graham and Max

Coders, are you ready?

08 · APPLY

Apply for the event

Choose a cohort and register through the existing tested local booking foundation. Nothing leaves this local review build.

  • US$99 per paid seat
  • Ages 13+
  • 6 live hours
  • Warm-up opens at T−7 days

Book your Arcadathon places

Choose how many paid places you want, then enter the lead participant’s details. Each place is US$99. Your booking is confirmed only after successful payment.

Planned payment methods: Visa, Mastercard and PayPal. Payment is not connected in this local preview.

US$99 per paid place. Add as many places as you need. Bring-a-friend guests sharing the same screen do not need a separate paid place.

Booking totalUS$99

We’ll collect the other participants’ details after payment when booking more than one place.

Minimum age 13

All dates run 09:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 16:00, Bangkok time (GMT+7).

Parent/guardian consent

Full refund available when cancelled at least 7 days before the event. No booking is confirmed until payment succeeds.