Over the past few months, we’ve been crunching in the lab, reflecting on our alpha to date, and charting out the future of Jamango!.

Today, we wanted to share some of the decisions we’ve made, provide some context on how we’ve landed here, and give you a taste of what’s to come. The next chapter begins now.

Here’s the TLDR:

• We’re launching our new engine API and introducing the ability to write line code to make games on Jamango! this week. This dramatically increases the ceiling for the types of experiences you can now create in Jamango!.
• We’re developing an updated wrench experience with “traits”, lowering the barrier to entry for aspiring creators to take their first steps into game creation.
• We’re discontinuing support for the node editor in favour of the code editor. Creators who want to bring old worlds forward will need to rebuild their logic using code.

Reflections: Lessons From our Alpha

Eighteen months ago, we launched the first working version of Jamango! in closed alpha. It was an exciting time to put this platform into the hands of creators and start gathering real feedback. For those that have been around from the start, you’ll know how far Jamango! has come since then.

Back then, we had basic building tools and a node editor where scripts were tied to individual blocks, there was no code reusability, little physics interactions, and no real programming fundamentals. We quickly discovered the limitations that creators were running into, and the desire for more capabilities to build fun and engaging experiences.

As we learned alongside our community, we saw two groups emerging:

1. Aspiring creators who had the ambition to make engaging, playable experiences, who were often frustrated by the limitations of nodes.
2. New creators who wanted to create with Jamango!, but found the concepts to making their first game with nodes complicated and difficult to grasp.

At Jamango!, our ambition has always been to create a truly accessible game creation platform, where anyone can start creating instantly in the browser. We also wanted to provide a pathway for new creators to ‘level-up’, to learn and improve in a community of like-minded creators, and ultimately to build truly engaging, standalone games that any players can play.

Upon reflection, we found only having nodes for scripting put us in a difficult position where the aspiring creators wanted more, and the new creators struggled to get started.

Raising the ceiling, and lowering the floor

These realisations made us ask a difficult question - ‘is developing and supporting the node editor worth the time that we’re investing into it at this stage?’

We explored whether introducing line coding could raise the ceiling, while also offering an even more accessible entry point for new creators through our ‘traits’ system. As we developed this further, it became clear this was the right direction for Jamango!.

So what does this mean exactly:

• Raising the ceiling → Line coding is coming. For creators with programming experience, this update will feel like overdue news. Coding in Jamango! has been one of the most heavily requested features since the alpha launched.
• Lowering the floor → With our upcoming traits experience, creators with no coding experience will be able to build blocks, create props, and use ‘traits’ to add logic to anything in their worlds. Imagine building your own helicopter in blocks with your friend, selecting it with the wrench and adding a “Helicopter” trait, to then jump in and fly away - magic!

Our intention is to provide a library of useful traits for beginner creators to be able to play with, this will be the perfect starting point to those wanting to make their first Obby, Quest or PVP game for example. Anyone will be able to come into Jamango! and start bringing their ideas to life in a way that's fun and immersive.

For those new to coding, we want Jamango! to be a great place to start your game creation journey. We’ve designed our coding API to be approachable, not only by choosing JavaScript (one of the most widely used and supported programming languages in the world), but also by making the API design simple and intuitive for anyone to learn. Additionally, we will be launching the 🎓 Jamango! Academy, which will include learning content for first timers that want to upskill and grow alongside the ecosystem.

The hard decision: Removing the node editor

To move Jamango! forward, we had to make a tough call: we are officially removing and discontinuing support for the node editor.

This was not an easy decision for us. We know many creators in the community enjoy nodes as a visual alternative to code. Supporting both systems would slow development and ultimately hold Jamango! back, given our capacity and focus at this stage.

If you have any questions about this transition, please feel free to message the team in Discord - we are available!

So, what’s next?

As we open this new chapter, we will also be launching a tonne of new initiatives which we will be sharing over the coming weeks. Here is a taste of some of what’s to come:

• 🫂 Updates to Discord, roles and a new structure to the community.
• 📈 Elevated games being published from our studio team!
• 🦹 Avatar ownership updates (with cosmetic rewards for all our OGs!).
• 🚀 Upcoming launch with distributor to welcome player audiences.
• 🎓 The launch of the Jamango! Academy.
• 🏆 Our biggest game jam yet.

With our player beta launch coming in Q4, every bug report, suggestion, creation, and world built today is laying the foundation for tomorrow. If you want to be part of this journey and help shape the future of Jamango!, now’s the time to jump in!

— Richie (Sundance)