The plan was pretty straightforward: Host a dozen or so kids for a 48-hour video game design competition. Picture Red Bulls and potato chips and teams of hoodie-clad teenagers creating the world’s next super-popular video games.

Barrington resident Joe Granato hosted a site for the recent “Global Game Jam Next” competition. Granato, who owns Bitmask Games in the Barrington Shopping Center, said the video game design contest is usually limited to 20-somethings and older folks. They load up on caffeine and junk food and crash in sleeping bags under their desks when they need a quick recharge.

But this year was the first time organizers opened up Global Game Jam to the younger generation: kids between the ages of 12 and 17. 

Granato said the young gamers acted similarly to their older counterparts — they ate plenty of chips and candy, and periodically wandered across the shopping center parking lot to CVS to reload on energy drinks. 

Granato said there were a few differences, however: Some of the competitors had a curfew. One of the young game designers went home on the first night and never returned; he apparently had a little too late-night excitement. Others veered slightly from Granato’s advice heading into the competition. He warned his students to avoid working with different, unfamiliar types of software. They chose otherwise.

But some of the students performed very well in the high-pressure environment, Granato said. 

“They were great,” he added. 

Granato continues to be impressed with the young students who attend classes at Bitmask Games. He opened up the studio a little more than a year ago, having been drawn to share his love of video games with others. 

Granato grew up a gamer-kid, but not solely as a game-player. He discovered quickly that gaming drove his ambition and fueled his creativity. In the late 1980s, a young Joe Granato designed his first video game — he drew it out on paper and sent the plans to Nintendo Power, a video game news and strategy magazine. 

“I waited all summer for it (the reply) to come back,” Granato said. His long wait was rewarded with a form letter notifying him that the company could not accept outside game ideas. His game, “Mystic Searches,” was a no-go… at least for the time being. 

Granato moved on to other pursuits. He went to film school, toured with a rock band, and eventually stumbled into a teaching job — it was his first experience teaching kids about video game development. 

“I loved it,” Granato said.

Years (and a few jobs) later, Granato returned to “Mystic Searches” after being persuaded by a business partner to follow through on his first plans for a video game. He dug out the old box that held the paperwork and then decided to document the process on film. Granato said Adam Goldberg, of “The Goldbergs” TV show fame, produced the film. They entered “The New Eight-Bit Heroes” in film festivals and it may still be available on the internet. But the documentary garnered even more excitement from game designers who were interested in the tools Granato used while building “Mystic Searches.” 

The entire experience left Granato pulled back toward teaching. Shortly after moving to Barrington — he had taken a job at Roger Williams University a few years ago — Granato decided to take a chance and open his own video game school. 

On Jan. 1, 2024, he moved into the space above Barrington Books and was teaching a class two months later. Bitmask Games offers semester-long classes, summer camps and programs for school vacation weeks. 

Granato admits it was a risky endeavor, but the work is very rewarding. He said some of his students display impressive skills — there are some kids he would hire right now if he was running a design team. 

Others are still developing their skills. Interest levels vary, a bit. Granato said the students have the opportunity to create and, if there is interest, possibly sell their video games. 

Bitmask students are currently mid-way through the spring semester classes. Granato said he plans to offer a special program for April vacation. He would also like to create classes that would allow for kids to work side-by-side with their parents. Granato has two children and loves the opportunity to work with them on video games. 

Granato said he would love to open his studio for another round of Global Game Jam. He said he cannot wait to see what the future holds for some of his students. 

“We’re going to continue to do events like that throughout the year,” he said.