What's a game jam, anyway?

If you're new to the wonderful world of game jams, welcome! A game jam is an event in which participants gather (online or physically) to make games in a limited period of time. A lot of jams are built around a particular theme.

When is it, exactly?

Jam Starts: Monday, June 21st, 2021 at 12AM (Pacific Time)

Jam Ends: Thursday, July 1st, 2021 at 11:59PM (Pacific Time)

Here's the detailed breakdown: You can start jamming at 12:00 AM (Pacific) Monday, which many people think of as still being Sunday night. So, you have all of Monday (21st), until Thursday (July 1st) until 11:59PM (Pacific) to make a game. Your game must be uploaded before 11:59 PM (Pacific) on Thursday night. As soon as the jam ends, judging begins. Judging lasts for a week until Wednesday, July 7th. After that, we'll announce the 3 winners!

How do I enter the jam?

First, read the Rules and register, and then:

• If you don't already have a Game Jolt account, create one.

• After the jam begins, submit your game in the Games channel. (Click your avatar at the top right of the page, then hit the "Add Game" button on the dropdown menu to get started.)

• Make a game and upload during the development hours.

• Remember to publish your game release AND your game page.

What is the theme for the jam?

A social party game that can be played with friends, so think multiplayer!

Here are some examples to get your ideas flowing:

• Social obstacle course game (Fall guys)

• Social Trivia/Drawing games (Jack Box)

• Collaborative games (Overcooked)

• Combat, versus matches (Tower Fall)

Turn-Based games like:
Pokemon, Hearthstone, Magic: The Gathering, Pocket Cowboys

Battle Arena games like:
- Agar IO
- Bumper IO
- Brawl Stars

Be sure to check out Beamable's sample projects to get rolling quickly!

Where do I find teammates?

Collaborations and group efforts are welcome! You can find people looking to team up in the Find Teams channel.

Who judges the games?

Game Jolt, AWS and Beamable judges will be playing through the games and picking the 3 winners.

Are there prizes?

Yes! The 3 winners will receive prizes!

🏆 1st Place

$5,000 + Twitch.tv homepage feature + Publisher Pitch 

🏆 2nd Place

$2,000 + Twitch.tv homepage feature + Publisher Pitch

🏆 3rd Place

$1,000 + Twitch.tv homepage feature + Publisher Pitch

All 3 winners will get a chance to play their creations on the homepage of Twitch.tv with a Twitch partnered streamer!

The following week, the 3 winners will have the opportunity to virtually pitch their games over a video call to a panel of publishers and investors for the possibility of additional funding!

Do I have to live in the United States to participate?

Due to contest regulations for this jam, you have to live in the United States to be able to win the prizes.

There's this game I've been working on, can I use it?

No. Hey, have you read the rules? Jam entries must be made during the development period (before Thursday, July 1st, 11:59PM Pacific).

Can my game use graphics and audio that I didn't create?

Yes, but you must have permission or a license.

Click here for free music you can use in your game

Does it matter what I use to make my game?

It doesn't matter. You can use any pre-existing game creation tool, engine, language, or programming library.

Beamable will provide Unity sample projects for building Turn-Based or Battle-Arena games that give all Unity developers a starting point to make rapid use of Beamable Live Game Platform features!

Learn about Beamble here: https://gamejolt.com/c/partyjam/beamble

Join Beamable's Discord for support: https://discord.gg/UHjf25h

Does my game have to run on a certain platform (browser, Windows, OUYA, etc.)?

Windows operating system is required but you're more than welcome to add versions supporting other platforms.

Does my game have to have controller support?

We can use a keyboard and mouse, Xbox one or a PlayStation controller. Be sure to include the controller type we should use in the description section of your game page.

Can I update my game after the deadline?

No. We have a hard deadline for this jam so be sure to give yourself enough time to upload your game.

Do I retain ownership of my game?

Yes, you retain all rights and ownership of your game.

Does my game have to be free?

Yes. All games entered must be completely free.

Won't some people cheat and start their game early?

Sure, a few people might cheat and start making a game early. We'll do everything we can to weed out cheaters, and we have our ways. But frankly, it's not that big of a concern, since cheaters generally don't win game jams. For more details, see this thorough discussion of cheating.

Still have questions? Post them in the FAQ channel for one of the organizers to answer.