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Gamedev.js Jam celebrates Web games - build an HTML5 game within 13 days of the jam on a given theme, it runs between April 13th, 5 PM CET and April 26th, 5 PM CET 2023. Also, there are prizes!
Theme for this year's jam is TIME. Remember that your entry will be judged based on how well you implement the theme, but you can interpret it however you like.
Join us no matter your skill level - this game jam is a perfect opportunity to create your very first game, or build a prototype for your next commercial hit. Almost two weeks of development time should be more than enough!
You can use #gamedevjs hashtag on Twitter to share your progress, ask for feedback, see what others are building and hopefully help them out if they need it. There's also a Discord server for direct communication!
Check out all the editions to see how the competition evolved over the years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020.
This Jam is organized by Andrzej Mazur from Enclave Games, creator of the js13kGames competition.
There are optional Challenges in the Jam - entries submitted to those will be judged separately by the panels of dedicated experts, and each offer unique prizes for the best games.
You are free to take on any of them, selected few, or even all at once.
Challenger: GitHub
Description: Provide the source code of your entry on GitHub in a readable form to have a chance of being featured in a dedicated blog post on GitHub Blog.
Prize pool: $500 in GitHub shop vouchers
Experts: Michelle Mannering, Ewa Mazur, Ania Kubów
Challenger: CrazyGames
Description: Make a web game inspired by the core theme of any great classic Flash game, and give it an inspired modern twist with multiplayer, clicker, or hyper/hybrid casual mechanics.
See these Flash games for inspiration. An example: the Motherload one, where the core element is digging for resources and selling them, and the new twist is turning it into an online battle for resources.
Prize pool: publishing deal and 2750 EUR
Experts: Raf Mertens, Rafael Morgan
Challenger: Game7
Description: Feeling inspired to leverage blockchain technologies for your game submission? Take part in the Web3 Challenge from Game7! We hope to see interesting experiments with smart contracts, NFT minting, in-game marketplace tokens and more... Submissions will be judged on the quality of the blockchain integration and the extent to which it enhances the gameplay experience.
No idea where to start? Check out the Web3 Game Dev Knowledge Base document! Here are the ideas for projects you can tackle or build on top of:
Prize pool: 5000 USDC
Experts: Leon Do, Brett Cleary
Challenger: Arcadia
Description: Greetings, Sparkbreakers! We are looking for brilliant game developers such as yourselves to create games with us at arcadia.fun. If your game can incorporate Arcadia lore and assets, you will qualify for the Arcadians Challenge.
Bonus points will be given to developers who can integrate their games with Arcadia APIs such as tournaments and leaderboards, reach out to us on Discord to find out how to do so! Your journey begins here: arcadians.io/lore
You can use the cross-game renderer as the source for Arcadians images at xgr.opgames.org.
Prize pool: 1500 USDC and 3 Arcadians NFTs
Experts: Paul Gadi, Taufik Sani
Challenger: Overlord
Description: Attention, game developers of the earthly realm! The Overlord has summoned you to rise and accept his open challenge. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is simple - create games for the Overlord. As a reward for your efforts, the Overlord will bestow upon you his blessings and a share of his prized loot obtained from his invasions.
To qualify for this challenge, your games must meet the requirement of incorporating Overlord lore and assets. So gather your skills and creativity and prepare to join the Overlord! Bonus points for adding as many assets & characters from the Overlord universe (more the merrier).
Repository for lore & assets is available here.
Prize pool: 1 genesis Creepz NFT (~$2500)
Experts: Joe Carnell, Dominic Smith
Challengers: OP Games, Overlord, Game7
Description: Let’s build on the promise of interoperability! One cool thing that NFTs can do is to be usable across games. Imagine your Arcadian duking it out with a Creepz, or having your Nouns equipping Loot Divine Robes. The permissionless nature of smart contracts and open-source allows us to build these cross-game mechanics.
You can qualify for this challenge if your game uses assets from the Arcadians collection along with other collections. This challenge is compatible with the Arcadians by OP Games, Web3 by Game7, and Overlord's Arena by Overlord challenges, so try and achieve all three!
You can use the cross-game renderer as a starting point: xgr.opgames.org
Prize pool: 500 USDC and 3 Arcadians NFTs
Experts: Paul Gadi, Allan Patel
There are two levels of prizes: for all the entries, and for given Challenges.
Those prizes will be given to the best entries of the overall ranking on Itch.io:
Given prizes from the overall results assigned to specific places for the available criteria.
Winners will also be promoted via our Twitter, on the gamedevjs.com website, and in the Gamedev.js Weekly newsletter.
Panel of experts giving feedback to your entries (with their top5 picks each), or judging games from given Challenges.
Michelle Mannering
@MishManners | mishmanners.com
Michelle is a Developer Advocate in the realms of innovation and technology. Known as the “Hackathon Queen” 👑 you'll often find her on stage MC’ing or speaking on a range of topics from artificial intelligence, to business, community engagement, the future of work, and esports. With a background in both science and arts, Michelle has a passion for gaming and combines this with her experience in a range of industries. Michelle brings a unique insight into gaming and is a gaming journalist and Twitch Streamer too!
Ewa Mazur
@mypoint13k | mypoint.pl
Graphic Designer, mom and wife. Open source and mobile games enthusiast. Making game designs for Enclave Games, t-shirt designs for js13kGames, writing inspirational posts and tutorials on Tutsy and making cool things for children at MAMAdesigner. Loves taking photos, drawing icons, and spending time with her family.
Ania Kubów
@ania_kubow | youtube.com/aniakubow
Ania is a Software Developer and YouTuber who loves to teach JavaScript and React by building all sorts of retro online games.
Raf Mertens
@CrazyGamesCom | crazygames.com
Raf founded the go-to browser games platform CrazyGames in 2014 and is currently feeling nostalgic about Flash games. Hundreds of game developers have tapped into 20M monthly CrazyGames users to reach a new audience and earn revenue. Development studios like SEGA, Ubisoft, Blue Wizard, Voodoo, and a vast community of indie creators. Find out how you can join them.
Rafael Morgan
@CrazyGamesCom | crazygames.com
Rafael is the director of partnerships at CrazyGames and a senior advisor in the video games industry. He has over 10 years of experience in the games industry, with a track record of successfully launching over 200 games. Read more about CrazyGames and their team!
Leon Do
@_leondo_ | leon-do.github.io/portfolio/
Founder of Web3.Unity. Advisor at Game7 & HyperPlay.
Brett Cleary
@blingus_ | github.com/BrettCleary
Founder of Web3.Unreal and Kosium. Software Engineer at Game7 & HyperPlay.
Daniel Keller
@dak_flux | runonflux.io
Daniel Keller comes from the data/information sector, and pursues the use of blockchain to further protect personal medical, financial and personal data through encryption and decentralized identification. Dan got involved in the cryptocurrency space through World of Warcraft, by using Bitcoin to buy "gold". He now works as the Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of Flux, and helps push for a decentralized world with disruptive technologies.
Tim Sulmone
@little_stache | runonflux.io
Tim Sulmone is blockchain veteran and life-long video game addict. Beginning his journey by running a Bitcoin node in 2011, to then moving onto contributing towards various cryptocurrency projects, Tim is no stranger to decentralized infrastructure. He now leverages his experience as the Sr. Business Developer for Flux, to help further ensure that our world has a decentralized network to host on.
Paul Gadi
@polats | opgames.org
Paul is CTO ⁄ Co-Founder of OP Games, focused on helping game developers successfully create decentralized games. He also leads the KERNEL Gaming Guild, a fellowship of the most talented builders in Web 3. He loves exploring the intersection of new technologies with game design, and believes that decentralization and shared virtual economies will revolutionize how we play games.
Taufik Sani
@gorilatictacx | linkedin.com/in/taufiksani
Taufik is a video games enthusiast, having worked in esports, monetization, and production tracks with EA and Ubisoft titles. Having graduated from his MBA, he decided to pivot into video games to truly integrate his lifelong passion and career. He aspires on developing a future where video games aren't just mediums of entertainment, but a gateway to experience a better world.
Allan Patel
@allanation428 | overlord.xyz
Allan is the Project Manager at Overlord, helping the team bring web3-powered entertainment to 100m+ fans. He’s an avid gamer who plays a spectrum of games ranging from action adventures to sim racing. He believes that gaming is a never-ending journey of discovery, where every new level is a chance to learn something new and every new character is a chance to experience a new perspective.
Joe Carnell
@jo3car | overlord.xyz
Co-founder at Overlord.
Dominic Smith
@dom3xyz | overlord.xyz
Co-founder at Overlord.
Links from around the Web that can help you build your game for the Jam, especially for the Challenges.
Feel free to suggest more materials if you have something solid to share.
Submit an HTML5 game between April 13th and 26th 2023 through the Itch.io platform. It can be a solo submission, or a team effort. You can even submit more than one entry if you want to.
Voting will be open to all who submitted a game, and will happen via the Itch.io platform for 13 days right after the submission period ends - between April 26th and May 9th. Winners will be announced on May 10th, and challenges on May 11th.
Games will be voted on based on a given criteria: Innovation, Theme, Gameplay, Graphics, and Audio. The Overall ranking will be based on the summary of those.
The short version is: anything that can run on the Web in a browser without extra plugins is considered a valid jam entry. It's highly advised you create new content for the jam - submitting your old demos or already finished projects makes no sense.
If you have any questions or concerns please ask at the Community forums or join our Discord server.
Gamedev.js Survey 2022 is over, and the Report was already published! If you participated and submitted your answers - thank you! Feel free to view and use the results of the current state of Web Game Development in 2022 as long as you credit and link to the source.
All participants and judges of the Gamedev.js Jam are required to agree with the following code of conduct. Organizers will enforce this code throughout the online event. We are expecting cooperation from all participants to help ensuring a safe environment for everybody.
Gamedev.js is dedicated to providing a harassment-free competition experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of competition participants in any form. Competition participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the competition at the discretion of the competition organizers. TL;DR: Be excellent to each other. For more details see Berlin Code of Conduct.