A new year means new game jams! Here are a few to check out
It’s a brand new year and that means there are another 365 days worth of game jams you can take part in! There’s a brand new look for our Jam Tracker, which makes it easier to choose either the chronological chart or a list of upcoming jams. To help celebrate this update, let’s talk about some upcoming jams that caught our eye. As always, if none of these picks thrill you, check out the jam tracker and let us know what you’re excited for in the comments below.
Finally Finish Something 2019
If you’re anything like me you have tons half-finished projects cluttering up your hard drives. Why not put them to good use in Finally Finish Something 2019! The third entry in this annual jam series asks participants not to adhere to a theme, but to do what the titles says and finish something. Per the host’s own rules, you can use any tools you have to make “games… tools, screensavers, [or] printable board games.”
Finally Finish Something 2019 looks to be an early contender for the most freeform jam of the year but don’t delay. The jam has already started, and runs until the end of January so get finishing things up soon!
Gaming Like it’s 1923/ Public Domain 1923 Remix Jam
This one is a two jams for the price of one deal. If you’re not well-versed in the absolutely inscrutable world of American public domain policy, let me give you a quick history lesson. In short: American IP protection had expiry dates where they became free for anyone to remix, produce, or generally go buck wild with. I used the past tense in that description because things got really funky and over the past 20 years the usual process was interrupted and new works weren’t being added to the public domain. That is, until now. As of January 1st, the process has started back up again and works published in 1923 are ready for you to do weird stuff with.
And this is where Gaming like it’s 1923 and Public Domain 1923 Remix Jam come in. Both of these jams have a similar premise: Take one of the newest members of the public domain and make a game out of it! Much like Finally Finish Something 2019, both of these jams end at the end of the month, so if one of these sounds like your jam, get to work soon!
TV Game Jam
Is 1923 too far back for you? Are you inspired by more modern mediums like TV? Have we got a jam for you, it’s the TV Game Jam! Starting on February 1st, developers are tasked with starting up a new project inspired by one of their favorite TV episodes… and that’s it! Participants are free to use any tools they like, or make a game in any genre they prefer. The TV world is your oyster! Get your best ideas prepped for next month and begin the TV binge for inspiration, I can’t wait to see what comes out of this jam.
