Welcome to Cryptid Jam!

This is a month-long game jam about cryptids, which are creatures "presumed [...] to exist on the basis of anecdotal or other evidence considered insufficient by mainstream science,"¹  with many entities being identified only in folklore, rumors, and urban legends. Some of the most well-known cryptids are Bigfoot, the chupacabra, and the Loch Ness monster. Others you may have heard of are the Jersey Devil and Mothman, but there are many, many others.

This jam welcomes creators of all skillsets and skill levels. Whether you're a beginner or a veteran, and no matter what role you take in development — if you're into weird creatures and strange sightings, join us any time during October and create something!

Optional Theme

Jam themes are completely optional, so if you have something different in mind for your project, that's perfectly fine, but if you'd like some extra direction, the theme for this jam is: "LOCAL"

Have there been any cryptid sightings where you live? Is there a place in your town or city rumored to be home to its own little-known creature? Find out which cryptids might call your part of the world (city, state, hometown, part of the country, etc) home.

Need inspiration?

• Wikipedia has a list of cryptids!
• Check out The Cryptid Zoo, which provides sources on each page!
• You might want to fire up the ol' search engine and look up info on local cryptids from your town, state, or country.
• You may be interested in checking out the work of Trevor Henderson @slimyswampghost, whose creations have piqued the imaginations of many artists and game developers.
• You could also take inspiration from your favorite horror (movie, game, novel, etc) creature.
• You could even design your own cryptid concept!
• If you're a fan of other independent cryptid & horror artists, please be sure to get their permission before using or adapting their work.
• Please be mindful of cultural issues when adapting or depicting real-world folklore. Creatures that are associated with existing religions or indigenous or marginalized belief systems (such as the wendigo) may not be appropriate for this jam -- but there are many, many others to choose from.

You can:

• Brainstorm, outline, and work on concept art before the jam begins, but please keep final asset and game creation to the one-month jam period!
• Work solo or in a team! Use the #cryptidjam hashtag on Twitter or the jam's community here on itch.io to look for collaborators if you'd like to form a team. We also have a CrowdForge page and a Discord server!
• Use any medium, engine, or operating system to create your project, which could be anything: a tabletop RPG, platformer, interactive narrative, mixtape, zine, visual novel, 3D game, sidescroller, or whatever else you'd like to make! It does not have to strictly be a "game." Using premade and paid assets in your project is also allowed, provided you use them according to the creator's terms.
• Submit unfinished work if you feel comfortable sharing it; you don't have to submit a perfectly-polished project and are welcome to show off whatever you create as a prototype or proof-of-concept, whether it's an unfinished demo or a collection of assets you were able to create during the jam.
• Work with any genre or theme you'd like, whether it's horror, comedy, romance, or something else. Maybe all of the above. You don't have to make a horror game unless you want to!

Note that entries which are irrelevant to the theme or which contain or promote hateful content or any other content which similarly violates itch.io's Terms of Service will be removed. Blank submissions also risk being removed; to be sure that your entry isn't mistaken for spam, briefly describe your project and how it relates to the jam in the "Description" section of its page. A one sentence description is enough.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: "Is [creature] a cryptid?"
A: ALMOST anything goes here. Although creatures like the skinwalker or wendigo have definitely intrigued cryptid-enthusiasts,  their cultures of origin are not comfortable with these concepts being treated as "cryptids." In different cases, some creators are not comfortable with fanart/fiction/games/adaptations of their work. Please be mindful of issues like these. If the creature you had in mind falls into one of these categories, it is not appropriate for this jam -- but there are numerous other options to choose from that would be. Here are some sources (1) (2) (3) about sensitivity regarding Native American beliefs in particular.

Otherwise, we're working with with a broad definition that allows people to play with mythological and legendary beasts, cosmic horror creatures, urban legends, and cryptids of their own devising. Minotaur? Sure. Goatman? Yes. Your OC? Absolutely.

Q: "Is this jam ranked?"
A: This jam is not ranked, because all cryptids are winners.