Submissions open from 2025-11-11 17:00:00 to 2025-11-30 17:00:00
Starts in
years
months
days
hours
minutes
seconds

DarkSpace Game Jam

To celebrate the launch of the DarkSpace Kickstarter — and the growing galaxy of creators bringing the DarkSpace universe to life — we’re hosting the first DarkSpace Game Jam!

Will you play a blue-collar scavenger, a hardened mercenary, a swashbuckling adventurer, or explore the boundaries of what it means to be human? 

DarkSpace is a science-fiction rules hack for the award-winning Shadowdark RPG, using its fast-paced, rules-light system to tell stories of exploration, desperation, and discovery among the stars.

This Game Jam invites creators to expand the universe with new adventures, species, ships, archetypes, or zines inspired by DarkSpace’s signature blend of noir grit, cosmic wonder, and blue-collar survival. Whether you’re a veteran developer or a first-time spacer, this is your chance to add your legend to the dark between the stars.

Event Details

  • Start Date: November 11th
  • Submission Deadline: November 30th 
  • Voting Period: December 7th
  • Final Judging: December 11th

Participants will have the full duration of the jam to create and polish their submissions.

Submission Guidelines

  • Format: Submissions must be in PDF format, 8 pages or less,  A4 paper size.
  • System: Submissions must be compatible with DarkSpace RPG and Shadowdark RPG.
  • License: Submissions must follow the guidelines provided in the Shadowdark Creator's Kit and the DarkSpace Creator's Kit. 
  • Content:
    • Submissions must be Free to Download or Pay What You Want on itch.io.
    • AI-written content will be disqualified.
    • No AI-generated artwork is allowed.
    • All writing must be original.
  • Inspiration: Include a short paragraph in your introduction or errata explaining which DarkSpace DNA prompts inspired your piece and how those elements appear in your work.

Accepted Submission Types

You can submit anything playable or usable within the DarkSpace universe, including:

  • A new stock ship or vehicle
  • A ship system, feature, enhancement or upgrade
  • A Denizen (NPC, Monster, Android, etc)
  • An Enhanced Item or Upgrade (the "magic items" of DarkSpace)
  • Push boundaries. Think Bebop crew meets Blade Runner ruins on a derelict alien ark.

Judging Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated across three key dimensions:

  1. Inspiration: How creatively your submission reflects your assigned prompts.
  2. Usability: How easily it can be played or incorporated into a campaign.
  3. Vibe Check: Does it feel like DarkSpace? (gritty, mysterious, found-family, corporate dystopia, or cosmic awe).

Judging Panel

The top 3 finalists will be evaluated by a panel including:

  • Than Gibson – Founder / Owner of DMing the World Press - Co-creator of DarkSpace
  • Derek White – The Geek Preacher & Co-creator of DarkSpace
  • Jonathon "Mr. Dragonbane" Myhre – Founder & Co-Owner of Midgar Press

Prizes

The winners will receive:

  1. Grand Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card + DarkSpace Core Rules (Deluxe Edition) + Void Echoes Vol. 1 + Ship Catalogue Vol. 1
  2. Second Place: DarkSpace Core Rules (Standard Edition) + Void Echoes Vol. 1
  3. Third Place: DarkSpace Core Rules (Standard Edition)

Publication Bonus: The top three finalists will have their creations featured within the upcoming expanded DarkSpace rulebook, immortalized among the stars as part of the official canon of DarkSpace.

"Fortune favors the fearless, but legends endure in print."

Follow the DarkSpace Transmission

Stay tuned to DMing the World for DarkSpace updates, creator resources, and the latest transmissions from the frontier.
Join our community of spacers, storytellers, and designers as we expand the galaxy together.

Follow & Connect: 

“Keep your comms open. You never know what signals echo out from the void.”

Special Thanks

Special thanks to Dungeon Masterpiece - Baron de Ropp for inspiring this event through his incredible Shadowdark Game Jams (Shadowdark Independent Game Jam and Weird Tales Shadowdark Game Jam). His passion for storytelling, adventure design, and uplifting independent creators helped light the way for this jam among the stars.

Check out Dungeon Masterpiece on YouTube for insightful commentary, Shadowdark content, and GM guidance that continues to inspire spacers across the galaxy.