Do you miss your childhood Tamagotchi?
Got a passion for Neopets or Webkinz?
Ever wanted to make a Shimeji? An Ukagaka? Maybe even a modern VRM pet?
You're in the right place!
This is a jam for games, artwork, and writing focused on digital pets - artificial companions made from electronic components. All mediums and genres are welcome. This is an unranked jam, with no prizes or winners.
⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆ Rules ⋆⊹˚₊˖⊹
- You may not use generative artificial intelligence in any part of your work.
- You are welcome to submit work that you started prior to the jam, refresh old projects, etc. Just stay on topic.
- You are equally welcome to submit unfinished or partial work, so long as you worked on it during the jam period.
- You do not have to make a digital pet! Works about digital pets are allowed - essays, zines, games, music, photography, etc.
- There are no restrictions on content. Your entry can be as sweet, scary, or sexy as you desire. However, please label any adult content submitted to the jam.
⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆ Resources ⋆⊹˚₊˖⊹
How do I make a digital pet, you may ask? There are many ways! Please suggest your own in the forums as well, if you'd like, so we can share them with others. The more, the merrier!
- Shimeji Desktop Pet - The most popular Shimeji creation software in the West, probably!
- Webmeji - Shimeji creation tool for websites and other HTML5 projects!
- Eggpet - A robust digital pet for websites/HTML5!
- Ukagaka Dream Team Beginner Guide - The software used to make Ukagaka (digital ghosts), like Mayura!
- Godot Window Nodes (Godotcon) - A presentation from Godotcon, describing how to make interesting Godot projects with GD window nodes!
- GifyPet - A tool to create classic HTML pets, perfect for a personal website!
- Cursor Pal - A website/HTML5 pal that can follow your cursor!
⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆ Examples ⋆⊹˚₊˖⊹
Some digital pets we like, and works involving digital pets.
⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆ Meet The Team⋆⊹˚₊˖⊹
- Malaika (Ophanimkei) is a silly girl who makes maintains a website and makes various games. Please make anime women pets just for me.
- Oscar Pepperbloom is an artist, gamedev, and annoying poof. He has a personal site, itch page, and Bluesky. Please make chibi animal pets just for me.
- Our mascot, Clicky, is a sweet and helpful Bunbot who loves to play! Her human design, at the bottom right of this page, was made by Malaika; her animal design, at the bottom left, was made by Oscar. Feel free to use Clicky in your entry.
⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆ Community ⋆⊹˚₊˖⊹
This jam does not have a Discord community, but we encourage you to use Itch.io's forum feature. If you share your works on social media, use the tag #digitalpetjam, so we can see your posts!
