THEME: [Summary]

The Theme Generator Tool for this year is live and ready to take orders. Enjoy yourselves: https://charles-rho.itch.io/igh-2026-summer-izer

The Omaha metro area's favorite summer game jam is back in style. Escape the summer heat and make something cool to play alongside UNO's Creative Production Lab, the Maverick Meadow Indie Game Studio, and Omaha Game Developer's Association.

This year's theme will be released to the public RIGHT NOW! We're cooking up another theme tool this year for extra mayhem!

Developers will have until August 13th at midnight to complete and submit their completed games. Video games of all quality and size are okay. Board games as print-and-plays are welcome and supported. Make whatever you want. All that we ask is that the game is new and unique to this jam. 

There is no single, long-form in-person development weekend this year. Rather, we're coordinating with OGDA to run a brainstorming session at the meetup in July with the theme tool, open work for 30 days remotely from the comfort of our air-conditioned homes/cubicles/bungalows, then do in-person AND online presentations in August to showcase everyone's hard work!

In-person Details:

University of Nebraska at Omaha, Criss Library Room 249

Thursday July 9th (Theme Brainstorming)

• 7:00pm (US Central Standard Chicago) – Room opens for OGDA Monthly Meetup
• 7:15pm - Group introductions and roll-call
• 7:30pm to 8:30pm - Guided brain-storming and team-building

Thursday August 13th (Submission Deadline)

• 7:00pm (US Central Standard Chicago) – Room opens for OGDA Monthly Meetup
• 7:15pm - Group introductions and roll-call
• 7:30pm to 8:30pm - Gameplay showcase and playthroughs

Until Then: JOIN THE DISCORD! https://discord.gg/TkN8r2Uk77

General Guidelines/Rules: 

The core idea for the game and bulk of the development work should be done during the jam timeline. Games created prior to the jam should not be submitted.  Devs are free to use existing media assets or code libraries to get things off the ground and completed on time. All game engines are allowed. Commercially purchased assets are allowed so long as you have the license to use them. The key challenge is to make a brand new experience within the time limit and theme.  

Use of generative AI tools for the completion of a human-designed experience is allowed. Interactive experiences wholly designed by generative AI and/or created  solely by prompting should not be submitted. Utilization of any generative AI tools during development should disclose such use , based on the IEEE article submission policy:

• The use of content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in a project (including but not limited to text, figures, images, and code) shall be disclosed in an acknowledgments or credits section within the game and/or game page. The AI system used shall be identified, and specific sections of the game that use AI-generated content shall be identified and accompanied by a brief explanation regarding the level at which the AI system was used to generate the content.
• The use of AI systems for editing and grammar enhancement of human-written text features is common practice and, as such, is generally outside the intent of the above policy. In this case, disclosure as noted above is recommended.

Content and interactions are subject to the policies of our partner organization Insert Game {Here}

While the event is limited to participants ages 19+, IGH jams are still considered a public-facing event co-hosted by a public university. We seek to maintain inclusivity and accessibility to all activities. As such, we ask that developers use discretion and not include the following elements in games made for this event:

• Explicit sexual language and imagery
• Explicit or realistic gore, dismemberment, suicide, or torture

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity.

UNO is an AA/EEO/ADA institution. For Title IX concerns, please contact the Title IX Coordinator (phone:402.554.2120). For ADA/504 accommodations or assistance, please call/contact the ADA/504 Coordinator (phone 402.554.2463) or the Accessibility Services Center (phone: 402.554.2872).

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) will be taking pictures at this event for use in advertising and other promotional materials, whether print, electronic, or other media.