Submissions open from 2026-05-01 13:00:00 to 2026-05-30 03:59:59
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WHAT IS THIS JAM

The "Make 5" TTRPG Jam invites game designers to create FIVE (5) short tabletop role playing games that are linked together in some way. This is an unranked and noncompetitive game jam meant to inspire the creative process without getting too wrapped up in the outcome.  Create things, and share them! Don't overthink it! It's loosely inspired by the delightful Shit or get off the pot jam that, two years ago, housed my very first TTRPG creations. (Thank you, Courtney and FlowerMouse for that jam!)

WHAT DOES "MAKE 5" MEAN? 

In this jam, you are making a set of 5 games that match. (It's loosely inspired by the card game Set, one of my favorite games ever!) You get to decide what the connective tissue is, but to get you started, I've provided five suggestions. You only have to choose one!

  1. All of your entries could use the same system reference document (SRD) or hack the same source game. 
  2. All of your entries might be about the same topic, or even the same setting/character. 
  3. All of your entries may fall within the same genre, like horror or cozy or sci-fi. 
  4. All of your entries support the same number of players or group format. 
  5. If you feel like mixing it up, your link could be that all of your entries have NOTHING in common, and that's what connects them!

You can also create your own linking theme for your five entries, or make a different number of entries total. 

GENERAL JAM RULES: 

Tabletop Role Playing Games Only: This jam is for TTRPGs and TTRPG-adjacent resources only - video games will be removed! If it feels like a TTRPG to you, it's probably fine. (Adventure modules for existing TTRPG systems are also fine!) 

Keep The Games Short: While I'm not going to enforce a page limit, aim for one-page games, micro games, and other short games that will be easy to complete. (You might use game length to be your link, after all!) 

No AI: Under no circumstances is AI to be used for this jam. If you use AI generated materials - images, text content, or anything else - your entry will be removed.

Be Nice: There's no room for bigotry, hate speech, racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, or anything else like that in this jam. If your game violates this rule, it will be removed. 

Be Kind: Please help make this jam a friendly and welcoming space. Jump in if folks have questions, and you have answers! Check out other entries and share kind words about what you like about the games! 

Credit Your Sources: If you're using someone else's (available and offered for use!) SRD, artwork, mechanic, safety tool, or any other content like that, please credit them in their preferred manner!

New Games Only: To help spark creativity, submit new games only! However, if you've substantially updated something you made in the past, I'll allow it. New work that builds on work you made in the past is also fine. 

NOT QUITE RULES, BUT NOT NOT RULES: 

Simultaneous Submissions: Submitting your games to multiple jams is OK as long as the submissions genuinely fit the theme of both jams. 

Hang Out With The Collective: The TTRPG Collective is a fantastic server with many wonderful designers and artists. It's an active, kind, and helpful community who love to talk about games. Rather than host a unique server for this jam, I'm hosting a thread in that server. 

Paid or Unpaid: You're welcome and encouraged to charge for your work, but please consider making community copies available during the jam, or posting a copy in the TTRPG Collective server. (Look for the Make 5 TTRPG Jam thread!) 

Safety Tools: Safety tools are an important part of TTRPG gameplay and design. Please consider if safety tools would be a helpful addition to your game. I am a huge fan of TTRPG Safety Toolkit as a resource for this! 

Submitting Your Games: When submitting your games, you can either create/add five separate games on their own Itch pages, or create an anthology Itch page that houses all five together. Completely up to you! 

If you're making five separate Itch projects and adding them all to the Jam, I recommend creating a collection to house all five and linking it on each project page, or linking to the other connected games on each page. This will help anyone looking at your jam entries know how to find the other connected games! (It will also help me verify that these are entries for the right jam!) 

BONUS VARIANTS

If you're looking for some extra challenges, you've come to the right spot. Here are a few bonus things you could try to mix it up: 

  • True Set: Pick at least 3 categories, and make them all the same or all different in each. So for example, all one-page games, all using Lasers & Feelings as an SRD, but in five different genres/styles. (You can mix and match how you combine these!)
  • Random Generation: Use a random generator or random idea table to choose your game themes. (I love Skeleton Code Machine's Theme-O-Matic!) 
  • Resources Only: Instead of making five games, you could make five linked useful things for games! Like five maps, or five rolling tables, five setting locations, or five NPCs with stat blocks. 


Credits: The following images used in the cover file were sourced and licensed their creators via Wikimedia Commons.