Update:

Our modifier, as voted on by the community, and chosen at random, has been picked! And it is....
'Ssh! The tortoise might hear'
Remember, the modifier can be taken literally, or figuratively, and you can choose to interpret (or misinterpret) it however you want! Good luck to everyone!

'So Bad it's Good' Jam 2022

Why are we still here? Just to suffer? Turns out the answer is no: we're here to make 'So Bad it's Good' games!

For the sixth year in a row, we're tasking you with making a game that is "So bad it's good": a game that is by no means "well-made" or "polished", but has a unique charm to it. Make a game that isn't perfect, isn't extravagant, but is jank to the point where it becomes enjoyable!

Unsure what to do? View our 2021 Jam 2020  Jam , 2019 Jam, 2018 Jam and our 2017 Jam.

The Criteria:

Woah look, some rules! Wouldn't it be fun to follow them??? 

• Rule 1: "It has to be fun to play" 

- This is arguably the hardest category to get right. There is a sweet spot with these types of games. Games that are unplayable, or mediocre to the point of boredom, are not fun. In order to make a true SBIG game, there has to be a level of enjoyment. With that said, it is up to you exactly how you choose to achieve this!

• Rule 2: "It can be original or based off an existing IP"

- You can be as original or shamelessly unoriginal as you want. Just don't use any trademarked or copyrighted material. If you want to do an existing IP, at least think of a funny name for it. See Low Budget Quantum Tunnelling or Freedom the Eagle  for inspiration. 

• Rule 3: "Use whatever engine, whatever genre, however many people"

- Just go nuts. If you want to make your game in Unity, Gamemaker, Unreal, Construct: do it! One person, Two people, Ten people: do it! Hell, if you and 100 monkeys with keyboards want to create  a game for your trusty Sega Dreamcast, there's nothing stopping you.  Use what you feel most comfortable with, or try something new, and see how it turns out. The only way you could fail is by not releasing a game at all.

• Rule 4: "Games must be made during the jam period".

- In order to make it a level playing field, you can't submit a game that you've worked on/released before the start of the jam. Once the jam starts, you can work on your game as much as you want, but keep your ideas in your head until the jam begins!

Modifier:

For this year's jam, as with last year's, there will be a modifier. The modifier is a special theme or item that could be added for extra points. For example, our previous modifiers have been "one button", "impossible", "retro" and "cyberpunk". Currently, the modifier is unannounced, but it will be unveiled 2 days before the jam starts. You can use the modifier, choose to ignore it, or choose to interpret (or misinterpret) the modifier how you want. You do you.

Voting for the modifier will start in May in the Discord Server, and my (not-so) trusty Discord bot, VoteBot, will announce the modifier randomly, two days before the start of the Jam. Stay tuned!

Voting/Prizes:

Also, the voting system will be slightly different. Games will be judged on individual categories: 

• Graphics
• Sound
• Gameplay
• Overall Bad
• Overall Good
• Modifier

Remember, the individual categories will be judged on whether they are so bad it's good. The voting isn't a measure of quality, but a measure of how well they fit the brief of the jam.

The top winners will have their games included in a "Best of the Worst" compilation, and the overall winner can choose whether the bundle is free or paid, and if so, what charity the proceeds will be sent to. If you would like to see the previous compilations, you can see our 2020 "Best of the Worst" Compilation, the  2018 Compilation and the 2017 Compilation.

Changes:

This year you now have an extra Friday to work on your game, extending the jam to 10 days! Fridays have been proven to be the most productive day for Game Development (source: I made it up), so hopefully everyone's games will benefit from the extra day!

Find a team:

We have a dedicated Discord channel for finding teams together. If you'd like to find some people to make a game with, the Discord is the best place to do so! You can join the Discord here:

Links:

As mentioned before, we have a Discord server, where you can see the latest updates, and vote on the modifier: https://discord.gg/rn7amBk 

And that is all, Good luck everyone!