2025 Theme is...."Spoopy JAMS"

Spoopy Jam is back for another year of absurd Halloween-flavored game-dev action. Where we're going you won't need eyes to see that we keep building on each year's accessibility success: the online portion of the jam and theme are live and open for the entire month of October. That's right, spooksters: YOU HAVE A FULL MONTH TO WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE. 

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. 

The last Saturday and Sunday of October we're in-person on UNO's campus for a spooktastic weekend sprint. That's a solid weekend together to either start and finish your bogus masterpiece, or 48 hours of just hanging out and showcasing the fine work you've completed during spoopy season.

View all the Spoopy Jam games:

Spoopy Jam | 2: The Spoopening | 3: Spoopy as Heck | 4: Back from Heck | 5: Inner Spoop | 6: It Spooped Back

We welcome first time game developers! Designers, artists, musicians, programmers, voice actors, hobbyists, educators, anyone and everyone is welcome to try their hand at making a game. If video games aren't your thing or access to hardware is an issue, you're encouraged to test the waters by making a board game! 

Anyone can participate online! In-person participants must be at least 19 years of age or a current UNO student.

For game-jam newbies: As soon as the theme is live on October 1st, you have until the Halloween deadline to create any kind of game you want, so long as it can be uploaded to itch.io. This is not a guided workshop, but a test of your new or existing design skills. The key challenge is to make a brand new game experience within the time limit and theme. Board games should make digital documentation and assets for downloadable print-and-play versions of their physical game. Video games should be compiled for download or playable online. Work alone or on a team of any size. Use discord to talk with other participants for team-building, help, or questions. Focus on making a small, complete gaming experience.

IN PERSON WEEKEND DETAILS:

UNO Aksarben Campus

Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI) Room 158

Saturday October 25^th

• 10am – Room opens for load-in and setup
• 10:30am – Team-building and Project Pitch Presentations
• 10:30am to 9:00pm – Open development time

Sunday October 26^th

• 10am – Room opens for load-in
• 10am to 3pm – Final development time
• 3pm to 4pm – Presentation signup and prep
• 4pm to 5pm – Game presentations and public play

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

Schedule (US Central Standard - Chicago Timezone)

Wednesday October 1st

12:00  P.M. -- Theme announced via Discord, YouTube Live, and here!

Tuesday October 1st - Friday October 25th

Open development time online.

Saturday October 25th - Sunday October 26th

10:00 A.M. Sat - 5:00  P.M. Sun -- In-Person Development event on-campus at UNO.

Friday October 31st

11:59  P.M. -- Online submission deadline. HALLOWEEN!

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.  

While the event is limited to participants ages 19+, Spoopy Jam is 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

[Required EEO statement follows]

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.