Let's make Parody Games!

The Creative Theme is "Cheat Codes"

Join us in our Opening Event on August 6th and Closing Showcase in person & on stream.

• Make a game that references or twists your favorite characters in media, make the game version of your fanfic, create something overly self-referential, express satire through gameplay, or make the bootleg fangame that you've always dreamed of!
• This is our second time doing a Parody Summer Slow Jams! Play the games from 2018's Parody Jam here :)
• Local participants are also welcome to enter the Wacom Hand Drawn Jam Giveaway, stylizing their game to win a new Wacom tablet! Wacom team members will be on site for our opening and closing events. See below for more details.

Jam Schedule:

We will be hosting streams and other online activities to support jammers in meeting and sharing. This list will update over time. All times listed in Pacific time zone.

• August 6th, 7pm: Jam Kickoff, Team Forming, and Theme Reveal
• August 11th, 6:30pm: Speed Meet & Team Forming
• August 19th, 7pm: Jam Coworking
• August 25th: Submissions Due
• September 12th, 6pm-midnight: Summer Game Jam Celebration with Wacom & Geek Week PDX - Bring your game out to share it in-person in Portland in a showcase welcoming projects from all three Summer Slow Jams!

General Jam Rules & More Details:

• Non-Portlanders are welcome to participate remotely.
• Follow PIGSquad on social media channels for consistent updates on team forming, events, workshops, and other opportunities. Tag us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, Twitter, etc for a share!
• If you'd like to contribute to the jam theme, suggesting & voting is exclusive to our Patreon members - learn more here!
• All participants, in person or remote, must follow PIGSquad's Code of Conduct. As a general rule, please keep entries "PG-13" or younger. No nsfw content.
• Games made with or featuring Generative AI (large language models, stable diffusion, AI image/art generators) will not be accepted. The purpose of these jams are to encourage collaboration with other real people that share common interests and/or push yourself to learn new skills.
• Do not police submissions or make fun of / talk down on jam submissions or jammers' ideas in PIGSquad channels or otherwise. Our goal as a community is to uplift creative collaboration and learning.
• We encourage you to jam with new people or on a team, but it is not required. We will be providing resources for team forming at the jam kickoff and throughout the jam timeline for those who want to jam based on the theme.
• This jam is not a competition and is not judged. There is an optional competition element for the Wacom Hand Drawn Jam Giveaway detailed below.
• Please don't crunch! We host game jams over extended periods of time and like having open conversations with jammers about scoping projects to encourage a healthy outlook on creative production schedules. If you need help scoping, please reach out.
• Jammers retain full ownership of the games they make during PIGSquad jams.
• Late submissions or submission updates can be accepted, just get in touch with an organizer. Please note that games must be updated on your itch page multiple days before the showcase if you'd like the updated version of your game to be played at the jam showcase - we do not take requests for downloading game updates within 48 hours of the online showcase. You are welcome to update your game at any point after your jam submission regardless of when the showcase is.
• Sticking to the theme is encouraged, but not mandatory - if you have an idea you'd like to pursue that branches from the theme, we encourage you to make that game!
• We will be removing spam submissions from the entries that are clearly submission bombing to multiple jams or otherwise.
• Thanks to Corwyn for creating our header art! Check out his work here.

We have a new "How To Jam" guide if you'd like some great recommendations for
how to spend your time and make the most out of the event :)

Summer Slow Jams:

Each summer, game makers get together to make a game project with friends and community members in a few weeks! Summer Slow Jams is a collection of game jam events happening once a month this summer, providing structure and networking opportunities for creatives in Portland and remote participants. Participate in a jam to finish a creative project, learn new things, meet new people, and share your work!

Creative themes are delivered during each kick off event then shared online, and developers are able to showcase their game jam projects at each closing event in Portland, OR (or online). In between the dates of the kick off and closing showcase, you are encouraged to meet up with others using online channels to complete a game over whatever in-jam time period you see fit: take it slow if you need!

For more information about how to participate in Summer Slow Jams, visit pigsquad.com/summerslowjams. Summer Slow Jams this year include Puzzle Games in June, Party Games in July, and Parody Games in August.

Share with the hashtag #summerslowjams and PIGSquad will reshare screenshots, video uploads, and blog posts of jam games while you're working on your games!

Wacom Hand Drawn Jam Giveaway Details:

We've partnered with the Wacom Experience Center on many local projects over the years, and we're excited to collaborate with them on our first competitive jam!

• The winner of the giveaway will receive a new Wacom tablet. Local parody game jam participants will vote on their favorite games of the August jam with the following criteria in mind to choose the winner:
  • Follows a “Hand Drawn” style
  • “Best Art Direction”
  • Best Game Overall
• This giveaway is an optional aspect of the PIGSquad Parody Jam - local participants of this jam are not required to enter into the giveaway aspect of the jam.
• All teams that take on the competition will be connected with Wacom with the intention of future collaborations, including hosting their games at future events, art-related collabs, or crosspromoting between their games and Wacom's relevant products.
• Wacom staff will be onsite at the Parody Jam opening and closing events to help answer questions or share details about their products.
• Each team must have at least one member present at a minimum of one of the in-person PIGSquad events listed above under "Jam Schedule" to be eligible to win. 
• PIGSquad organizers are not eligible to win.
• The winner will be announced on or soon after the evening of the Summer Game Jam Celebration event on September 12th.
• Registration for the giveaway aspect of the Parody Jam will begin both in-person and online when the Creative Theme for the jam is announced at the jam's kickoff on Wednesday, August 6th at 8pm PT.

The Portland Indie Game Squad is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting the health and continued expansion of game developer and enthusiast communities in Portland, the Pacific Northwest, and online. We provide events, resources, and networking activities for art and technology creatives. Learn more at PIGSquad.com.

To play more games made at Portland Indie Game Squad jams, visit our itch collections!