Welcome to The Renewal Jam!

The Renewal Jam is a game jam put on by The Games Den, taking place over the winter reading week! No matter your skill level, everyone is free to participate! 

This game jam is a hybrid online/in-person game jam that will begin on February 16th @ 4:30pm MST and run until February 23rd @ 3:00pm MST!

Our in-person location is the Walkthrough Collaborative Centre which will be open to jamming on Monday, February 16th (4:00-9:00pm MST) and Thursday, February 19th (12:00-9:00pm MST). The address is 10345 Whyte Ave NW Unit 201.

If you are joining us in-person, make sure to RSVP here so that we know how many people to expect. We will only be providing snacks, but there are plenty of great places on Whyte Ave to go out to eat with your team!

After the jam, we will be showcasing your games in-person on February 23rd from 4:00-6:00pm MST at the Students Union Building (SUB) basement on the UofA Campus. Come and see the games your peers created, and share the story about how you made yours!

Be sure to join our Discord server to get updates about the jam, find other game jammers to work with, and get a channel for your team! Make sure to return to this itch page to submit your game!

What's a game jam?

A game jam is a short period of time where participants (referred to as "jammers") get together, team up, and make a game from start to finish! Jams require creativity under constraints, and are a great opportunity to meet new people and hone new skills. By making our jam a week long, we discourage "crunch". You can work on your games just a couple of hours each day and strill get plenty of sleep.

But I don't know how to program!

Plenty of people without prior experience with game development or computer science participate every year! We can offer you team placement with others with skills that complement your own, or recommend no-experience-required game creation tools.

What's the theme?

The theme reveal will take place on Monday, February 16th @ 4:30pm MST, both in person and streamed online in our Discord server! Until then, its a secret...

How do I find a team?

We will have an opportunity for team-making in-person on Monday, as well as a channel in the Discord server dedicated towards finding teams!

What kinds of games can I make?

Just about anything! We accept all mediums and platforms, be it digital, analogue, or something else! While there will be a theme, your game doesn't have to stick to it by the letter, interpret and use it to whatever extent you deem fit!

The only games we do not allow for this jam are any featuring sexual or hateful content. If you are unsure about something in your game, just ask an organizer on the Discord server!

Is this jam ranked?

No! There are no judges or rankings in this jam. We just want to see you make a game and have fun!

Is this jam public?

Yes! We welcome everyone to participate.