Welcome to the GameDev Insiders Tiny Game Jam

Tiny games teach you how to finish. This jam is for solo devs and small teams who want a clear scope, a playable slice, and fast feedback.

We have run GameDev Insiders jams before with multiple entries.

Tiny Game Jam brings that energy back but with a sharper focus on small, finishable games.

What this jam is about

• Make a tiny game you can finish in a weekend.
• Keep the scope small so you can polish the core loop.
• Share work in progress, learn from others, and have fun.

Each edition of Tiny Game Jam has a fresh theme, but the spirit stays the same. Small scope. Big results.

Theme

The theme will be announced in the GameDev Insiders Discord a few minutes before the jam starts.

Join the server here:
GameDev Insiders Discord

We will run a quick poll so you can help shape the theme before it locks in.

Schedule

• Jam start: May 22, 2026
• Submission deadline: May 25, 2026
• Voting period: May 25, 2026 to May 29, 2026

You can join late and still submit, as long as your build is in before the deadline.

Rules

• Anyone can enter, alone or in a team.
• Your game should be small and follow the theme.
• Use any engine or framework you prefer.
• Free publicly available assets are allowed. If you use one, we encourage you to share the link in jam-general so others can find it too.
• No NSFW content.
• Give proper credit for any third-party assets or tools you use.
• Your game must be playable in a web browser.
• Your game remains your property. By submitting, you give GameDev Insiders permission to show your game in videos, streams, or posts about the jam.
• We encourage you to join the GameDev Insiders Discord before submitting your game so you can get testing, feedback, and encouragement from the community.
• Make your game during the jam window. Start fresh when the jam begins. No work done outside the jam window.
• We strongly encourage you to participate in the community, ask for feedback on your build, share your progress, and support others.

Disallowed Submissions

These entries will be removed without notice.

• No projects created before the jam window.
• No empty projects, PDFs, images, or non-game uploads.
• No spam entries or promotional links.
• No unsafe or malicious files.

Voting and criteria

This is a ranked jam. Submitters and contributors vote on each other’s games.

The main criteria are:

• Core Loop – Is the core loop fun/enjoyable?
• Scope - Was the game focused on one tiny idea? 
• Polish – Did the slice feel like a finished game? 
• Theme - How well did it incorporate the jam theme? 
• Overall - As a final product, what is your overall rating?

Keep your game small so you can score high on polish instead of raw size.

Discord and community

During the jam, we will hang out in the GameDev Insiders Discord. You can:

• Share work-in-progress clips and screenshots.
• Ask for feedback on your build.
• See what other tiny teams are building.

Join the GameDev Insiders Discord Community

Tips for a strong tiny game

• Pick one core action/verb and build everything around it.
• Aim for a player to reach a win or loss in under two minutes.
• Cut features that do not touch the core action/verb.
• Focus on clear feedback, juice, and feel.

Tiny is not a limitation. Tiny is a chance to finish, learn, and try bold ideas without burning out.

See you in the jam.