About the Jam

The Update & Release Jam is all about giving projects a second wind. Instead of starting something brand new, this jam focuses on polishing, updating, and releasing the games you’ve already been building. 

 Whether you have a half-finished prototype, an early build that needs fixing, or a project that’s been waiting for its first public release — this is your chance to bring it across the finish line. You can: 

 Release a game for the first time. 

 Update an existing project with new content, fixes, or polish. 

 Share your progress and changelog with others. 

 The goal isn’t to crunch out something new — it’s to finish, polish, and share. By the end of the jam, you’ll have a build that’s playable, updated, and ready for the world to see.

a small challenge for people this month try and add something fall themed to your game update (this is only for updates its not needed if you are pushing your final push to getting 0.0.1 or 1.0 out)

The Spirit of the Jam

This isn’t about winning or losing — it’s about showing up, working together, and making progress. No leaderboards, no harsh deadlines, no pressure. Just developers gathering to move their projects forward in whatever way they can.

The emphasis is on support and shared momentum: giving feedback, celebrating small victories, and helping each other clear the final hurdles — whether that means squashing a bug, tightening up a build, or finally pressing “publish.”

Why Join?

• ✅ Finish what you started – finally push that project across the line.
• 🔄 Polish and improve – fix bugs, add features, or tighten balance.
• 🚀 Release to the world – get your game into players’ hands.
• 📝 Share your progress – show your changelog and celebrate updates.
• 💬 Get feedback – test your release with a supportive community.
• 🎯 Build momentum – turn “someday” projects into playable builds.

Community

The Update & Release Jam is about more than just uploading builds — it’s about sharing progress, struggles, and wins with other devs who are also pushing their projects forward.

• 💬 Discuss & Share – Post updates, devlogs, and screenshots to show what you’re working on.

• 👀 Play & Test – Try each other’s games and give constructive feedback.

• 🙌 Encourage & Support – Help fellow devs reach their release goals.

• 🌙 Collaborate – Find teammates or testers if you need an extra hand.

This jam works best when the community leans into support, feedback, and positivity. Everyone’s here for the same reason: to polish up a game and finally put it into players’ hands.

 Update & Release Jam – Rules

1. Core Purpose

• The jam is for updating, polishing, and releasing projects — not starting brand-new ones.

• Submissions should either be:

  • An update to an existing game (bug fixes, new features, improved art, etc.), OR

  • A release-ready build of a work-in-progress that hasn’t been published yet.

2. What Counts as an “Update”?

• Adding new content (levels, characters, items, mechanics).

• Improving visuals/audio/UI.

• Fixing bugs or optimizing performance.

• Reworking balance, progression, or polish.

• Packaging a playable build for the first time.

3. What Doesn’t Count

• Submitting a completely brand-new game made during the jam (that’s a different kind of jam).

• Re-uploading the exact same build with no changes.

• Submitting unrelated work (tools, code snippets, non-game projects).

4. Timeframe & Scope

• You can prepare before the jam, but updates/finishing touches must happen during the jam window.

• Scope small: aim for something achievable in the jam timeframe (minor patch, final polish, or first release build).

5. Platforms & Engines

• Any engine/platform is fine (Unity, Godot, Unreal, Twine, etc.).

• Must submit a playable build (Windows, WebGL, etc.) that others can try.

6. Collaboration & Assets

• Teams or solo devs allowed.

• Pre-made assets, code, or systems are fine (since this is about updating/finishing).

• Credit any external assets properly.

7. Release Requirement

• Submissions should be playable by the public

• A changelog or short description of what was updated/finished must be included.

8. Judging / Feedback (if applicable)

• Optional: games can be rated on categories like:

  • Polish – How much improvement is visible?

  • Playability – Does it feel complete/release-ready?

  • Fun Factor – Is the update meaningful and engaging?

• Or keep it non-competitive, focusing on mutual feedback and sharing progress.

9. Community Conduct

• Be respectful and constructive in feedback.

• No stolen/AI-ripped uncredited assets.

• Content warnings required for mature themes.