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Sorry I’m just now getting around to this, but there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, it’s almost impossible to make a game about a serial killer without including some level of violence. That said, how you present it matters a lot. The visual style plays a big role, something like PSX-style graphics is generally fine, but going for ultra realistic, hyper-detailed gore (like Unreal Engine 5 realism) is not acceptable.

Elements like dismemberment can be included and won’t automatically disqualify your game, but excessive or over the top violence will not be well received by the judges and could hurt your chance.

As long as you’re able to provide a PayPal or Zelle account, whether it’s yours or a parent’s :)

Looks fantastic so far man! Best of luck to you!

If you have a creative interpretation you would like to do, feel free. Again, just make sure to follow all rules and be respectful.

Just remember the core elements of the theme/the rules and judged criteria, I have updated them in the description :) If you feel you cannot tell the story without depicting harsh sexual crimes, then it's best to pick a different story/narrative.  As for "not being confirmed" if there is a pile of evidence against this person feel free to study on that as you wish. If it is an ongoing case however, I would say you should pick a different person entirely.

I know there are tons of crazy serial killer cases that go too far, I should've changed my wording from "some" my apologies there. If someone participating were to read the rules they would realize very quickly that I am not looking for some shock-factor game/extremely controversial game to play. I don't want these games for simply entertainment, I want it to be an outlet to educate people on stories they might not have heard of.  Anyone that makes one of these games did not look into the rules at all, and they would not be winning the jam. 

Just please do not make it super extreme. Use common sense for anything you are thinking of adding. (If you have to ask about it, maybe just refrain from adding it)

Quick update, some of these cases involve topics that go way too far, so I do not want any games covering or referencing sexual content in any way, implicaitons are okay as long as they are only necassary.  Please use good judgment and think carefully about anything you choose to include.

I get where you’re coming from, and I do appreciate you saying something.

But I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding about what I’m going for here. This isn’t about glorifying serial killers or making some edgy shock-value game. It’s about shedding light on real tragedies and making something that actually feels grounded and impactful.

Movies, documentaries, and shows have been doing this for years. Not to celebrate what happened, but to explore it, understand it, and show how disturbing it really was. That’s the lane I’m aiming for with this jam, not some cheap entertainment.

I’m also being very clear with the rules. Everything HAS to follow itch.io TOS, and there is no NSFW or sexual content allowed. I’ve also already said not to use real victim names out of respect for victims and their families.

At the end of the day, how someone handles the theme is on them, but the expectation is that people approach it with care, and not just make something for shock value. If someone chooses to ignore that, that is not what this jam is about.

If it’s not something you’re comfortable with, that’s completely fair. No hard feelings, and you’re always welcome in a future jam.

Yea it can be 10 minutes if necassary, don't worry about length,  focus the most on quality! :)

If it's just helping with art, I personally do not see the problem with that :)

The main criteria are:

1. Use of Theme – How well is your game actually based on a real serial killer? The connection should be clear and recognizable.

2. Scare Factor – How believable and genuinely scary is your game? Realism goes a long way here.

3. Atmosphere / Environment – How well did you build the world and tone? A strong, unsettling atmosphere is WAY more effective than cheap jumpscares.

4. Story – How creative and well-executed is your story? There are a couple great directions you can take, like create a near 1 to 1 game of a real, verified case. That can be super interesting/scary to play knowing it closely reflects real events. Or, research your chosen killer and build a very believable story inspired by real facts, this could be a psychological horror exploring how they became who they are, or a narrative based on documented events.

Sorry man, no livestream, but theme is live now!
When the jam is finished however that's when I'm going to do a livestream on it :D

That’s completely fine. You can absolutely include psychological moments, surreal sequences, or other atmospheric elements to help show the character’s mental state or build tension.

Just make sure that if you create or expand on scenarios, they’re still grounded in what’s known or believable based on real information about that person. It should feel like something that could have happened, not something totally disconnected from reality.

A great example of this is Jeffrey Dahmer, he was completely isolated, a loner, and a "class clown" in highschool. If you wanted to make a segment of the game talking about his past, just make sure it's beliveable based on how the serial killer actually was.

That’s not really a big issue. If it’s necessary for the story you’re trying to tell, it’s totally fine. Just make sure the main focus stays on the serial killer theme, having some political elements on the side is completely okay.

You can definitely make a game about a real serial killer that’s surrounded by theories, myths, or popular portrayals, that’s totally fine. As long as the core of your game is still grounded in a real person and real events, you’re good.

It doesn’t have to be strictly limited to only verified facts. A great example is the Zodiac Killer, his full identity was never confirmed, the crimes themselves are very real, and a lot of stories build on theories or interpretations around them.

Just make sure the project isn’t completely fabricated. The real-life inspiration should still be clear and recognizable,(aka with one google search I can see who you based the game on)

If your game is based on a real person who has committed multiple murders, or has well-documented, disturbing real-life events tied to them, then it’s totally fine to use them as inspiration. Just make sure the person actually exists and there are real records or information about them. Also, the inspiration should be very close, almost one-to-one, so the connection is clear and recognizable, not loosely based.

You can make the game about any REAL serial killer, if it's a niche one that's no problem at all! As long as they actually exist :)

1. Gore is fine, but don’t rely on it, build tension and atmosphere.
2. Cut all explicit sexual content on screen - stories can contain that, tho it shouldnt be the main focus + very limited (warning at the beginning of the game needed)