The RLG Summer Game Jam is open to everyone; no matter your location, experience level, or age. You can participate solo or as part of a team.
If you're under 13, please have a parent or guardian submit the game on your behalf.
There's no team size limit, and you're welcome to join multiple teams, but each team may only submit one game.
Only one person on the team needs an Itch.io account to submit the game. However, if other team members also have Itch.io accounts, they can be added as contributors.
To do this: go to your game page → click Edit → More → Admins, and follow the instructions.
Game Compatibility
To participate, you must upload a digital game to Itch.io that is playable on a Windows PC using only a keyboard and/or mouse. Your game should run without requiring any additional hardware or external software installations.
Platform & Compatibility
Controller support and other peripherals are welcome, as long as keyboard or mouse input is also supported.
You may include builds for Mac, Linux, Android, etc., but you must also provide a Windows version or a browser-based build.
Your game must not require users to download software from external sites. If your game needs additional files (like DLLs), they must be included in the download and not require separate installation.
Upload Guidelines
The default Itch.io upload size limit is 1GB. You can compress your game as a ZIP (preferred), RAR, or 7z file.
If your project is larger than 1GB, you may use Butler to upload it.
Online Features
Online features such as multiplayer servers and leaderboards are allowed.
However, any files hosted outside of Itch.io must remain unchanged during the voting period, unless changes are needed to comply with Itch.io rules (e.g., removing an offensive leaderboard entry).
Content Suitability
The game should be suitable for a general audience, so please avoid strong language and excessive gore. And your game should not contain nudity, or hateful language or visuals.
Assets
You’re welcome to use pre-existing code, libraries, and assets, as long as they are legally usable by you. However, you should not create content specifically for this jam before it begins.
✅ Allowed:
Pre-written code and functions, especially for common features like menus, input handling, or save systems.
Setting up a blank Unity or Unreal project, GitHub repo, or your Itch.io page ahead of time to save time during the jam.
Using existing assets; including sprites, textures, fonts, models, shaders, animations, sound effects, and music as long as you:
Own the rights to use them,
Created them yourself beforehand,
Purchased them legally,
Use public domain or open-source assets,
Or are working with legally permissible derivative works.
⚠️ Important:
If you use external art, audio, or other third-party assets, please make sure to credit them clearly in your game description.
Voting
There will be a five-day rating period, during which uploads will be locked. That means you won’t be able to submit bug fixes, add new versions, or upload extra content like additional levels.
At the end of the rating period, Ryan will play a selection of the top-rated games during the livestream following the voting round closure.
Important Rules During the Rating Period:
Do not link to updated versions of your game in the description or comments (e.g., “Play this fixed version instead!”). Doing so will result in disqualification.
Do not delete your game during the rating period, this will also lead to disqualification, and we won't be able to restore it.
You can still update your game’s Itch.io page, including the title, description, screenshots, and theme, but do this as early as possible; most votes come in right at the start!
After Ratings End:
Once the rating period is over, your game is completely yours to do with as you like. You're free to:
Congratulations on being the Winner for the Games Jam!
As the Winner you have won a 4 private sessions that you can claim at any point in the future, plus a $100 Amazon voucher. Please email me at support@ryanlaley.com with your contact details.
Congratulations on being the Runner-up winner for the Games Jam! As a Runner-Up you have won a single private session that you can claim at any point in the future. Please email me at support@ryanlaley.com with your contact details.
80% of the models are premade assets with some custom material work. With some mixamo animation for santa. I livestreamed the full development of it on my channel www.youtube.com/c/ryanlaley
I will be yes. Recording it some time this week. A reflection on my work and my game plus highlights of some of the other games entered that I have reviewed. (Yours will be on there)
