itch.io

Yes:)

Each team can submit the same game one time only.

That said, you’re absolutely welcome to submit multiple entries if they are different projects.

yes, but vote only opens for the community voice award, others are all hand-picked by TGC. 

Hi! While Creativity and Originality are not explicitly listed as separate criteria, they are an important part of our evaluation process:)

Hi there, the jam is public voting, and a jammer can win more than one prize. 

Hi there! Welcome to join our Discord server and find your teammates there! https://discord.gg/4nhazeA2

Team-Up Guide

1. How can I find teammates?

• Join our Discord server and share your info in the team-up channel—this helps others get to know you quickly. If you spot someone you’d like to work with, don’t hesitate to reach out!
• Outside of official channels, many participants also find teammates by posting on game dev platforms—feel free to try whichever works best for you!

2. Is there a team size limit?

• Yes. Each team can have up to 5 members. We recommend having at least one programmer and one artist.
• If you plan to participate in multiple teams, please make sure all teams are aware and have agreed in advance.

3. How do I join thatgamejam?

• No pre-registration is required.
• Simply create your game based on the theme, then upload it through the itch.io thatgamejam page following the instructions—once submitted, you’re officially in!
• Each game should be submitted only once, using a single itch.io account (your personal one or a new team account).
• Please make sure to list all team members correctly. After submissions close, team member info cannot be edited.

Creation & Development Rules

1. Can I use my own theme instead of the official one?

• Each thatgamejam has its own unique theme. Games unrelated to the theme will have a hard time standing out during judging.

2. Are AI tools allowed?

• Yes, but you must clearly disclose it during submission and describe how the AI was used.Failure to disclose AI usage will result in disqualification.
• Please note: thatgamecompany will not provide any legal protection or support in the event of copyright disputes arising from AI-generated content.

3. Can I use music, images, or writing from other works?

• You may use materials you own the rights to.
• If you do not own the rights, please use content under public domain or open-source licenses.
• Games created during this jam remain owned by the team or individual creators. However, by participating, you grant thatgamecompany permission to use your work for jam-related showcases (exhibitions, play sessions, website display, etc.).

4. Can I use external assets or plugins to help with development?

• Yes. You may use public-domain or open-source assets as long as you credit them with: “This game includes authorized open-source materials.”
• You may also use any publicly available tools, libraries, or plugins (free or paid).
• However, the core content of the game must be created during the jam. Prefabricated full levels, systems, or gameplay that simply require importing are not allowed.

5. Can I outsource development work?

• No. All work must be completed by the team members themselves. Outsourcing is not permitted.

Submission Guide

1. When can I start to submit?

You may submit anytime after the jam officially begins (December 20). Once your game is ready, feel free to upload it right away.

2. What if I miss the deadline?

Once the deadline passes, the submission portal automatically closes. If you still wish to share your work, you can upload it to itch.io and send us the link. But it will not be entered into judging.

3. Can I submit multiple games?

Yes! You may submit more than one game and may also join multiple teams. ⚠️ Make sure all involved teams have agreed if you are joining more than one team.

4. Why can’t I modify the download link after submitting?

To ensure fairness, no new builds may be uploaded once submissions close and the review period begins. After the jam, you’re welcome to continue updating your game.

5. Can I keep improving my game after submission?

• Before the deadline, you may upload as many versions as you like—the final version submitted before the cutoff will be counted.
• If you miss the deadline, the system will lock uploads automatically.
• Updating, replacing, or deleting the game during the voting period will invalidate the entry.

6. Can I resubmit a game from a previous thatgamejam?

No. Each thatgamejam has its own independent theme and we encourage everyone to create something new for each jam.

7. Can I use download links from other cloud services instead of itch.io?

Unfortunately no. All games must be submitted through the itch.io jam page to be considered.

Other FAQs

1. Can I submit my jam game to other competitions afterward?

Absolutely! We strongly encourage creators to share their work widely and explore more opportunities.

Hello game jammers! 

Our very first thatgamecompany x COREBLAZER Game Jam 2025 has officially come to a close! After three weeks of intense development and a month of exciting playtesting and community voting, we're thrilled to announce this year’s award winners and nominated games:

Best Overall
Winner: Give Me Your Hands
Nominations: First Move, Casserole, Sanctuary of Giving, 7 Day Forest

Best Gameplay
Winner: Hierophants
Nominations: Garden Rush, LetgO, Bananza!, Miracularium

Best Visual Design
Winner: Wind Will Read
Nominations: Ducks In A Row, Drift, Still Waters, Dice or Death

Community’s Voice
Winner: Garden Rush

Congratulations to all the teams!

It’s been an exciting and emotional month for our judging team. We played every submission, and were blown away by the creativity, effort, and heart behind every submission. While only four titles received top honors and twelve were nominated, many more impressed and inspired us in meaningful ways. A huge thank-you to every team who submitted their work, and to the amazing community who offered feedback, encouragement, and support throughout the jam. We truly appreciate all your passion, effort, and love for indie games. We hope you enjoyed the theme and had fun in our jam!

Let’s keep this spirit of creativity and collaboration alive — and we can’t wait to see you again next time!

^^^
Thank you for helping!!

It shouldn't be. On itch's backend we only locked the game file, not the content of the submitted itch page. Let us know if you aren't able to update the cover / description or if anything happens. Thank you!

Yep that is totally fine!

Hi there - itch tells us "participants are free to update their submission page design and content while their files are locked."

Could you let us know if "page design and content" includes the option to add a playthrough video? If so, then uploading a playthrough video is totally fine with us, but if not, then you could only change the files after the voting phase ends. We are not exactly sure of how itch sets it up here. We have selected "Lock Submissions" on our end so that folks won't be able to update their files during the voting period.

Thank you!

Could you send an email to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com? We will see what we can do!

Could you send an email to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com? We will see what we can do!

Let's goooo!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Please send an email with some screenshots / descriptions of the project to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com, and we will see what we can do!

Hey there! Could you shoot an email to gamejam@thatgamecompany.com?

Thank you!

Could you try now? We turned on a switch in the jam setting that allows both submitters and contributors to vote. Please let us know if you still cannot vote. Thank you for participating and raising the issue!!

We are looking into the issue. Stay tuned and thank you for letting us know!

Yes - definitely allowed, but for the submission, a windows build is totally enough!

When submitting your project, a short questionnaire should pop up asking for this information. Let us know if you don’t see it!

Hi there — from our end, itch states that “if the submission period is still active, files can still be changed. Submitting early will still let you publish updates right up until the deadline.” Let us know if you're still running into issues!

Hi there! Yes, totally. The reason we have the no-violence and no anti-humanity rule is to avoid OVERLY graphic or disturbing topics, which would make press coverage / offline exhibitions challenging even if the project wins an award.

That is totally allowed!

Hi there – if you search for the project ID LYNW6478, you should be able to find our registered game jam. If it doesn’t show up, feel free to leave a comment here on the forum or email us directly at gamejam@thatgamecompany.com — we’re happy to help! Thank you!

They do not count towards the team count and that is a great idea!

I see what you did there!

Yes, we’ll be playing every submission — no caveats!

Hi Yogesh, all submissions will be reviewed by our internal teams and panel of judges. Public ratings will be used specifically to determine the Community’s Voice award.

^ exactly right!