Pixel Forge Game Jam 2026

About The Challenge:

• Submissions are only being taken through Itch.
• The game jam is hosted on the Itch platform and participants must join through the Itch page.
• Detailed rules are listed on the Itch page.
• Pixel Forge is a 1-week game development hackathon where developers, artists, designers, and creators come together to build games.
• Participants have 7 days to create a game from scratch.
• The event encourages experimentation with ideas and turning creativity into playable projects.
• The hackathon is open to both beginners and experienced developers.
• The focus of Pixel Forge is creativity, learning, and building innovative games.
• Participants can join the Discord server to communicate with other participants, form teams, ask questions, and share their work.

What To Submit:

• Any type of video game created using any game engine is allowed.
• The game must incorporate the official theme of the hackathon.
• The theme will be revealed when the hackathon begins.
• The theme will be announced one hour before the game jam starts.
• Participants must design their game based on the announced theme.
• All games must be submitted through the Itch page.

Rules:

• Participants must track their development progress.
• Progress can be tracked by taking daily screenshots with visible date and time.
• Progress can also be tracked using a public GitHub repository.
• Organizers may request proof of development progress at the end of the jam.
• Participants can use any game engine.
• Participation can be solo or in teams of up to 4 members.
• Participants must not attempt to manipulate game ratings.
• Any form of rating manipulation will undermine fairness and may lead to disqualification.
• Games must be created entirely during the game jam duration.
• Use of small premade assets must be disclosed and properly credited during submission.
• AI-generated assets or content should not be used.
• A short explanation of how the theme is incorporated must be included in the submission.
• Games should generally be appropriate for all age groups.
• Hateful, offensive, or NSFW content is not allowed.
• Games that contain violence or gore should include a clear warning on the game page.
• Submitting a web build playable in the browser is recommended but not mandatory.
• If a web build is not possible, a Windows or Mac build should be submitted.
• Participants should be respectful and provide helpful feedback during the voting phase.

Judging Criteria:

• Theme integration.
• Gameplay quality.
• Visual design.
• Music.

Prizes:

• Multiple prizes are available for participants.
• Detailed prize information is available on the official website.