“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;” -Revelation 6:12
Gather round, doomers, Apocalypse Jam 2024 is upon us,
This game jam is about the end of the world in all its forms. The main theme is Apocalypse: it could be the collapse of modern society and nature, sudden disasters, post-cataclysmic survival scenarios, literal or figurative apocalypse, a historical doomsday, a pessimistic future, or some completely off-the-wall interpretation.
This year we have four optional subthemes. These themes are all up for their own voting category and can be seen as a jumping off point for your ideas:
- Bug Out Games related to emergency prepping, survivalism, prepper culture, and what you have in your bug out bag.
- Eschatology Games related to mythological prophecies about the end of the world such as Ragnarök in Norse mythology, the end of the Fifth Sun in Aztec beliefs, and the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, etc.
- AI Games related to how Artificial Intelligence might irrevocably change or utterly destroy humanity. These games can be about simulated minds, machines gaining true consciousness, or generative AI like ChatGPT that’s already making an impact on the world.*
- Cult This theme is for games about doomsday cults and ushering in the end-of-the-world through supernatural means or shared ideals.
*Using automation or generative AI in your game making process IS allowed, but use it minimally and in an interesting way. Make sure to disclose how you implemented AI in your submission. Learn about itch.io’s rules on AI here.
JAM DETAILS
Deadline: You have until Sunday, October 27 at 7pm PDT / 10pm EDT / (Oct 28) 3:00 CET to submit your games.
Constraints: You may use existing assets and already have a rough idea of what you want to make, but your game must be created and submitted within the timeframe of the jam to be eligible for the award categories. Every game should engage in at least one of the themes.
Discord: Join the Apocalypse Jam Discord to chat with other jammers, show off your progress, and share other apocalyptic games. https://discord.gg/JM4v6nQQbr
Resources: First-time jammers may want to check out IndieCade's jam resources (you can skip the Climate Jam specific parts), here is a list of resources to help you get started as well as additional "tiny game" tools here.
Voting and Awards: Submitters and Contributors will rank games on the following criteria:
- AESTHETICS - This includes visuals, graphics, sound design, music, and VO. Consider quality, uniqueness, effectiveness, and how these engage with the intention of the game and the themes.
- WRITING - This includes story, dialogue, and UI language. Consider quality, uniqueness, effectiveness, and how these engage with the intention of the game and the themes.
- GAMEPLAY - This includes game mechanics, gameplay design, and the overall experience of play. Consider quality, uniqueness, effectiveness, how engaging, fun, or enjoyable it is. Consider how these factors engage with the intention of the game and the themes.
- INNOVATION - Consider how unique or innovative the game or the subject matter is.
- THEME - How well does this game incorporate the main theme (Apocalypse) or any chosen subthemes?
- SUBMITTER'S CHOICE - Your pick for top game overall for the jam. Consider the other criteria, whether it stands out, how polished it is, etc.
There will also be judge rankings for BEST OVERALL and BEST USE OF for each of the themes.
If anyone is not participating but would like to help us judge the games please reach out to apocalypsegamejam@gmail.com
Prizes: The Best Overall and the Submitter's Choice teams will each receive a 100% off discount code to submit one game to IndieCade 2025 (any game is allowed). All award winners will receive jam-branded patches, and a 20% off discount code to submit to IndieCade 2025.
Please reach out if you want to contribute something else as a prize!
Good luck on your games! Apocalypse Jam Team