Submissions open from 2025-04-25 10:00:00 to 2025-05-01 04:59:59
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THEME

"Spring Cleaning"

Plain Language Tony says: 

"You can finish an incomplete game, completely revamp a buggy existing one, or make a whole new one. Just get it done."

Ostara is back for 2025, and we're doing things a little differently this year.  Yes, this jam is all about a refreshed focus on artistic expression, growth, and joy as we rise from the icy grips of winter, but.....THIS YEAR we're starting fresh and early because the goal isn't just to start a game but to finish something. Bring out that project from under the rug. Dust off an unfinished game-jam pitch that bit off more than it could chew. The theme is there for the bunny-fluff. You bring the game, and we're here to help you fertilize it to floral beauty.

Micro-games, experimental play-alongs, print-and-play games, and silly little "what-if" experiments are still welcome and encouraged. Whether you're a baby-dev looking to make your first game, or a grizzled industry vet wanting to refresh: Ostara is your garden.  Feel the fresh flow of air under your wings and bring something back to life that's been sitting in the freezer as well. Take the extra time to gently thaw any project you want to work on, and we'll accept it.

The theme is live and open NOW, and everyone is free to start working at their own pace on either a new game or continue work on an existing one. Submissions open on the 25th of April and close on the 30th. While most of this jam is entirely remote work, we're going to book one single day of entirely on-brand in-person working and sharing to celebrate the season. 

Saturday April 26th, we're meeting in-person at UNO's Criss Library room 249 from Noon to 4:00pm. Bring whatever you've made to show off, come ask for help putting a button in the last line of work, or just meet the local game dev and design talent from Omaha. 

COMMUNITY

Join the conversation early or find a team by joining the Discord server!

Our fresh-faced partner this year is UNO's Maverick Meadow Indie Game Studio. These folks are doing their best to get student-made games off the ground at UNO and ready for commercial viability. Show some love.

RULES

  • Any and all kinds of games are allowed, so long as the capacity for others to play can be distributed online through itch.io.
  • The original idea for the game and bulk of production can be generated during the jam itself, or you can continue work on an existing project at any stage of completion.
  • Games can be submitted to multiple jams, but must have been completed during April 2025, and should be related to the announced theme.
  • Asset packs are cool if you've got the license/clearance to use it normally.
  • Solo and full dev team development is a-okay.
  • Content and interactions are subject to the inclusivity policy of our umbrella organization Insert Game {Here}