As a continued celebration of our Maker Festival, push your creativity to the limit in the ultimate RPG Maker Game Jam! 
Challenge yourself to create a game in just four weeks and compete for a share of the $3,000 prize pool!

Your challenge is to create a game exploring the theme of Beyond Expectations. Whether you're putting players in situations where they must exceed their perceived limits, telling a story of unprecedented achievement, or creating innovative mechanics that challenge conventional wisdom, the possibilities are endless. Will your players shatter boundaries, help others achieve the impossible, or discover that they're capable of far more than they ever imagined?

Remember: Your game must incorporate Beyond Expectations as its theme to be a valid entry!

Main Prize Pool: $3,000 USD

Experience the thrill of competition and showcase your game development skills! While creating an amazing game is its own reward, we're excited to offer substantial prizes for the top entries:

Main Competition Prizes

• 🥇 1st Place: $1,000 USD
• 🥈 2nd Place: $1,000 USD
• 🥉 Best RPG Maker Unite Game: $1,000 USD

Special Category Awards

In addition to our main prizes, we're recognizing excellence in specific areas! Outstanding entries will receive a free official DLC of their choice for exceptional achievement in the following categories:

• 🎵 Best Soundtrack
  • For exceptional musical composition and sound design

• 🎨 Best Visual Design
  • For outstanding artistic direction and visual presentation

• 🎮 Most Innovative Gameplay
  • For unique and creative game mechanics

• 📖 Best Narrative
  • For compelling storytelling and character development

• 💫 Best Use of Theme
  • For creative and effective incorporation of the "Beyond Expectations" theme

Note: Winners of the main prizes are not eligible for Special Category Awards. All prizes will be awarded based on the judges' final decisions.

Participation Prize

Every team or solo developer who meets the jam’s submission guidelines will receive a special music DLC just for joining in!

The judging panel will consist of experienced developers and community members. They will evaluate each submission based on the Judging Criteria that will be announced soon. The judges reserve the right to disqualify any entry that violates the jam’s rules. All judging decisions are final.

1. Engine Requirement: You must use Gotcha Gotcha Game's Maker series engine (Official Site, Steam, Epic Store). Games made in other engines are not eligible for this jam. Each mainline Maker engine has a trial version with full features, while RPG Maker Unite's trial is only available for a limited time.
2. Original Work: Development on contest entries must begin after the jam starts (March 20, 2025 JST). Pre-existing assets (such as music, sound effects, and graphical resources) may be used, as long as you have the right to use them and properly credit the creators. However, any new content made for the game must be created during the jam period.
3. Submission Deadline: All entries must be submitted by April 21, 2025 (JST). No late entries will be accepted under any circumstances, so plan accordingly and avoid last-minute uploads.
4. Game Length: Aim for a playable experience with a minimum playtime of 15 minutes. Games longer than an hour will be judged only on their first hour of gameplay.
5. Rights & Attribution: You must have the legal right to use all software, resources, and tools involved in the game’s creation. All borrowed or purchased assets must be properly credited in a text file included with your submission.
6. Team Size & Participation Limits: You may work solo or in a team of any size. However, any prizes will only be awarded to the individual or team account that submits the game.
7. Submission Requirements: All files required to run your game must be included in your download (such as RTP resources, libraries, or dependencies). If your game fails to launch due to missing files, it will be disqualified.
8. Content Guidelines:
   • Your game must be PG-13, meaning no graphic sexual content, extreme violence, or offensive material. If you're unsure, please follow ESRB Teen (T) guidelines.
   • No Generative AI Art is allowed for visuals, text, or audio. All assets must be manually created or sourced legally.
   • Games must be available in English, though additional language options are welcome. The default language must be set to English.
9. Platform Requirements: A Windows-compatible build must be provided so that judges and the community can evaluate your game. Additional platform versions (Mac, Linux, Web, etc.) are welcome but not required.
10. Bug Policy & Disqualification: Minor bugs are expected and will not be penalized. However, any game-breaking bug that makes a submission unplayable within the first 10 minutes will result in disqualification.
11. Cheating & Plagiarism: Plagiarism and any form of cheating (such as using stolen assets or AI-generated submissions) will result in immediate disqualification. Let’s make this a fair and creative competition for all participants!
12. Judges' Rights: Contest judges reserve the right to penalize or disqualify any entry that violates the rules, contains inappropriate content, or is deemed unplayable. All judging decisions are final.

Prize redemption methodology will be delivered electronically to the email associated with the account that submitted the game. Winners are responsible for any taxes or fees associated with their prize. If submitting as a team, it is the team’s responsibility to decide how to split the winnings before winners are announced, as the organizers will not handle prize distribution among team members.

No purchase is necessary to enter the contest. Participants must be at least 13 years old to register and submit entries. Additional age or nationality restrictions may apply based on local, state, or national laws. Creators retain full rights to their respective works.

Thank you for pushing beyond expectations with us. We can’t wait to see the incredible worlds, stories, and mechanics you’ll create. Good luck and have fun!