Welcome to the EdenSpark Game Jam series!

Game Jam #4 Theme  "Forbidden Knowledge"

Some things are better left unknown — and that's exactly why they're so tempting to explore. Forbidden knowledge might be hidden in ancient scrolls and sealed grimoires, in classified archives and encrypted files, in someone else's memories, or in a secret someone is trying very hard to keep. It could be a curse, a key, a clue, or a truth no one was ready for. How you interpret the theme is up to you: through story, mechanics, atmosphere, or something we can't even imagine yet. The main thing is that the connection to the theme should come through in the project's design and gameplay.

Overview

EdenSpark Game Jam is a series of online game jams for developers and anyone interested in creating games.

Each month, participants receive a new theme via Discord, Telegram and EdenSpark website, develop a game within a set timeframe, and publish. Participation requires accepting EdenSpark Game Jam Rules.

• Check out the results of the first jam!
• Check out the results of the secons jam!
• Check out the results of the third jam!

What to expect:

• 1 month of development;
• a great time with like-minded people;
• an opportunity to launch on consoles via the EdenSpark platform (upon consoles support launch);
• an active community around EdenSpark;
• bi-monthly cash prizes;
• a chance to win a grand prize at the end of the year. 

General Participation Terms

1. Each monthly jam is a standalone competition.
2. Please review the official rules before participating. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via Discord or Telegram.
3. Only games created during the current jam and compliant with these rules are eligible.
4. Engine requirement: your game must be built using EdenSpark. Games developed with other engines (Unity, Godot, Unreal, etc.) do not qualify for jam prizes, even if submitted to the jam page.
5. The game must be published on both EdenSpark and itch.io.
6. To participate, you must be subscribed to at least one official channel:
   1. Discord
   2. Telegram.
7. Organizers reserve the right to verify compliance and disqualify entries that violate the rules.
8. The game must not violate:
   1. EU legislation;
   2. streaming platform policies (Twitch, YouTube).
   3. EdenSpark ToS;
9. Participants are expected to follow fair competition principles. Participation in multiple monthly jams is allowed, provided each submission is a separate project created for that specific jam.

EdenSpark Game Jam Rules

The full version of the game jam rules is available here. Make sure you understand and accept them, as terms listed there prevail in case of any inconsistency. All rights, obligations, and enforcement are governed by that document.

Monthly Jam

Each month features a separate competition with a total prize pool of $5,000 USD, distributed among winners of the current jam.

Monthly Categories

Best Game — $4,000 USD Total Prize Pool Three winning projects will be selected by the organizers and/or an invited jury, with prizes awarded as follows: $2,250 USD for 1st place, $1,000 USD for 2nd place, and $750 USD for 3rd place. Awards are based on overall quality, including idea, execution, coherence, and player experience.

Community Choice — $1,000 USD Awarded to the project chosen by participants through voting.

Grand Prize

At the end of the year, all winners of “Best Game” and “Community Choice” will form a shortlist. From this list, the organizers and/or an invited jury will select three projects, with prizes distributed as follows: $50,000 USD for 1st place, $35,000 USD for 2nd place, and $15,000 USD for 3rd place.

In addition, nine or more $10,000 USD grants will be awarded to selected promising projects, as determined by the organizers. These grants could be awarded to any game that participated in the monthly jam series regardless of whether it got other prizes or not.

Registration and Community Participation

Registration Requirements

To participate in a given month, you must:

• register on the EdenSpark platform;
• register on the website itch.io;
• join the jam page on itch.io (each jam will have its own page);
• join at least one official channel (Discord or Telegram);
• accept the contest rules;
• submit a game within the current jam deadline, or be part of a team that does. Getting Started Start Here

Organizers may request verification of participation, identity, team composition, or authorship.

Team Size

We recommend teams of up to 7 people — this size typically allows for better coordination and faster decision-making.

The maximum team size is 10 participants.

Teams

• A participant may only be part of one team per jam.
• A participant cannot compete both solo and as part of a team in the same jam.
• Team composition cannot be changed after the deadline.
• All team members must be properly registered.
• All team members must be listed as co-authors on itch.io and EdenSpark (where possible).

If a participant is not properly registered, their contribution may not be considered for prize eligibility.

Community Participation

Participants must be subscribed to at least one official channel (Discord or Telegram) in order to:

• receive the theme;
• stay updated on announcements and deadlines;
• communicate with organizers;
• resolve disputes efficiently.

If a participant unsubscribes from all official channels before results are finalized, organizers may request additional verification.

What Qualifies as a Jam Project

A valid submission must:

• be created during the current jam;
• match the jam theme;
• be published on EdenSpark;
• be published and submitted on itch.io;
• use the EdenSpark Launcher and be built for any supported platform;
• be playable in the browser, or have downloadable build
• include a completed project page with basic information.

Key Rule: The Game Must Be New

To prevent resubmitting old work:

Not allowed:

• submitting games created fully or partially before the jam;
• resubmitting the same game in multiple months;
• submitting slightly modified or reskinned versions of previous projects.

Allowed:

• libraries and frameworks;
• fonts;
• code templates;
• legally obtained or free assets;
• procedural tools;
• AI as a supporting tool;
• references and color palettes.

However, a substantial portion of the game must be created during the current jam.

Participants must have legal rights to all used materials.

What Counts as a “Substantial Part”

Examples of pre-made content that may disqualify a project:

• pre-built levels;
• main characters created in advance;
• music specifically composed for this game beforehand;
• a pre-made vertical slice repackaged for the jam.

Organizers determine what qualifies as a substantial portion.

Disclosure Requirements

Participants must clearly state on the project page:

• whether third-party assets were used;
• whether AI tools were used;
• which parts were not created from scratch;
• whether any content was created before the jam.

Strictly Prohibited

• using content without proper rights;
• hiding AI or third-party usage;
• presenting external content as original work.

Intellectual Property

All rights to the game remain with the participants.

By participating, you grant organizers a non-exclusive right to:

• showcase the game;
• publish screenshots, videos, and descriptions;
• use game assets (name, logo, trailer) for promotion;
• mention the team and project in announcements and results.

Each entry must:

• be published on EdenSpark;
• be uploaded to itch.io;
• be submitted to the jam page on itch.io;
• include a build created via EdenSpark Launcher.

The itch.io build will be used for evaluation.

Incomplete submissions may be disqualified.

After the deadline, builds cannot be updated unless approved by organizers.

Content Restrictions

Games must not:

• violate applicable laws;
• promote hate;
• contain prohibited content;
• violate streaming platform rules (Twitch, YouTube);
• infringe third-party rights.

Organizers may remove such entries without compensation.

Prohibited Actions

• submitting pre-made games as new;
• resubmitting the same game;
• creating multiple accounts;
• splitting one team into multiple teams to gain advantage;
• vote manipulation (bots, fake accounts, vote buying, etc.);
• hiding use of AI or third-party content;
• uploading broken or misleading builds;
• modifying the game after the deadline without approval.

Abuse Policy

Organizers may consider abusive any actions that:

• are not explicitly forbidden,
• but clearly violate fair competition principles.

Required Game Page Information

• game title;
• short description;
• “How to play” instructions;
• team member list;
• disclosure of third-party tools/assets;
• AI usage statement;
• playable or downloadable build;
• (if needed) external download link;
• link to EdenSpark version.

General

Evaluation may include:

• organizer review;
• jury review;
• community voting. 

Voting Restrictions

• Only registered participants of the current jam are allowed to vote;
• Voting is allowed only after submitting your own game or after confirmed registration;
• You may not vote for your own game;
• Voting is not allowed if the account was created after a specified date or shows signs of being fake or used for vote manipulation;
• Organizers reserve the right not to disqualify a participant or a game even if there are signs of fake accounts or vote manipulation.

Final Decision

In all disputes, final decisions regarding eligibility, scoring, winners, prize distribution, and sanctions are made by the organizers.

Verification

Organizers may request:

• source files;
• development history;
• asset lists;
• proof of usage rights;
• team information;
• clarifications.

Penalties

Violations may result in:

• warning;
• disqualification;
• result annulment;
• prize revocation;
• ban from future jams;
• exclusion from grand prize eligibility.

If violations are discovered after results are announced, organizers may revise outcomes and redistribute prizes.

Prize Claim Requirements

To receive a prize, participants must:

• comply with all rules;
• pass verification;
• provide required payment information;
• confirm authorship.

Failure to meet requirements may result in prize forfeiture.

Please, check the full rules for more information.

Taxes and Fees

• Winners are solely responsible for any taxes, duties, or other charges arising in connection with the receipt of a prize, unless otherwise required by applicable law.