The original Open World Jam, hosted by TheWaether on itch.io and Glorious Trainwrecks, ran from March 11th 2022 to September 30th 2025. It amassed 109 entries on itch.io, 8 entries on Glorious Trainwrecks, and proved at least part of the core thesis of the original jam: open world games can be made on a $0 budget.
The original jam was unranked. This jam is inspired by, and aspires to continue that tradition. We just want to see some great open world games emerge from this side of the internet! From the original jam:
what defines an open-world game? well it's very loosely defined. but here's some things - large map with lots of points of interest - back of the game box would describe it as "vast" or "a massive game world" or such - a continuous space with no load times (YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS PART IF YOU DON'T WANT) - lots of "collectables" and "items"
see how much of the player's time you can fill with as little effort as possible. maybe some procedurally generated content? maybe some large, sparse expanses?
Use any game engine (or programming language) you want. The perspective need not be first-person or even 3D. Heck, it can be a text adventure game! The map need not span hundreds of square kilometers. The game need not be finished in the mainstream sense of the word. Just make an open world game with a world (and story perhaps) that you care about. We don't need another GTA VI – Drug Wars, Taipan 3000: Special Edition, Yume Nikki and Pokemon Gold are also open world games in their own ways.
Liberty City from GTA III which, ironically, is the only 3D GTA to not have an in-game minimap.
Please make sure there is a Windows/Linux/web build that is free to download. Credit all contributors, including any public domain assets you have used. This is a community-driven event; please play and comment on other entries besides submitting your own. Be kind, constructive, and respectful when discussing other people's work. Everyone, including the jam's host, is here to experiment and learn.
Feel free to join the official Discord server for this jam using this invite link: https://discord.com/invite/XPxM8rBfnG. Check out the submissions to the original Open World Jam on itch.io and Glorious Trainwrecks to get those creative juices flowing!
A Note on Deadlines
Open World Jam 2 will close on the announced date, without extensions. Plan your project around the available time, and don't be afraid to keep your scope small! Your game doesn't need to be polished, feature-complete, or ambitious in scale to belong here. A small, unfinished world made with care is just as welcome as a sprawling adventure. The goal is to make something interesting, not to burn yourself out trying to finish it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is [weird game] an open-world game?
A: Yes.
Q: What if my world is tiny?
A: That's fine. Depth over breadth.
Q: What if my game is unfinished?
A: That's fine too. Open-world games are never really finished.
Q: Does it have to be 3D?
A: Nope.
Q: Does it have to have quests, NPCs, crafting, or procedural generation?
A: Nope. Make your world however you want.
Q: Is there a theme? Can I start making my game now?
A: There is no theme to be announced. The month before submissions open is intended purely as prep time. You can use this time to sketch out your world, prepare the assets and templates you need, or even start building!
P.S. Open World Jam 2 is an independent continuation of the spirit of the original Open World Jam, with the express blessing of TheWaether. This new jam is not a replacement for the original, but an attempt to keep its central idea alive: that anyone can make an open-world game, regardless of budget, experience, or scope.
