Ah, good catch! Let me clarify that—and I'm really sorry for the confusion! 😅
This is actually the very first Jam I’m creating and hosting, so I’m still fine-tuning a few details.
Originally, the guidelines stated that pre-existing projects or work started before the official dates were fully allowed. However, because my target audience goes way beyond the usual Itch.io jam community, I ended up rewriting the rules multiple times to make them clearer in english and french... and that crucial rule accidentally got edited out during one of my updates! my bad!
To be 100% clear: You can definitely start working, planning, and building right now! Existing projects or early progress are more than welcome. The December 1st date is simply when the submission button opens on Itch.io to upload your final files.
I'm adding that rule back onto the main page right away, and the rules won't change again.
Thanks a lot for pointing this out, and feel free to start cooking up your game whenever you're ready! 🛠️