The GMTK Game Jam Returns for 2026

Why It Matters

The event is a high-profile funnel for rapid prototyping, community networking, and talent discovery in indie game development, with proven potential to spawn commercially successful titles and collaborations. It also signals continued community engagement and influence for Game Maker’s Toolkit in the indie scene.

Summary

The GMTK Game Jam returns July 22–26, 2026, inviting developers to design and build a game in 96 hours around a theme revealed at the start. Participants will submit their entries on itch.io, after which the community will play and rate entries; host Channel 4’s Game Maker’s Toolkit will feature top-rated games in a follow-up video. This marks the 10th anniversary of the jam, which has produced commercial launches such as 2021 entrant Tethergeist. Organizers have published rules, AI guidelines, local-time scheduling, and community resources including a teamfinder and forthcoming Discord invite.

Original Description

Sign up: https://itch.io/jam/gmtk-jam-2026