The Wavedash Summer Game Jam begins on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. PST. The theme will be revealed as soon as the jam opens, and participants will have until Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. PST to upload an eligible build.
You can compete on your own or with a team of any size. The top five entries will win prizes, and everyone who submits a game or build will receive $10 in Wavedash credits.
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date and time |
|---|---|
| Game jam begins | Friday, July 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. PST |
| Theme revealed | Friday, July 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. PST |
| Build upload deadline | Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. PST |
| Winners revealed | Monday, August 10, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. PST |
How to Submit Your Game
Every valid entry requires two steps:
- Upload your game to Wavedash. Games submitted through any other publishing method will be disqualified.
- Create a post in the #summer-jam-submissions Discord forum. This forum helps the organizers track every game participating in the jam.
You may create your Discord forum submission at any time. The important deadline requirement is that a build must be uploaded to Wavedash before July 26 at 9:00 p.m. PST.
Build and Version Rules
You may upload as many builds as you like, both during and after the jam. Continued development is encouraged, but the judges will evaluate and provide feedback on only the latest build uploaded before the deadline.
If you upload multiple builds to Wavedash, do not delete any of them.
Team Rules
Participants may work solo or form a team. There is no stated limit on the number of team members.
How Judging Works
Judges will score each game from 1 to 4 in five categories:
| Category | What judges will consider |
|---|---|
| Alignment with Theme | How clearly and creatively the revealed theme appears in the game's concept, gameplay, story, or characters |
| Creativity | The originality of the concept, execution, gameplay, story, and interpretation of the theme |
| Interactivity, Gameplay, and Rules | How easily the target audience can understand the game's goals, rules, features, and interactions |
| Technical Completeness | Stability, beginning-to-end playability, and the presence or absence of noticeable or game-breaking bugs |
| Wavedash Platform | The quality of the cover art and game description, along with the use of Wavedash SDK features |
The rubric lists Player Identity, Leaderboard, Achievements, UGC, Cloud Saves, and Multiplayer as examples of Wavedash SDK features. Its highest Wavedash Platform score calls for polished cover art and a strong description, plus four or more SDK features.
Everyone with a submission will receive rubric-based feedback after the winners are announced.
Read the official Game Jam Rubric and Feedback Template
Prizes
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| Grand Prize | $1,000 |
| Second Place | $500 |
| Third Place | $250 |
| Fourth Place | $125 |
| Fifth Place | $75 |
In addition, everyone who submits a game or build will receive $10 in Wavedash credits to use on any game available on the site.
Final Submission Checklist
- Upload your game to Wavedash before Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. PST.
- Create an entry in the #summer-jam-submissions Discord forum.
- Make sure the build you want judged is your latest Wavedash upload before the deadline.
- Keep every uploaded build on Wavedash, including earlier versions.
- Review your cover art, description, and SDK integrations against the official rubric.
The theme goes live when the jam begins on July 17 at 9:00 a.m. PST. Good luck, and have fun building!