itch.io

No that would be acceptable.

📦 Submission Guidelines

With the game jam winding down, it's time to start preparing your submissions! Here’s everything you need to know to make sure your entry is valid and ready for judging.

📅 Deadline Reminder

• All submissions must be completed by April 21, 2025 (JST). The date and time on the event page should be converted to your local timezone so make sure you don't miss it!
• Once the deadline passes, submissions will be locked and no changes can be made.
• No late entries will be accepted, so please plan your upload ahead of time to avoid last-minute issues!

✅ What Your Submission Must Include:

• Windows-Compatible Build 
  •  A downloadable Windows version is required for judging.
  • HTML5/web builds are welcome but cannot replace the Windows version.
• ZIP File (Preferred but not required) 
  •  Package your deployed game folder into a single .zip file. Include all required files, including:
    • Game data (EXE, assets, etc.)
    • RTP files if needed
    • Credits.txt listing credits for all external assets, tools, or plugins used
• Itch.io Page 
  •  Set up a project page and submit it to the jam using the “Submit your project to a jam” section.
  • You are free to customize your page, but make sure your download is easy to find and your game runs properly!
  • Your game must be free to play. “Pay what you want” is allowed, as long as there’s a free option available and it’s not hidden.

📜 Final Notes on Submissions

• Once the jam ends, submissions are locked, so double-check your upload before the deadline. Don't wait until the last minute!
• The voting period will begin as soon as the submission period ends and will last 30 days.
  • Submitters and contributors are allowed to play and rank other games, but only judge scores will determine official prizes.
• For all other rules and guidelines, refer to the main event page: https://itch.io/jam/rpg-maker-2025-game-jam

If you have additional questions about submissions, feel free to ask in the thread. Good luck finishing up; we’re excited to play your games!

Yes submitters and contributors will be allowed to vote. Only the judge vote will determine official prizes.

You can update your game files up until the end of the submission period. Whichever files you submitted last will be the ones pulled.

You'll be able to see how your game was rated in each category on your submission page once judging is complete!

You need to remove the paywall if you want your entry to be evaluated during the judging period. Otherwise it will be disqualified.

Yes, you should zip your deployed game folder (including all necessary files and a credits text file) into a single ZIP file before uploading it to Itch.io. This keeps everything organized and ensures it can be downloaded and played without issues.

Yes, that would be acceptable under a Teen rating as long as the nudity is non-sexual and the private areas are censored.

Using ChatGPT to help with debugging or to create code templates that you then build on yourself is fine. The restriction is mainly aimed at generating final game content (like art, music, or text) that’s directly used in the game without significant user input.

Judges will not start playing entries until after the submission period is over so you still have plenty of time.

Submissions are hidden for now to prevent spam, illegitimate entries, or people using the jam to advertise unrelated games or assets. They’ll be visible once the jam ends and the submission period is over!

The specifics of how many judges play each game are something we’re currently discussing internally, but that part of the process won’t be shared publicly. That said, we’re doing our best to ensure judging is as fair and balanced as possible for all entries!

The only requirement is that actual game development is done within the jam duration. We do not limit distribution and you can send your game to people to debug!

All allowed engines is posted in the jam page with accompanying images! It's on the first paragraph inside rules and guidelines :)

Engine Requirement: You must use Gotcha Gotcha Game's Maker series engine (Official Site, Steam, Epic Store). Games made in other engines are not eligible for this jam. Each mainline Maker engine has a trial version with full features, while RPG Maker Unite's trial is only available for a limited time.

Please refer to this topic for the judging details.

Yes you can. Please refer to the FAQ post for more details.

The judges will prioritize the Windows version for evaluation, so you don’t need to worry if the browser version isn’t optimized. You’re welcome to include both, but only the Windows version will judged.

Yes, please include your game folder and credits text file in a zip file or compressed folder for submission.

A downloadable Windows version is required. HTML5 builds are optional but not a substitute.

Yes, using a limited color palette like the Game Boy’s style is totally fine!

Occasional strong language, including the F-word, is fine under an ESRB Teen rating as long as it’s not excessive.

Yes, you can use Charas-Project for your RPG Maker 2003 submission.

As for judging, some of the judges do plan on livestreaming entries. We’ll have more details on that soon!

Yes, both Maniac’s Patch and DYN RPG are allowed, as long as you’re using them with the official Steam version of RPG Maker 2003.

Yes, mods like Yanfly’s are allowed as long as you follow the terms of use and properly credit them.

If your game does not win a prize or generate any revenue, it would be considered non-commercial. In that case, you can use assets that allow non-commercial use only.

The judges will prioritize the Windows version for evaluation, so you don’t need to worry if the browser version isn’t optimized. You’re welcome to include both, but only the Windows version will judged.

Yes, it’s totally fine to use ChatGPT or other tools to help with translation. You can also use free plugins in your project; just make sure you have the right to use them and include proper credit.

The submissions are going to be displayed at a later time near the jam's end.

Your game does not have to be finished for submission. As long as it's 15 minutes minimum, it should be fine.

Yes it is. It does not interfere with normal RPG Maker XP operations.

We can tell the difference, but to avoid confusion or making your entry less accessible to others, we suggest keeping it fully free during the voting period.

We won’t be actively monitoring development progress, so you’re free to create and upload your game only when it’s finished.

Yes, that’s fine! As long as you’re not copy-pasting existing event data and are building everything new during the jam.

Playtime Guideline

Judges will spend up to one hour with every entry. Make sure your core mechanics, story hook, and best “Beyond Expectations” moments land inside that window. Content that comes later is welcome but might not be seen.

Scoring Criteria (100 pts)

Theme – 30 pts

We’re looking for genuine surprises. Does your game subvert tropes, flip the script, or reveal something the player never saw coming? The strongest entries weave that spirit through narrative, gameplay, and presentation so the theme feels essential. A cosmetic mention of the theme won’t cut it.

Gameplay – 20 pts

This is the nuts-and-bolts of your game: combat systems, puzzles, menus—anything the player can interact with. We score based on the intuitiveness, responsiveness, and depth of your game mechanics. Even a simple game can score high here if its core loop is fun and player choices feel meaningful.

Engagement – 20 pts

How hard does your title pull us in? We’ll look at pacing, motivation, and payoff. If the hour flies by because we’re invested in what happens next, you’ll shine in this category. If we're checking the clock, expect a lower mark here.

Presentation – 20 pts

This covers the audiovisual experience and how they work together to sell your world. We want a cohesive art style, readable fonts, scene‑appropriate music, and a UI that deepens immersion rather than breaks it. Custom art isn’t mandatory, but clashing assets will pull your score down.

Polish – 10 pts

Bugs happen, especially in a jam. We ignore one‑off typos or passability errors. Repeated glitches, broken items, or soft‑locks will cost points. A crash or hard lock in the first ten minutes automatically disqualifies an entry; a game‑breaking bug after that point ends our play‑through and limits how far we can judge the other categories.

As long as the assets created allows commercial use (e.g. Donations are considered commercial since the developer gets monetary gain) and the judges and participants aren't required to pay, this should be fine.

It would depend on how graphic the text is. An easy way to tell if something is safe if a creator won't get demonetized from Youtube for example.

Hello, it should be OK as easy rpg player is a supplement for RM2k/3.

Yep, there should be no problems.

Also for @arthurfalaschi 

There is a slight miscommunication and to reclarify, we do allow custom assets to be reused. If you have an old project that has script calls or old custom plugins, you can reuse them! The key rule is that the actual game development (maps, events, coding, etc.) must start during the jam period.

As long as RPG Maker Unite is the foundation of your game, you should be able to use Unity materials with it and submit it to the game jam.