GAME JAM: Season 5 Game Jam

Whether you’re a first-time creator or a seasoned pro, the Alpha Season 5 Game Jam is your opportunity to craft immersive worlds that fuse adrenaline-pumping action with awe-inspiring environments.

Whether it’s scaling towering cliffs, darting through hidden pathways, or bouncing off crumbling ruins like a seasoned parkour pro, challenge yourself to create an experience that balances the thrill of exploration with the mastery of dynamic movement.

With our no-code Game Maker tool, anyone can build unique experiences, so let your imagination run free and unleash your inner game designer!

Register Now

Discover New Abilities

Abilities are a new gameplay mechanic that allows Players to explore Experiences in new ways. The first Abilities released are Fly, Double Jump, and Air Dance.

To use Abilities, Players must equip the appropriate item. Abilities are only available in Experiences that have been built with the Abilities feature enabled.

Learn more about Abilities here.

No Time to Create Assets? Use the Assets Libraries

Don’t have time to create assets? Take advantage of our Assets Libraries, live since version 0.11. It offers a vast selection of free assets organized by environment and brand. A new collection is available for this Game Jam, allowing you to craft unique Experiences based on Alpha Season 5 themes such as:

• Lost Jungle
• Volcano
• Amusement Parc (Arcades)
• Island

Don’t wait — REGISTER HERE NOW and start your creation today!

Don’t worry if you’ve never built a game before. We’ll support you every step of the way with workshops, resources, and community help.

We recommend that you start with our quick beginner video tutorials for Game Maker to get familiar with key concepts!

UPDATE: Theme Reveal!

The theme for this Game Jam is Social Platforming, powered by the new Abilities. This is your chance to create a parkour Experience unlike any other, set across wild and breathtaking locations such as volcanic craters, lush jungles, and sun-soaked beaches.

With new Abilities like Fly, Double Jump, and Air Dance at your disposal, your world becomes more than just a playground. It becomes a stage for creativity, movement, and self-expression.

Think beyond gameplay. This is about crafting a journey. Whether you’re guiding Players through surreal dreamscapes, unlocking hidden layers of identity, or pushing the boundaries of motion and imagination, the goal is to surprise, inspire, and connect.

Let your creativity flow. We can’t wait to see the vibrant, mind-expanding adventures you bring to life.

REGISTER HERE and start shaping your digital journey of discovery!

Gameplay Guidelines & Inspiration to Get You Started

The Game must be a social platformer and:

• Be multiplayer
• Focused on a parkour race with a winner. You can use the “Social Platforming Game” or “Multiplayer Race” Template.
• The use of at least one ability among :

Double Jump

Fly

Air Dance

Your game must take place in one of the Alpha Season 5’s environments:

• Jungle (Lost Jungle Library + Template)
• Volcano (Volcano Library + Template)
• Beach (Island Library + Template)
• Arcade (Amusement Park Library)
• Museum
• Garden

You can use the associated Libraries/Templates.

Tip: Abilities are given through specific gear, one ability per equipment. Pay special attention to when and where you give this equipment to the players so they can’t break the parkour with Abilities they shouldn’t have (like flying).

Prizes 🏆

You stand a chance at a share of 100,000 SAND, 20 LANDs, and exclusive CATALYST Packs! Additionally, the first 100 valid entries are rewarded a participation prize of 100 SAND each (conditions apply)!

Top Prizes:

• 🥇 1st Place: 18,000 SAND + 1x1 LAND + Gold CATALYST Pack
• 🥈 2nd Place: 14,000 SAND + 1x1 LAND + Silver CATALYST Pack
• 🥉 3rd Place: 10,000 SAND + 1x1 LAND + Silver CATALYST Pack
• 🎖️ 4th Place: 8,000 SAND + 1x1 LAND + Silver CATALYST Pack
• 🎖️ 5th Place: 6,000 SAND + 1x1 LAND + Silver CATALYST Pack
• 🎖️ 6th–10th Place: 4,000 SAND + 1x1 LAND + Bronze CATALYST Pack
• 🌟 Honorable Mentions (up to 10): 2,000 SAND + 1x1 LAND

🎉UGC Special Event:
Once the Season 5 is over, the best 5 experiences from the Season 5 Game Jam will be automatically part of the Season 5 post UGC event. A unique chance to get your experience played by our players. This event will include a prize pool accessible for all players who complete the EP objective.

Key dates 🗓️

• 🗓️ April 2: Registrations Open
• 🗓️ April 9: Game Jam Kick-Off AMA & Theme Reveal — 12:30 PM UTC
• 🗓️ April 10: Live Workshop — 7:30 AM UTC
• 🗓️ April 16: Registrations Close — 11:59 PM UTC
• 🗓️ April 29: Submission Deadline — 4:00 PM UTC
• 🏆May 17: Live Awards Ceremony on Twitch — 6:00 PM UTC

Checklist: Get Started with Game Jams ☑️
Follow these steps to prepare for the Game Jam:

• ☑️ Create your The Sandbox account
• ☑️ Download the no-code Game Maker tool to start building your game
• ☑️ Jump start with our 1 hour Beginner Game Maker video tutorials.
• ☑️ Download VoxEdit to create custom assets (optional)
• ☑️ Join the Creators Forum for updates and support
• ☑️ Register for the Game Jam
• ☑️ Check your email for Game Jam Kick-Off details
• ☑️ Remember to look at the 📚Resources section below to learn more about being a creator in The Sandbox 🎓
• ☑️ Plan and build your game with our Production Guide 🤝
• ☑️ Submit your game before deadline using the submission form, which will be sent to you via email 🗒️

Don’t Miss the Live Awards Ceremony!

Join us on May 17th at 6:00 PM UTC on Twitch to celebrate the winners and take part in exciting giveaways!🎉
Missed the ceremony? Don’t worry — winners will also be announced on Twitter/X.
🗣️ Stay connected! For updates and announcements related to Game Jams and other creator contests, join our Creators Forum.

Why participate in The Sandbox Game Jams?

The Sandbox is a vibrant ecosystem where creators and brands collaborate to build the future of gaming. Whether you’re dreaming of launching your own game franchise or collaborating with iconic brands,, there’s a place for you here!

Explore our Map here!

Here’s why you should join:

• 💎 Exciting Prizes: Win SAND, LAND, publishing opportunities, and recognition within our global community.
• 📸 Gain Exposure: Share your game development skills, become a recognized creator, and receive feedback from players and industry experts.
• 📋 Build Your Portfolio: Game Jams are an excellent way to rapidly create and showcase your work.
• ⚙️ Improve Your Skills: Experiment, grow, and refine your game-making abilities with The Sandbox’s easy-to-use tools.
• 🤝 Join the Community: Connect with fellow creators, exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects in a supportive and passionate community.

Important rules ⚠️
Before submitting, make sure you’ve read all the rules to ensure your game is eligible for prizes. By following these guidelines, you’ll avoid issues that could affect your game’s chances of winning!

• 🛠️ Game Maker Version: Use the version available on kick-off day. Updating could introduce bugs that affect your score.
• ⏳ Creation Date: Your game must be created after the kick-off date.
• 🌍 Size Limitation: Your game must not exceed 1x1 LAND in size.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Multiple Entries: If you submit more than one entry, only your highest-ranked entry will be eligible for prizes.
• 🛡️ KYC Requirement: Complete KYC verification to receive prizes. Failing to meet these conditions may result in ineligibility for prizes.

For full rules, see our Official Game Jam Rules.

Rules & Conditions — Prizes & Rewards

To qualify for participation rewards, please ensure you follow these key conditions:

• You must submit a valid entry through the submission form sent to you by email.
• Spam entries will be disqualified at the discretion of The Sandbox staff.
• The Top 10 and Honorable Mentions are not eligible for participation rewards.
• If you submit multiple entries, you will only receive participation rewards for one.
• KYC verification is required to receive SAND, LAND, CATALYSTs, and other prizes.
• Teams submitting multiple entries in the Top 10 will only have their highest-ranked entry counted for prizes, but other entries may be eligible for Honorable Mention.
• You must publish your game’s experience page before the award ceremony.

Important: Failing to fulfill these conditions will make you ineligible for prizes and rewards.

For a full list of rules and conditions, please refer to our Official Game Jam Rules.

Judges & Voting 🏦

Your game will be evaluated across five categories, with up to 22 points available from each judge. These categories include:

• 💡 Overall Creative Idea: How unique and engaging is your idea and how well does it apply the theme of the Game Jam?
• 🛠️ Level Design: Is the virtual world intuitive to navigate, does it flow well, and is it visually immersive?
• 🎮 Game Design: Are your gameplay mechanics fun, engaging, and immersive?
• 🕹️ Playability: Is the overall game intuitive and are there minor or major bugs which disrupts player experience?
• 🌟 BONUS: Wow Factor: Extra points are awarded for exceptional creativity, visual design, or innovative gameplay that takes the experience to the next level.

You can read about these categories in more detail here where you can also learn more about the judges.

Resources 📚

Need help getting started? We’ve got you covered! Check out these essential tools and guides to help you build your game:

• 🖥️ New to Game Maker? Learn fast here. here.
• 🎨 Creating Custom Assets? Find all of our VoxEdit resources here.
• 🧰 Need guidance? Follow our Production Guide to plan and build your game step by step.
• 🛍️ Save time by buying pre-made assets from our Marketplace here.

FAQs — ❓

Have questions about the Game Jam or our rewards? We’ve got you covered!

What are CATALYST Packs?
CATALYST Packs add value and rarity to in-game assets in The Sandbox. Each pack contains components you can use to enhance your game’s ASSETS.

Learn more about CATALYSTs here.

CATALYST Pack Tiers:

• Gold: 1 🟨, 3 🟪, 10 🟦, 50 🟩, 100 ⬜
• Silver: 1 🟪, 5 🟦, 25 🟩, 50 ⬜
• Bronze: 3 🟦, 10 🟩, 25 ⬜

If you have more questions, be sure to read our full rules and FAQs linked above, or visit the Creators Forum where our team and community are ready to help.

Good luck to all participants! We can’t wait to see what you create.