GitHub Game Off Returns with a Moonshot Theme

GitHub’s annual game jam, Game Off, is back for 2020, and this year’s theme is MOONSHOT. The jam gives developers a month to build a game from scratch, with entries due by December 1 at 13:37 PT.

The theme is open to interpretation, covering everything from ambitious, seemingly impossible projects to literal lunar launches. Moonshot thinking is about tackling challenges that most would consider out of reach. Participants can lean into the space angle or explore the broader spirit of bold innovation.

A few starting points to spark ideas:

  • A roguelite lunar lander in which you get one shot at touching down on the moon
  • A platformer where the hero leaps across the lunar surface while firing shots at enemies
  • A time-travel narrative built around making a single, game-changing intervention
  • A story about solving a global problem with ridiculous, futuristic technology

There are no restrictions on engine, language, or team size. Developers can work solo or in groups, and interpret the theme as loosely as they like from November 1 through December 1. The goal is to build something fun and ship it.

Getting Started

Participation requires a few straightforward steps:

  1. Create a free GitHub account if needed.
  2. Join the jam on itch.io, signing in with your GitHub account.
  3. Build a game around the Moonshot theme before the December 1 deadline.
  4. Create a new public GitHub repository for your source code and shared assets, pushing your work by submission time.
  5. Submit through the itch.io Game Off page once the jam officially starts and you’ve joined.

Voting and Recognition

After submissions close, voting opens to all jam participants. There will be ample time to play through the entries and cast votes. GitHub will also spotlight select favorites on the GitHub Blog, and all submissions remain publicly available for others to enjoy, learn from, or build upon.