Michael JohnsonParticipants in Game Off 2026 may use AI tools to create their games, but GitHub will ask them to disclose this when they submit their work. The annual game jam began on November 1: developers have until December 1 at 1:37 p.m. Pacific Time to make a game based on the theme SHIFT, publish its source code in a public GitHub repository, and submit the project through itch.io.
What’s changed for participants
The rules for this year’s game jam explicitly allow AI assistance. Organizers have also added a question about AI use to the submission form, giving participants a chance to explain how they used it. This makes the use of such tools part of the development-process description, rather than a hidden detail of the project.
For creators, this means taking a simple practical step: keeping track in advance of where AI was used—for example, to generate ideas or prepare assets—and being ready to disclose that when submitting the game. GitHub does not ban specific tools or require the source code to use a particular license: creators can choose the license, but publishing the code in a public repository is mandatory.
Theme and deadlines
This year’s theme is SHIFT. Participants can interpret it broadly: as a change in perspective or dimension, a night shift, or a bit-shift operation. Under the rules, the game must be made primarily during the jam; starter projects and reusable code are allowed.
There’s another step that’s easy to miss: a public repository alone isn’t enough. Developers must also submit their game to the jam page on itch.io by the deadline. Voting on participants’ entries is scheduled to end on January 1, 2027.
Why participants are asked to disclose AI use
The submission process makes it possible to compare completed games with information about the tools used, while preserving the contest’s open format. Participants can use AI without a ban and indicate its role in their work. For those exploring the projects, this description will add context to the code and the game itself.
To avoid missing the submission deadline, check both requirements separately: the code is in a public GitHub repository, and the project has been submitted through itch.io by the stated time. The submission form also asks about AI use—even if different tools were used at different stages.
The terms, theme, and deadlines are published in the GitHub Game Off 2026 rules; the contest page on itch.io confirms that submissions have been open since November 1.
