Kennebec game jams
Game jams for central Maine, judged and celebrated in person.
Central Maine has game developers but few places for them to meet. With three other organizers, I started the Kennebec game jams: a theme, about two weeks to make something playable, and a night out at the end where the games are judged in person and the awards are physical.
Anyone can enter from anywhere. The rules are short: a fun team name, a game that follows the theme and that the judges can play, and a one-to-two-minute video of the game loop. Each jam also has optional diversifiers, small creative challenges like “Make Balla Proud” (show the audio visually), “True 90s Kid” (ship under 64 MB), or “Pretend It’s Not There” (never show the monster). The jams follow the Global Game Jam’s inclusiveness policy, and art, writing, and music have to be made by people, not generated.
- Kennebec Log Jam, February 15–26, 2026, on the theme Crisis. Best in Show and five secret awards were judged at Wrapped Up in Hallowell on February 28.
- Kennebec Pride Jam 2026, timed with Hallowell Pride, with a meetup and awards on June 6.
- Kennebec Spooky Jam 2026, October 15–29, on the theme Cursed, with an awards afternoon on Halloween.
