Alpha creators Game Jam

The jam is currently open to creators participating in the alpha creator program, a curated group helping us develop and refine the platform ahead of its public release. While spots are limited, the journey will be public: expect updates, creator highlights, and a full winner announcement the whole community can follow along with.

This closed format allows participating creators to focus on experimentation, iteration, and quality while receiving support from The Sandbox team throughout the jam. There is still time to join, don’t miss the submission day. Apply to join the alpha creator program 

Prizes 🏆

By joining the alpha creators Game Jam, participating creators have the chance to win a share of a $5,000 total prize pool.

The top five submissions will receive the following prizes:

• 🥇 1st Place: $2,500
• 🥈 2nd Place: $1,000
• 🥉 3rd Place: $750
• ⭐ 4th Place: $500
• ⭐ 5th Place: $250

Key Dates

• July 2, 2026: Alpha Creator Game Jam begins
• July 7, 2026: Kickoff Workshop 
• July 15, 2026: Halfway Q&A with The Sandbox team
• July 31, 2026: Submission deadline
• August 7, 2026: Winner announcement

The halfway Q&A will give participating Creators the opportunity to ask questions, get support from the team, and receive guidance while their projects are still in development. Make sure to check the alpha creator Discord.

Checklist: For Participating Alpha Creators

Participating in the Alpha Creator Game Jam? Use this checklist to prepare:

☑️ Review the Game Jam rules and eligibility requirements

☑️ Plan your Experience before production begins

☑️ Define your core gameplay loop early

☑️ Use the halfway Q&A on July 15 to ask questions and get support

☑️ Test your Experience before submitting

☑️ Submit your project before the July 31 deadline

☑️ Follow the winner announcement on August 7, 2026

Important Rules

Before submitting, participating Creators should make sure they have read the full rules and eligibility requirements for the Alpha Creator Game Jam.

To be eligible for prizes, submissions must follow the official Game Jam rules shared with alpha creator program participants.

Key requirements may include:

• The Experience must be created for the alpha creator Game Jam.
• The Experience must be submitted before the deadline through the correct submission flow.
• The Experience must be created with The Sandbox Studio editor.
• Creators must meet all eligibility requirements to receive prizes.
• Two entries are allowed, only eligible submissions will be considered for prizes according to the official rules. 
• Your game needs to be optimized for at least one platform: Desktop or/and Mobile. Please indicate the platform in your submission.

Some may build polished game adventures. Others may create arcade games, narrative quests, strategy games, exploration worlds, or ideas that do not fit neatly into an existing category. What matters most is the strength of the idea, the quality of the execution, and the ability to create a fun gameplay experience.

Judges & Voting

Submissions will be reviewed after the July 31 deadline. Members of the The Sandbox game design crew will judge. 

Judging will focus on the overall quality of each Experience, including creativity, execution, gameplay, usability, and how well the project demonstrates the potential of The Sandbox Studio.

Because this Game Jam does not have a fixed theme, Creators will not be judged on how closely they follow a creative prompt. Instead, the review will focus on how successfully each Experience delivers on its own idea.

• Creativity / Innovation
• Execution