For this second Game Jam with The Sandbox Studio, the jury is leveling up: Larry @majornelson is joining the judging panel as our Lead Judge. With 15 years as the voice of Xbox, Larry is one of gaming’s most recognized names, and now he’ll be judging what Creators build with The Sandbox Studio.

Build a game. Get it in front of Larry.

🔗Sign up today to join the Beta and participate in the Game Jam.

Game Jam Theme: Overgrown

For the Beta Creators Game Jam, your game world is being reclaimed. Whether it be growth, decay, wildlife, or something else entirely, this theme is all about transformation.

How you interpret Overgrown is up to you. What matters most is the strength of the idea, the quality of the execution, and the ability to create a fun gameplay experience.

Prizes

By joining the Beta Creators Game Jam, participating creators have the chance to win a share of a $7,500 total prize pool.

The top submissions will receive the following prizes:

• 🥇 1st Place: $2,500 USD
• 🥈 2nd Place: $1,600 USD
• 🥉 3rd Place: $1,000 USD

We’re also introducing a couple of special mention and prizes to support all types of submissions:

• Best Movement ($400 USD): For the game where getting around is the best part. Climbing, swinging, sliding, falling with style - if the movement is the reason to play, this one is yours.
• Most Atmospheric ($400 USD): For the game you'd happily stay in with nothing to do. A place that feels like somewhere, built from light, sound, and space rather than action.
• Hardest to Put Down ($400 USD): For the game that keeps pulling you back for one more go. Whatever the loop is, we couldn't stop running it.
• Best Idea We Want to Steal ($400 USD): For the idea we wish we'd thought of. A mechanic, a rule, a twist that made us stop and go back to look at it again. If you've built something clever, this one's yours.
• Most Ambitious ($400 USD): For the game that reached way past what a week should allow. It might not all hold together, and that's fine. We'd rather see you swing.
• Most Unexpected Take On Overgrown ($400 USD): For the game that took the theme somewhere we didn't see coming. Overgrown doesn't have to mean plants.

Key Dates

• August 6, 2026: Beta sign up opens
• August 12, 2026: The Sandbox Studio Beta goes live + Beta Creator Game Jam begins
• September 11, 2026: Submission deadline
• September 25, 2026: Winner Announcement

Creators can also join weekly hangouts on Discord to ask questions, share progress, and get support throughout the Game Jam.

These sessions will be a chance to check-in with the team, get feedback while your project is still in development, and connect with other participating Creators. Weekly Discord hangouts will be at 5pm BST / 6pm CET on Wednesdays starting Weds 12th August.

🔗Join The Sandbox Discord

Checklist: For Participating Creators

Participating in the Beta Creators 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
• ☑️ Test your Experience before submitting
• ☑️ Submit your project before the September 11, 2026 deadline. Submission form available on the beta-creators-chat Discord Channel
• ☑️ Follow the winner announcement September 25, 2026

Important Rules

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

To be eligible for prizes, submissions must follow the official Game Jam rules shared with Beta Creators Program participants.

Key requirements may include:

• The Experience must be created for the Beta 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.
• If an entry wins one of the top 3 prizes, the entry is not eligible to win any of the other prizes.
• Your game needs to be optimized for at least one platform: Desktop and / or Mobile. Please indicate the platform in your submission.

Judges & Voting

Submissions will be reviewed after the September 11, 2026 deadline. The Lead Judge of the Beta Creators Game Jam is Larry @majornelson. Don’t miss the opportunity to get your game in front of a gaming household name.

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

The team will focus on the following criteria:

• Theme
• Creativity / Innovation
• Execution

Apply to join the Beta and participate in the Game Jam.

https://www.sandbox.game/en/