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This November, make a game inspired by the theme WAVES\u2014literal, digital, or emotional. \ud83d\udc4b\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udf0a \ud83d\udce1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/github.blog\/company\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The GitHub Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lee337reilly\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-01T20:37:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/github.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/game-off-og.png?fit=1200%2C630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lee Reilly\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@leereilly\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lee Reilly\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lee Reilly\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/21fa3ae5aac7d4dd50baf74154006d86\"},\"headline\":\"GitHub Game Off 2025 theme announcement\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-01T20:37:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1036,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/10\\\/game-off-og.png?fit=1200%2C630\",\"keywords\":[\"GitHub Game Off\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Company\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/\",\"name\":\"GitHub Game Off 2025 theme announcement - The GitHub Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/company\\\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/10\\\/game-off-og.png?fit=1200%2C630\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-01T20:37:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/github.blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/21fa3ae5aac7d4dd50baf74154006d86\"},\"description\":\"GitHub\u2019s annual month-long game jam is back for its 13th year! 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{"id":92118,"date":"2025-11-01T13:37:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T20:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/github.blog\/?p=92118"},"modified":"2025-11-01T12:01:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T19:01:39","slug":"github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/github.blog\/company\/github-game-off-2025-theme-announcement\/","title":{"rendered":"GitHub Game Off 2025 theme announcement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Get ready for the annual Game Off<\/a>, our month-long game jam that has inspired thousands of developers to make, share, and play games since 2012. Whether you’re a first-time jammer or a returning champion, this November is your chance to make something unforgettable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The theme for this year? WAVES<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have until December 1, 2025, at 13:37 PST<\/strong> to build a game loosely<\/em> based on the theme. How you interpret it is entirely up to you. Don’t overthink it. Just ride the creative wave and see where it takes you. 🏄🏻<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
wave \/weɪv\/<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Noun<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
A moving ridge on the surface of a liquid (for example, ocean waves or coffee ripples).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A repeating pattern of motion, energy, or sound (for example, sound waves or radio waves).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A sudden burst or surge (for example, a wave of enemies or a wave of emotion).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A gesture of greeting or farewell.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Verb<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
To move your hand in greeting or farewell.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
To undulate or fluctuate (for example, wheat waving in the wind).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
To signal or summon (for example, waving someone through a door).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Adjective<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Flowing, wavy, or oscillating (for example, wavy hair).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Acronyms<\/strong> (OK, we made these up)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Wizards Accelerating Velocity Every Sunday<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Warriors Against Variable Energy Surges<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Whales And Vikings Engaging Submarines<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Or make up your own—we love seeing how creative you get with it!<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n
Need inspiration? Here are a few concept ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
A space shooter where you fly through gravitational waves and wormholes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A survival game where you build a coastal base and brace for tsunami waves.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
A tower defense game where you battle waves of increasingly powerful baddies<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A skateboard game where you ride a sine wave, shredding through peaks and troughs. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
A rhythm game where you catch the beat and ride the wave<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A racing game where you drift through vaporwave skylines<\/strong> and a totally tubular synthwave soundtrack<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A physics puzzler where you bounce, reflect, and refract energy waves.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
A remake of a class you enjoyed when you were younger resulting in endless waves of nostalgia.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Whatever form your game takes, whether it crashes, ripples, or totally wipes out… we can’t wait to see it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pro tip: <\/strong>Stuck for ideas? GitHub Copilot might be able to help. Try asking, “What are some fun games I could create with the game jam theme, WAVES<\/em>?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to participate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Work alone or on a team. Use whatever programming languages, game engines, or libraries you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Sign up.<\/strong> Create a free GitHub account if you don’t have one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Join the jam.<\/strong> Hop onto the itch.io Game Off 2025<\/a> page. If you don’t already have an itch.io account, you can sign in with your GitHub account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Create a public repository.<\/strong> Store your source code on GitHub. Push your game before December 1 at 13:37 PST.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Submit your game on itch.io.<\/strong> Once submitted, you’ll be able to play other entries and cast your votes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Voting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
After the submission period ends, participants will vote on each other’s games. Entries will be evaluated in the following categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Overall<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Gameplay<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Graphics<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Audio<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Innovation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Theme interpretation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Voting will end on January 8, 2026, at 13:37 PST. Winners will be announced on the GitHub Blog and social channels on January 10, 2026, at 13:37 PST.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Light rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Game Off is intentionally relaxed, but here are a few simple guidelines to keep things fair and fun:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Your game must live in a GitHub repository.<\/strong> You should start from scratch, but you can use templates. The vast majority of the work should be done in the game jam period.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
License it however you like.<\/strong> Open source is encouraged, but not required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Fly solo or join a team.<\/strong> Work however you’re most comfortable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Use any tools or assets you prefer.<\/strong> Open source, commercial, or your own creations are all welcome.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
AI-assisted development is allowed.<\/strong> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
That’s it. Keep it creative, respectful, and fun, and remember to push your code before the deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New to game development?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You don’t need to be an expert. Many participants build their first game during Game Off. Some use popular engines, others build their own, and a few even create games for classic hardware like the NES, Game Boy, or ZX Spectrum. However you make it, there’s no wrong way to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are a few engines you might want to explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Godot<\/strong><\/a> (GDScript, C#, C++)<\/em>: Great for 2D and 3D games. Open source, lightweight, and beginner-friendly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Unity<\/strong><\/a> (C#)<\/em>: Ideal for 3D or mobile games with plenty of tutorials and asset packs available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Unreal Engine<\/strong><\/a> (C++, Blueprints)<\/em>: Best for cinematic visuals, complex 3D games, and high-end experiences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Phaser<\/strong><\/a> (JavaScript)<\/em>: Good choice for browser-based 2D arcade or platformer games.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Pygame<\/strong><\/a> (Python)<\/em>: A solid option for learning game development basics or prototyping ideas quickly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Bevy<\/strong><\/a> (Rust)<\/em>: Modern, data-driven engine for developers who like performance and clean ECS design.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
LÖVE<\/strong><\/a> (Lua)<\/em>: Lightweight and fast, good for 2D games and creative coding projects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Flame<\/strong><\/a> (Dart \/ Flutter)<\/em>: Works well for mobile-first 2D games if you already use Flutter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Ebitengine<\/strong><\/a> (Go)<\/em>: Simple and powerful engine for 2D games written in Go.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Defold<\/strong><\/a> (Lua)<\/em>: Cross-platform 2D engine with built-in tools and an active indie community.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
libGDX<\/strong><\/a> (Java)<\/em>: A familiar choice for developers coming from Java or Android backgrounds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
HaxeFlixel<\/strong><\/a> (Haxe)<\/em>: Great for retro-style 2D games, platformers, and jam projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThe Game Off 2025 Community<\/a> is a great place to ask questions or look for teammates. There’s also a friendly community-run Discord server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New to Git or GitHub?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Game Off is the perfect opportunity to check it out (version control pun intended).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Git Documentation<\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>Learn everything about version control and how to get started.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
GitHub Help<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> Explore tutorials and FAQs about GitHub.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
GitHub Community Forum<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> Ask questions, share ideas, and connect with others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Whether your build floats or sinks, you’re part of something swell. Join thousands of developers around the world for a month of creativity, learning, and code-powered fun. Let’s hang ten on your keyboard <\/em> 🌊 🤙 and make some WAVES together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"\"$ Kung Fury<\/em><\/a> hanging ten on their keyboard as they surf through time waves on Hackerman’s computer<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Good luck, and have fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Join the jam!<\/strong> Head to Game Off 2025<\/a> on itch.io<\/a> to sign up and start building your game ><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GitHub\u2019s annual month-long game jam is back for its 13th year! This November, make a game inspired by the theme WAVES\u2014literal, digital, or emotional. \ud83d\udc4b\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udf0a \ud83d\udce1<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1273,"featured_media":80494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gh_post_show_toc":"yes","_gh_post_is_no_robots":"","_gh_post_is_featured":"yes","_gh_post_is_excluded":"","_gh_post_is_unlisted":"","_gh_post_related_link_1":"https:\/\/github.blog\/open-source\/game-off-2024-winners\/","_gh_post_related_link_2":"https:\/\/github.blog\/open-source\/gaming\/game-off-2023-results\/","_gh_post_related_link_3":"https:\/\/github.blog\/open-source\/gaming\/game-off-2022-winners\/","_gh_post_sq_img":"https:\/\/github.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/game-off-og-sq.png","_gh_post_sq_img_id":"80495","_gh_post_cta_title":"","_gh_post_cta_text":"","_gh_post_cta_link":"","_gh_post_cta_button":"","_gh_post_recirc_hide":"","_gh_post_recirc_col_1":"","_gh_post_recirc_col_2":"","_gh_post_recirc_col_3":"","_gh_post_recirc_col_4":"","_featured_video":"","_gh_post_additional_query_params":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[2897],"coauthors":[2003],"class_list":["post-92118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-company","tag-github-game-off"],"yoast_head":"\nGitHub Game Off 2025 theme announcement - The GitHub Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"GitHub\u2019s annual month-long game jam is back for its 13th year! 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Voting<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAfter the submission period ends, participants will vote on each other’s games. Entries will be evaluated in the following categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Light rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\nGame Off is intentionally relaxed, but here are a few simple guidelines to keep things fair and fun:<\/p>\n\n\n\n