Make a game for EGX's game jam contest and you could show it there

Update: There are still 10 days left with in which to enter the EGX Gamejam for a chance to exhibit your work at the show. Read all the details below.

Original story

We're teaming up with our corporate siblings behind EGX, the annual games show in Birmingham, to celebrate their 11th birthday with a contest. Like great emperors demanding tribute, they want you to make a game around the enigmatic theme "eleven" in honour of this year's EGX being their eleventh. The winner(s) will get to show their game at EGX in September for free, with the booth and hardware provided as well as a UK train ticket and hotel room for one person. The sheet of paper I've been handed calls this a "game jam" but it sounds like a contest to me. The contest runs for the next four weeks so hop to it.

"The theme of the jam is very simple," the emperors of EGX say. "EGX 2018 will be our 11th show, so the theme is 'Eleven'. You can interpret this in any way you like - maybe your character starts with 11 lives, maybe you have 11 seconds to complete a level, maybe the game is only played in 11x11 pixels. It's completely up to you."

You've got until August 24th to get a game in. Submissions are through Itch.io, which should mean everyone will get to play everything.

The ultimate winner will get to show their game at EGX, with the eventfolks covering the costs of a booth, branding, and necessary hardware. The prize includes travel and accommodation for one person, in the form of a return train ticket to Birmingham NEC from a mainland UK station and a hotel room for the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Team entries will need to fight a bloody battle royale to settle who gets that, I suppose. And EGX will still show a winning game even if the creator can't be there in person.

We here at RPS will have a hand in picking winners, so it might be sensible to pander entirely to my personal tastes then rely on my intimidating echo and sheer force of will to push it throu- I have been handed another sheet of paper which says to say I do not condone this tactic. I, Alice O'Connor, do not condone this tactic.

I've grumbled elsewhere that game jam mentality can promote unhealthy crunch-style practices, so good grief please do not burn jam hot for a whole month. I'll be disappointed if you do. Anyone gives you stick about how long you've worked on your game, you say Alice sent you - and I'll get 'em.

EGX 2018 runs September 20-23 at the NEC in Birmingham. Tickets are now on sale.