[[alternative reality]]: WEEK!

about

You are in an [[alternative reality]] game. You have been playing it your whole life. It has weather, people, rankings, transit systems of varying reliability... and no clear win condition. it has been extremely online for the past couple seasons.

[[alternative reality]]:WEEK! is a series of gamejam + play events that takes this situation seriously. For two weeks in March, we want to welcome game creators and players across time-zones to make and play [[alternative reality]] games that spill out of the screen and into the IRL world.

Initiated by Shanghai-based translocal collective [[rect*]]repair. Supported by morning.fyi. Created by your participation.

How to Participate

→

I want to make games

└── [[alternative reality]]: JAM!

→

I want to play games

└── [[alternative reality]]: PLAY!

[[alternative reality]]: JAM!

"Wait, do you mean augmented reality (AR)?"
Nope!

"Do you mean alternate reality game (ARG)?"

...Well, kind of! Alternative, as in alternative games, alternative tech, alternative media, alternative infrastructure: another, perhaps more radical way of engaging with what's already here. We're inspired by practices including alternate reality games, pervasive games, urban games, LARP, immersive theater, etc., but we're not precious about genre.

The game jam is from March 21–25, with a kickoff event on Saturday, March 21st. The goal is to design playful experiences that combine game mechanics with the real world. No-tech, low-tech, or high-tech all welcome.

Timeline

Mar 21–25

[[alternative reality]]: JAM!

Mar 21

UTC 12:00 - game jam launch event (IRL + online)

Mar 25

game jam submissions due on itch.io

Mar 28+

[[alternative reality]]: PLAY!

Mar 28–29

host and play games that have been made — see calendar for self-organized events

Rules

don't make a fully digital game: some portion/all of it should be played in the physical world
touch grass 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
be respectful and have fun･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ.

IRL Nodes

This JAM is happening both online (itch + Discord) and IRL. Organizers in the following cities are hosting IRL events. Join the Discord and go to your city's channel for details!

Not near any of these cities? You're still invited to join the JAM remotely! Join Discord to participate in general game-dev discussions, self-organize with people in your city, form a team online, or work alone.

FAQ

What counts as an [[alternative reality]] game?

Our definition is broader than the traditional "ARG"—any experience that combines game mechanisms and real-world elements as part of its design. Think: GPS, maps, websites, social media, texting, physical locations, role-playing, puzzles, public transport, parcels, QR codes, city infrastructures, and more.

What tools/skills do I need?

Go no-tech, low-tech, or high-tech. You might use printed materials, websites, social media accounts, online forums, Google Calendar, NFC tags, audio recordings… everything honestly, or just clever use of public spaces.

How do I participate if I'm not in a node city?

You can make and play games from anywhere, and submit directly via itch.io! To find a team or collaborator—in your city or across time zones—join the matchmaking in our Discord.

Can I work alone or in teams? Where can I find teammates?

Both are equally welcome! We'd love to see teams form across countries, creating games that require cooperation between multiple cities—but solo work is just as great.

What format should my game submission be?

Your itch.io submission should include:

Instructions page: Clear description of what game master/hosts and players need (location, materials, number of players, approximate playtime, etc.).
Play mode declaration: See the options below.
Any necessary files or links.

We encourage "pickup and play" games—well documented so anyone can join without you (the designer) present.

What happens after submission? Will my game be played?

Games made during JAM! can be tested and played during the PLAY! period. How it works depends on the play mode you select upon submission:

Self Host: This game cannot run without me.
Open Pickup: My game needs facilitation by someone, but is clearly documented enough for others to run without me.
Open Play: My game can be played by the players themselves without and facilitation / game master.

Organizers of IRL nodes as well as participants around the world are encouraged to host public-facing games. All submissions will be included in our web archive, regardless of whether they went through the PLAY! weekend.

What if I can't finish my game?

You can still submit later and self-organize play on your own timeline. Unfinished work and prototypes are welcome in the archive.

Can I participate in PLAY! without joining JAM!?

Yes! PLAY! is open to everyone. Join discord and go to #host-and-join games. Also keep an eye out on the calendar for self-organized events

inspirations

Some of our favourite examples include:

You might also be interested in more classic ARG examples with longer production timelines and bigger worldbuilding like:

Diversifiers

Optional constraints to spark ideas

hyper-local: the entire game takes place within a single city block
the long game: intended to be played for over a year
the flash game: must be completed in under 10 minutes
translocal: requires collaboration or competition between players in two different time zones
cross-border: collaborate with a designer from another country
weather-report: use weather as a game element
synchronicity: can only be played at a specific location at a specific time
ubiquity: designed to be played simultaneously in multiple places around the world
public props: incorporate public objects: poles, trash bins, transit systems, license plates, bollards, road signs, POS machines
flora & fauna: flowers, trees, animals, animal tracks, public art, statues in the city
access-denied: areas that require ID cards, keys, or memberships
dead zones: center the game on invisible infrastructure: signal dead zones, utility grids, waste routes, trash sites
open source: use public information: schedules, notice boards, graffiti, flyers, ads, maps, clothing, public APIs
forgotten city: make people visit abandoned places (legally)
urban outfitter: everyday places – convenience stores, parks, gyms, restaurants, restrooms, parking lots
death stranding: focus on urban actions: traversing, observing, shopping, roleplaying, searching, delivering, gathering, talking, cycling
the s&p 500: base your game mechanics on local prices and socioeconomic factors: rent, real estate, gas, food, salaries
rogue-like: gamify a daily routine
the mmo: requires more than 10 people to participate
add friend: a game for strangers to become friends
youtube irl: pay tribute to an internet legend ARG you watched but never played
urban legend: design a game that becomes an urban legend
irl port: recreate a game genre in real life
prankster: successfully prank an online community
the historian: create a fictional company, game, or history
the influencer: make something go viral
larp: make a larp
olympics: invent a new sport

Resources

Curated toolkit of tech related, hardware suggestions, and more game/artwork references: [[alternative reality]]:JAM! toolkit (WIP)

Community Statement

Intellectual property: All IP of games made during this event belongs to the game maker(s). We keep an open-source archive of all submissions.

Content guidelines: Organizers reserve the right to exclude submissions that contain hateful, discriminatory, or otherwise inappropriate content.

Safety disclaimer: If your game involves activities in public spaces, please consider the physical safety of players and bystanders — and include clear safety notes in your game instructions. 🧡

This jam is made possible thanks to the help of our friends: playfool, ferran, jana, kaho, farfama, morning.fyi, and more.

Contact

Questions? Reach out on Discord or email rectanglerepair@gmail.com

[[alternative reality]]: PLAY!

From March 28, games made during JAM! are open for play. Find a session near you, host one, or play online. PLAY! is open to everyone — you don't need to have participated in JAM! to join.

How to Play

Find a session

Check the calendar for upcoming sessions organized by other players and hosts. Filter by your timezone or city to find something nearby, or look for online sessions open to everyone.

→ view calendar

Host a session

Pick any game from the itch.io submissions and organize a play session — in your city, fully online, or across time zones. You don't need to be the designer to host. Join Discord to coordinate with other hosts and find players.

→ join Discord

Add your session to the calendar

Want your session to show up on the community calendar so others can find and join? Submit your event details and it will appear on this site's calendar page.

→ submit an event