Submissions open from 2024-06-10 04:00:00 to 2024-07-10 04:00:00
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What is Bluebeard Jam?

Inspired by a late-night Discord conversation where I learned that...Interactive Fiction keeps churning out Bluebeard retellings. Which is awesome. Bluebeard Jam is a one-off jam hosted by the Sacred Veins collective, in which participants are invited to create games based on the famous tale.

What is Bluebeard?

Bluebeard is a French folktake, whose most famous version was written and published in 1697 by Charles Perrault. In short, it is a story of a wealthy man who marries a young bride. After the wedding, Bluebeard must leave his palace and gives his new bride the keys. He has one request for her: she must not open the door to the basement. Curiosity overtakes her, and she opens the door, only to discover the dismembered bodies of his previous wives. Its other details and it ending depends on which version you read.

It is recommended that you read the story for yourself, such as this one from the University of Pittsburgh or the University of Colorado.

Rules

  1. Your game must be some sort of retelling of the classic Bluebeard story. It does not need to take place in a French palace set in the distant past. 
  2. You may begin your game before the jam starts. I would suggest trying to make something entirely within the month, but if other obligations get in the way, you are free to start early.
  3. Any type of game is welcome. This includes interactive fiction, visual novels, TTRPGs, and more.
  4. You may do this jam solo or in a group.
  5. NO A.I. generated assets are allowed, including written word, audio, visual, or otherwise. If your entry is suspected to be using A.I. generated assets, it will be disqualified and removed from the jam.
  6. 18+ games containing gore, sexual themes, etc. are allowed. It is the nature of Bluebeard, after all, to be bathed in gore and violence against women. However, please give proper content warnings both in the game itself and on your game's itch.io page.
  7. There is a strict no late entries policy. If you do not finish in time, you are still encouraged to submit your game to itch.io for it to be played.
  8. You are allowed to submit your Bluebeard Jam entry to other contests, jams, or other events.
  9. Bigotry is not welcome. We have a zero tolerance policy.
  10. Contributors are welcome to submit up to three entries.
  11. Fan games are allowed, but please specify what they are fan games of in your submission.

Need Inspiration?

Here are a few other games and media based on the classic Bluebeard tale, if you need a place to start.