01
Start from the kit
The kit is live. Two ways in, pick whichever fits you, then open the full guide below for the click-by-click setup.
JAM · Creator Jam
Live now
Idle Jam Kit · live
Idle Hands
Build a game that plays while you're away.
Required: read this first
Every entry has to be built with the Idle Jam Kit.
The kit is live now in run.studio and the rundot CLI. Start from it (anything built without it won’t count), then publish to public before June 15 at noon PT. We score average daily plays from your publish date, so publishing earlier or later doesn’t change your standing; just ship the moment it’s fun.
How to enter
Start, build, publish.
Build from the Idle Jam Kit, publish to RUN before submissions close, and you're in. No submission form.
02
Build your game
You have 10 days. Solo or team, no team-size cap. Make it cute, crunchy, weird. The only rule: the core loop has to keep running even when nobody's playing.
03
Publish to RUN
Test on private, then publish to public before June 15 at noon PT and your game lands on the leaderboard automatically. Plays only count once you’re public. We score average daily plays from your publish date, so ship the moment it’s fun.
About
A 10-day jam for idle-game builders.
RUN's first creator jam is a 10-day sprint for idle games. The Idle Jam Kit drops on June 5. That's your starting line. From there you have ten days to ship a game on RUN whose core loop keeps running even when nobody's looking.
Make it cute, make it crunchy, make it weird. We're judging by the only metric that matters for an idle game: do people come back?
Prizes
$2,500 on the line
1st place
$1,000
2nd place
$600
3rd place
$400
4th – 5th place
$100 each
Voter's Choice
$300
Theme & rules
What counts as an entry
- To enter: start from the Idle Jam Kit (run.studio template picker or the rundot CLI) and publish your game to RUN before June 15 at noon PT. Every kit-built, published game is entered automatically, with no separate submission form.
- Entries must use the Idle Jam Kit. The kit unlocks on June 5 at noon PT; anything started before then is disqualified.
- Original ideas only. No 1:1 clones; no copyrighted character names or art.
- Solo or team, no team-size cap, but every team member must be credited.
- Submissions close Monday June 15 at noon PT. Late = disqualified.
- Scoring: we count average daily plays (unique players per day) for your game from the day you publish through the close of the play window on June 16, not total plays. Because it's a daily average, publishing earlier or later doesn't help or hurt your standing. Ship the moment it's ready. Voter's Choice is decided by community votes.
Schedule
Milestones
May 27
Theme reveal
Idle games. Build something that keeps playing while everyone's away. Find collaborators in #idle-hands on Discord.
June 5 · 12:00 PT
Idle Jam Kit goes live
Kit unlocks in RUN.studio. Building officially opens.
June 5 – 15
10-day build sprint
Two weekends inside. Themed office hours regularly.
June 15 · 12:00 PT
Submissions close
Anything submitted after this is disqualified.
June 15 – 16
Judging period
Community plays + votes.
Jun 16 · afternoon
Winners announced
Live on the RUN channel.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Idle Hands free to enter?
Yes. Idle Hands is a free 10-day game jam on RUN. Anyone can join, build a game, and compete for the $2,500 prize pool.
What are the prizes for Idle Hands?
Idle Hands has a $2,500 prize pool. 1st place: $1,000, 2nd place: $600, 3rd place: $400, 4th – 5th place: $100 each, Voter's Choice: $300.
How do I enter Idle Hands?
Build from the Idle Jam Kit, publish to RUN before submissions close, and you're in. No submission form.
When does Idle Hands run?
Idle Hands runs Jun 5–15. Judging runs through Jun 16.