The 2026 Epic AI MegaJam runs November 12–15. Team up with up to four other humans and as many AI agents as you want to build a playable game in Unreal Engine or UEFN.
Use any AI tools you like, and connect your agents to the editor with Unreal MCP.
Kickoff and theme reveal:November 11, 2026 7:00 PM on:
Prizes: cash prizes, plus development continuation grants for standout entries
Jam your way: online, with your local game dev community, or in person at Digital Jungle in San Francisco (November 14–15), alongside teams from Anthropic, Google, Meshy, OpenAI, SpaceXSI, and more.
Can I start before November 12?
You can set up your tools, agents, and MCP ahead of time, but don’t start building your game until November 12. Declare any prompts, scripts, or assets you made before the jam.
Can my team enter with both Unreal Engine and UEFN?
No. Each team picks one and follows that submission process.
Do I need to come to San Francisco?
No. Online and in-person entries are judged the same way.
Can I keep working on my game after the jam?
Yes. Keep the jam version as your submitted build. Standout Unreal Engine and UEFN entries can also receive Development Continuation Grants of up to $50,000 to keep developing their game.
I’m an Italian UEFN developer, and I was really excited to participate in the 2026 Epic AI MegaJam.
However, after reading the Official Rules, I noticed that Italy is listed among the restricted jurisdictions, apparently due to local registration, filing, or notification requirements.
I wanted to ask whether this exclusion is intentional and final, or if there is any possibility of reconsidering it.
Italian law (Article 6 of Presidential Decree 430/2001) provides an exception for certain competitions where prizes are awarded in recognition of artistic, scientific, or personal merit.
Since the MegaJam is a skill-based creative competition where games are judged on their quality and originality, I was wondering whether this exception has been considered.
Could you clarify why Italian residents are excluded and whether there is any possibility for us to participate officially?
If prize eligibility cannot be extended to Italy, would participation outside the prize competition still be allowed?
I’d really appreciate any clarification. Thank you!
Want to win the Epic AI MegaJam? Don’t enter alone.
4 days. One map. The teams that win are the ones that waste no time. Here are the 3 things you can’t do without:
1. A team that never sleeps. 22 AI agents plan, build and test your map while you focus on the fun part: your idea. 2. Proof your idea is a winner BEFORE you build. Get it scored on the exact 7 criteria the judges use. Fix the weak spots on day 1, not on day 4. 3. Nothing forgotten at hand-in. A final check of the rules, plus your “how AI was used” story written for you. The things that cost entries points are already handled.
We are a small indie game development team interested in participating in the 2026 Epic AI MegaJam.
We are Russian citizens currently living in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where we have a residential address and a rental agreement.
After reviewing the Official Rules, particularly Section 5 (Eligibility), we would appreciate clarification on the following questions:
Are Russian citizens who legally reside in Uzbekistan eligible to participate in the contest, given that Uzbekistan is not listed among the Restricted Jurisdictions?
Does temporary residence registration in Uzbekistan satisfy the requirement to be a “legal resident” with a registered address in an Eligible Jurisdiction? What documentation, if any, would be required?
If our team wins a prize, would Russian citizenship affect our eligibility to receive the payment through Hyperwallet, provided that we reside in Uzbekistan and use Uzbek banking details?
We would like to confirm our eligibility before committing to the competition.
Thank you very much for your time and assistance!
Best regards,
Traveler Ant
Independent Game Development Studio
Official Rules §1(b) says UE Submissions “must be packaged for Windows and playable on Windows 10 or 11, macOS, Android, or iOS”, while the jam page says “Package your game for Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS”. Is a macOS-only packaged build acceptable for the Unreal Engine track, or is a Windows package required?
A few clarifying questions on pre-jam tooling vs. game content (Official Rules §7(h)) and submission details, for the Unreal Engine track. Thanks!
Project setup: Is it OK to create a blank .uproject (plugins and project settings only, no gameplay, levels or assets) before Nov 12? Or should it be created on Nov 12 (e.g. by a pre-written script)?
Generated content from pre-jam scripts: If a script written before the jam generates assets on Nov 12 or later (for example a master material or a post-process outline material), is that output considered created during the Contest Period?
Generic systems: Are generic, non-game-specific systems (menus, input mappings, save system) written before Nov 12 allowed as “tooling”, or do they count as game content that must be made during the jam?
AI style setups: May a custom AI style model (e.g. trained on reference images) or a designed AI voice be prepared before Nov 12, or must these be created during the jam?
Declarations: Where should pre-jam declarations (tools, agent configs, prompts, scripts) and the sourced-asset list go: the itch.io page description, the dev log, in-game credits, or somewhere else?
Epic content: Do Epic starter templates / Starter Content used in the project need to be listed as sourced assets?
Animation libraries: Do animations from libraries such as Mixamo, or a generator’s built-in motion library, count as sourced assets that must be listed?
Third-party code: Does a third-party code plugin (e.g. a dialogue plugin) need to be listed as a sourced asset?
Dev log format: Is an itch.io devlog post linked from the submission acceptable for the Glass Box dev log, or is another format expected?
Ideation timing: Between the theme reveal (Nov 11, 2 PM ET) and the start (Nov 12, 12:00 AM ET), is brainstorming allowed, including written notes and chatting with an AI tool, as long as no assets or code are made?
Build configuration: The jam page says “(development build)”. Is a Shipping build also acceptable?
Tool names: §15(d) prohibits trademarks except the UE logo. Is it acceptable to mention tool names as plain text (no logos) in the dev log and credits, e.g. “made with Claude Code and Meshy”?
Hi, I’m a university student from Türkiye, and I was really excited to participate in the 2026 Epic AI MegaJam.
However, I noticed that Türkiye is listed among the restricted countries in the Official Rules, which was honestly disappointing.
As far as I understand, skill-based competitions are generally allowed in Türkiye, so I’m curious what specific legal or payment-related issues are preventing us from participating.
Even if I’m not eligible to receive prizes, I’d still love to participate and submit my game just for the experience. But the rules seem to prohibit participation entirely.
Is there any possibility of reconsidering this restriction, or at least allowing developers from Türkiye to participate without prize eligibility?
I’d really appreciate some clarification. Thank you!
Hello, I joined the 2026 Epic AI MegaJam and I am preparing to make a game solo.
I live in Turkey. I read the Official Rules, and page 1 lists Turkey as a Restricted Jurisdiction. I understand this means I cannot receive any prizes or be invited to a Development Continuation Grant, and I accept that.
My question: can a resident of Turkey still submit an entry and have it judged and shown on the jam page, without being eligible for any prize? Or are entries from Restricted Jurisdictions not accepted at all?
I want to follow the rules exactly, so a clear answer would help me plan. Thank you.
My friend and I are really interested in participating in the 2026 Epic AI MegaJam. We’ve been working on game development and experimenting with AI-assisted development for a while, so this event seems like a great opportunity for us.
However, we noticed that the rules require participants to be at least 18 years old.
Would it be possible for developers under 18 to participate with parental or guardian consent? Alternatively, could we participate as part of a team with an adult, or submit an entry without being eligible for prizes?
We’d really love to take part in the event, even if it means not being eligible for the prize pool.
@rhyan.smith@SkyeEden Quick eligibility question about Student Entrants (Official Rules §5):
I’m a university student in South Korea on an official leave of absence for Fall 2026 (which covers the jam dates). I’ll return to classes in March 2027.
Does that count as “currently enrolled at a higher-educational institution”, or should I enter as a non-student?
For reference, in the 2025 Mega Stack ‘O’ Jam, students on summer break awaiting the resumption of their studies were counted as students:
I also asked Epic Games Support, and they referred me back here. A yes/no would be really helpful. Thanks!
Question about Creative Commons NonCommercial licenses
Hi Epic team!
Quick question about third-party assets and licensing.
Are assets released under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 allowed in the MegaJam, provided proper attribution is given?
Since the competition includes cash prizes, I’m wondering whether participation could be considered commercial use, even if the submitted game is completely free.
You can join from Italy and you’re eligible for prizes, as long as you meet the other eligibility requirements in Section 5 of the Official Rules. You can find the latest Official Rules here: Box (English). An Italian-language version of the rules is coming soon.
Hey Rhyan! Sorry to follow up, but I’m hoping you can help clarify one submission requirement for the Unreal Engine track.
I’m developing on macOS and noticed that the 2026 jam instructions specifically say to package for Windows, whereas previous MegaJams (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025) explicitly accepted Windows OR macOS builds.
I posted this question on the forum a while ago, but haven’t received a response. Could you confirm whether a macOS-only packaged build is acceptable for the 2026 jam?
I imagine this affects quite a few Mac developers, so even a quick clarification would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!
@Yuuhi Could you take a look at my question (#14)? I’m a university student on an official leave of absence for Fall 2026, returning in March 2027. Should I enter as a Student Entrant or as a non-student? Thanks!
My name is Nicholas, and I’m writing on behalf of my teammate Misha and myself. We are two independent game developers from Russia and members of RAVENFALL Studio.
We are very excited about the 2026 Epic AI MegaJam and would genuinely love to participate.
There is one issue we’d like to clarify: we are both under 18. I am currently 16 and will turn 17 on December 15, while Misha is 16 and will turn 17 on November 21.
We have several years of hands-on experience developing games in Unreal Engine 5. We have worked together on FFD.Remake, a long-term project, and have experience with environment art, lighting, level design, gameplay systems, and collaborative game development.
We are not approaching this as a casual hobby project. We are serious about game development, highly motivated, and confident that we can create a competitive and polished entry.
We fully understand the 18+ eligibility requirement listed in the competition rules. However, we wanted to ask whether there is any possibility of receiving an exception with written parental consent, or whether there is another official way for developers under 18 to participate.
We would be happy to provide our portfolio, examples of our previous work, and any additional information required.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We would truly appreciate the opportunity to take part in this event.
Want to win the Epic AI MegaJam? Don’t enter alone.
