DriveThruRPG has officially launched its fifth annual game jam, PocketQuest 2026, tasking independent designers with crafting standalone roleplaying games centred on the theme of “Time Travel.”
While platforms like Itch.io excel at hosting highly experimental, community-driven game jams, PocketQuest takes a more structured approach by deepening its partnership with the Storytelling Collective, the educational powerhouse behind the renowned RPG Writer Workshop.
The challenge requires participants to design, layout, and publish a complete roleplaying game in 25 pages or fewer by 27 April. While the “pocket-sized” constraint remains a staple of the event, the 2026 iteration introduces a hard-line policy against generative AI. In a move that separates the jam from DriveThruRPG’s broader marketplace policies, any submission found to contain AI-generated writing or art will be summarily removed from the challenge.
Professional Pedigree via Storytelling Collective
By aligning with Ashley Warren’s Storytelling Collective, DriveThruRPG is positioning PocketQuest as a professional incubator rather than a mere community lark. The Storytelling Collective has mentored over 15,000 creators through its RPG Writer Workshop, helping many secure work with industry giants like Chaosium and Modiphius.
Participants in PocketQuest 2026 gain access to a “Starter Kit” and to specific workshops designed to bridge the gap from a rough idea to a commercial product. This structured approach creates a clear “on-ramp” for aspiring designers, providing templates and marketing assets that are often the biggest hurdle for solo creators.
Exclusivity
While the rewards for completion are high, including a boosted 70% royalty rate and a dedicated marketing spotlight throughout May, they come with strings. To qualify for the “Spotlight” benefits, the digital version of the game must be exclusive to DriveThruRPG.
This exclusivity clause creates a notable divide in the indie scene. While Itch.io jams often encourage multi-platform distribution and “pay-what-you-want” flexibility, PocketQuest is a walled garden designed, in part, to bolster the DriveThruRPG ecosystem. PocketQuest is also DriveThruRPG’s effort to help raise up indie creators. For designers seeking a career in the mainstream tabletop industry, the trade-off between professional visibility and “Partner Promotion Points” may outweigh the loss of platform independence.
Rules of the Quest
According to Kage Freudigmann, Partner Relations Lead at DriveThruRPG, the jam is open to brand-new systems or games built on third-party licences such as Mörk Borg, Mothership, or Shadowdark.
PocketQuest challenges you to design a themed, pocket-size TTRPG in two months – the perfect opportunity for aspiring designers to get their feet wet and for seasoned designers to join the community for fun,”
The 25-page limit includes covers, and the games must be “standalone,” meaning a player should not require any external rulebooks to play. Following the April submission deadline, the “Launch” phase will take place in May, featuring a dedicated filter and banner on the DriveThruRPG storefront to drive sales for new creators.
