Ludum Dare
/ˈluːdəm ˈdɑːreɪ/
CommonOne of the oldest and most well-known online game jams, held a few times a year with a theme announced at the start.
In Latin, 'ludum dare' means 'to give a game'. The name is rarely explained in casual use.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | just submitted my Ludum Dare 56 entry with 4 minutes to spare | The person finished and uploaded their game just before the deadline. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | Ludum Dare is how I learned to actually finish a game instead of abandoning projects | The jam's deadline structure helped someone overcome incomplete projects. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | the theme for this Ludum Dare is wild, I have no idea what to build | The announced theme caught the person off guard. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | doing Ludum Dare compo this year. solo, 48 hours, no assets from outside. wish me luck | Someone is entering the harder solo format of the event. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- Referring to the specific biannual game jam event.
- Talking about an entry submitted to Ludum Dare specifically.
- Discussing the Compo or Jam format within the event.
Do not use it when
- You mean any random timed game development event.Use “game jam” instead.
Variations and related forms
Ludum Dare vs game jam
Ludum Dare
Ludum Dare is a specific recurring event with numbered editions and strict formats.
VS
game-jam
Game jam is the general concept of any timed game development event.
Origin and context
Started in 2002 by Geoff Howland. The name is Latin for 'to give a game'. It is one of the longest-running online game jams and has launched several notable indie games.
- First seen
- 2002
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/ludum-dareUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0