Gameswithout

Gameswithout is a decentralized, community-driven initiative and repository focused on promoting non-violent, accessible video games and related tooling. It seeks to be an alternative space within indie game culture, stressing open collaboration, permissive licensing, and inclusive participation, with a preference for games that minimize exploitation and aggressive monetization.

Origin and scope: Emerging in the early 2020s in response to concerns about predatory monetization, crunch, and gatekeeping, Gameswithout operates through online hubs, public repositories, and regular game jams that encourage short, playable prototypes and open feedback.

Principles and practices: Core values include openness, inclusivity, and nonviolence. Assets and code are typically released under permissive licenses to enable reuse, remixing, and learning. Projects emphasize accessibility, cross-platform reach, and low barriers to participation for newcomers.

Activities and governance: Activities include collaborative jams, critique circles, documentation sprints, and educational tutorials. Governance is designed to be decentralized, with rotating moderators or community councils and decisions made through consensus or lightweight voting.

Reception and outputs: The movement is praised for fostering inclusive communities and experimental storytelling, while facing questions about sustainability, funding, and visibility in mainstream media. Notable outputs include open-source prototypes and design documents for nonviolent, educational, and puzzle-based experiences.

See also: open-source games, indie game movement, game jams.