3 days to go!

Under the desert sun development update from JAY Games:

We're just 3 days from launch! That means, in just three days, the sands of Taraz will be open for your next TTRPG adventure! We're incredibly excited to share this rich world with you all - and to showcase the artwork from our Development Team: Celestine Nox, Dale Ziemianski, and Ty Ferrell! All three are participating in our profit sharing program - 20% of the purchase price of all JAY Games material goes directly to the artists involved in the development! So, when you purchase from JAY Games, you know you're directly supporting the artist community! And, you're directly supporting local, Chicago businesses because all physical products are 100% Made in America! So no tariff sticker shock!

Under the desert sun will launch in 5 formats (with some sneak peak graphics included in this update for you - they're live on our game page too!):

• Under the desert sun Player's Pack: A FREE downloadable .pdf right here on Itch.io to learn how to play the game (including the Just As Yourself™ system) and wet your pallet for the Meddah's Pack!

• Under the desert sun Meddah's Pack - Digital Edition: The entire game - game guide, maps, tokens, Player's Pack, safety files, Archetype playbooks... available globally only here on Itch.io for US$20. And remember, 20% of the purchase price will go directly to the artists who put their time and effort into bringing the world of the Qánate to life!

• Under the desert sun Meddah's Pack - Physical Edition: The game guide itself printed in partnership with local Chicago business AlphaGraphics West Loop Chicago! This 124-page (estimated) full-color hardcover game guide allows you to have everything you need to tell your story right at your fingertips - and you'll receive the Digital Edition absolutely free! The Under the desert sun Meddah's Pack - Physical Edition will be available for pre-order on our website only for US/Canadian customers for US$59.99 (taxes and shipping not included), a limited-time discount of the full sticker price of US$80, with 20% of the purchase price going directly to the artists. Why, the discount you ask? Because we want you to be able to experience the game with your hands without paying too much! Small-batch "Made in America" printing prices are not cheap, and we're committed to making sure our products are as affordable as they can be. This discount will run for the first 180 days after the game goes live! We anticipate orders will ship by mid- to late-July anywhere in the United States and Canada.

• Under the desert sun Meddah's Pack - Deluxe Edition: Everything. And we mean everything... in one custom box! That's right - every map. Printed. Every playbook. Printed. Every token. Printed. The Physical Edition. Printed. The Player's Pack. Printed. We're partnering with three local Chicagoland businesses for this product - AlphaGraphics West Loop Chicago, Lincoln Square Printing, and United GMG because we want this special edition of our launch product to be the most Chicagoland it can be! The Deluxe Edition will be available in a small quantity on our website for pre-order only for US/Canadian customers for US$250 (taxes and shipping not included). And just to be honest, we're not making any profit off this product at that price point... we just want you to be able to access the full game for your next in-person gaming experience! But our artists will be receiving 20% of the purchase price regardless - This is about making your next TTRPG experience top-notch and making sure our artists get their efforts recognized - not padding our bottom line.

• Under the desert sun Hoodie Sweatshirt: Rep the Main 5, designed by Celestine Nox, wherever you go with our Hoodie Sweatshirt printed in partnership with local Chicago silk screening and embroidery shop Shirts Our Business Ltd! We have sizes from Small to 2XL available for shipping anywhere in the US/Canada at launch only on our website for US$45 (taxes and shipping not included) - and the first 5 orders of our Deluxe Edition will receive a Hoodie Sweatshirt in a chosen size ABSOLUTELY FREE! We're not going to charge any additional shipping for the Hoodie Sweatshirt for those orders - it is 100% unequivocally FREE as a big THANK YOU for supporting JAY Games and our artists!

We can't wait for you to experience the world of the Qánate for yourself as either a Player, a Meddah, or both! Make sure you're following our socials on Bluesky and Instagram for the latest JAY Games information and are subscribed to our game updates here on Itch.io! May 31 is just three days away - the sands of Taraz are calling you... can you hear it?

About JAY Games™:

JAY Games™ - Just As Yourself  Games - is a game development company based in Chicago, Illinois that is committed to a safe, inclusive Play environment where anyone, regardless of experience, can enjoy a story. Players come with their imagination and bring just a playbook, a d6, and a d20. The Meddah, the game master, brings probability and rich storytelling without railroading Players with tactical combat rules or conceptual items. The rule of cool reigns supreme - but Players' safety is paramount, even if it violates the rule of cool. JAY Games's inaugural release, Under the desert sun™, is launching o May 31, 2025 on Itch.io and jay-games.com. Inquiries can be directed to inquire@jay-games.com.