PUBG: Battlegrounds is giving creators a chance to build the next mode players may see inside the game. The PUBG UGC Contest opens on August 12, 2026, with $95,000 in total prizes across Combat, Survival, Creative, community-voted awards, and early-submission rewards.

This is not a contest where you only send an idea. You must build a working mode with the official PUBG UGC tools, publish it through CurseForge, and complete the official entry form. Contest participation is PC only, and creators must meet the age and account rules before entering.

Here is the full schedule, prize breakdown, entry process, and the rules most likely to cause problems.

PUBG UGC Contest quick facts

Dates can change if moderation, eligibility checks, judging, or technical issues take longer than expected. The official contest page and rules remain the final source for deadlines.

What is PUBG: Playgrounds?

PUBG character fighting in a map filled with highlighted custom objects.
PUBG’s earlier UGC Alpha showed how custom objects and rules could reshape a familiar combat space. Image: KRAFTON.

PUBG: Playgrounds is the part of PUBG built to surface community-created modes. Instead of every match following the usual battle royale format, creators can design different rules, objectives, spaces, and ways to play.

The contest is one step in PUBG’s larger push toward user-generated content. Selected winning modes are planned to appear in PUBG: Playgrounds under a contest tag. PUBG says those modes may be added on a rolling schedule between October and December 2026.

PUBG is not the only major game expanding creator tools. Fortnite creators can now publish islands with AI-powered NPCs, while EA Sports FC 27 Creator Challenges lets players build and share custom scenarios. PUBG’s version keeps its own identity by focusing on gunplay, survival, and unusual twists on the Battlegrounds sandbox.

The three contest categories

Every entry belongs in one of three main categories. Pick the category that best matches the experience players will spend most of their time doing.

Combat

Combat is for player-versus-player action. Gun skill, movement, positioning, and competition should drive the mode.

Official examples include:

A strong Combat entry needs more than a small map with weapons. Players should quickly understand the win condition, respawn flow, team rules, and what makes the mode different from a standard custom match.

Survival

Survival focuses on NPC enemies or environmental pressure. It can be cooperative, objective-based, or built around holding a position as the challenge gets harder.

Official examples include:

For this category, test whether players always know where to go and what to protect. A creative enemy wave means little if the objective fails, the pacing stalls, or one player can break the entire mode.

Creative

Creative is for modes where movement, rules, objectives, or playful ideas matter more than gunfights. Low-combat ideas are allowed.

Official examples include:

This is the broadest category, but it still needs a clear game loop. A surprising idea will score better if players can learn it quickly and want another round.

Who can enter the PUBG UGC Contest?

The contest is open to eligible individuals who meet all of the following conditions:

The base PUBG game is free-to-play, but the contest page says BATTLEGROUNDS PLUS is required to create UGC modes. Console players cannot enter this contest through PlayStation or Xbox.

Legal, tax, payment, and regional restrictions can still apply. Read the full official terms before investing serious time in a build.

How to enter the PUBG UGC Contest

PUBG UGC editor load screen listing sample arena, conquest, and deathmatch projects.
PUBG’s UGC Alpha included sample projects for arenas, conquest, and deathmatch modes. The 2026 contest uses the current official UGC tools and CurseForge flow. Image: KRAFTON.

1. Create a CurseForge Mod Author account

Use the CurseForge author registration page and finish any account setup or verification it requests. A normal browsing account is not enough if you have not joined the author program.

2. Build your mode with the official PUBG UGC tools

Create the entry on your own PUBG account. Choose Combat, Survival, or Creative early, because that choice should guide your rules and playtests.

You can enter more than one mode. There is no stated entry limit, but every submission must be meaningfully different. Reposting the same design with small changes can lead to disqualification.

3. Publish the mode on CurseForge

Your entry must be published, live, and available on CurseForge by the deadline. CurseForge also warns that moderation can take a few days, so uploading at the last minute is risky.

4. Complete the official submission form

Publishing the mode is not the final step. Fill out the contest form with accurate details, including your PUBG nickname and platform. The account and owner data connected to the mode must match the information you submit.

5. Check that the entry stays valid

Review the CurseForge moderation rules, PUBG Mod Policy, PUBG Playgrounds rules, and contest terms. If a problem is found later, an entry can lose visibility, eligibility, or a prize.

PUBG UGC Contest prize breakdown

The $95,000 total comes from three separate prize groups.

Main category prizes: $75,000

Each of the three categories has the same $25,000 breakdown:

That creates 10 main winners in each category, or 30 main-category winning modes across Combat, Survival, and Creative.

Community Favorites: $15,000

Six finalists will receive $2,500 each through valid community voting. A Community Favorite can also win a main category prize, so this does not necessarily mean six additional creators.

Mid-Contest Rewards: $5,000

Ten valid early entries will receive $500 each around August 23. CurseForge plans to choose these entries using early quality, originality, completeness, and playability.

The math is $75,000 in main prizes, $15,000 in Community Favorites, and $5,000 in mid-contest rewards, for a total of $95,000.

Full contest timeline