About the challenge

Build a game on the most fun messaging platform: Snapchat.

You’ve built games for mobile, and now bring them to hundreds of millions ready to play, post, and share. Snapchat isn’t just for selfies; it’s a hub for mobile games between friends. Check out the guide on building games for Snapchat.

This Lensathon asks you to build Game Lenses that turn a friendly challenge into games worth sharing. Your submission needs to belong to one of the following categories: 2D Games (Leaderboard, Quick Play), 3D Games (Bitmoji-centric, character controller), Turn Based (Multiplayer), Longform (Daily Challenges, Persistent data, story games). Design games that will be popular with Snapchatters. There is a pool of over $30,000 in prizes!

Get started

Build games for Snapchat with the powerful, free tool, Lens Studio, which is easy to pick up for anyone familiar with other game engines. The tool is based in Javascript and Typescript. But there are lots of ways to build without coding too.

  • Download Lens Studio here
  • Find tutorials and documentation for Lens Studio here
  • Watch a tutorial series about building games on Snapchat here
  • Learn more about the advantages of developing games for Snapchat here
  • Get inspired by seeing the winners of a previous Snapchat Games Lensathon here

Requirements

What to Build

We want you to build a game for Snapchat across one of the following categories.

2D Games: Games that primarily use 2D game assets. Consider utilizing the Leaderboard component to create an experience that is fun to play and easy to compete with your friends.

3D Games: Games that utilize 3D game assets and 3D environments. Consider using features like the Character Controller, our Camera Controller, and our Bitmoji Suite.

Turn Based: Multiplayer games you can play with a friend via chat in Snapchat that utilize the Turn Based Component

Longform Game: Games that encourage you to return for multiple sessions. Maybe there is a compelling narrative that takes multiple sessions to complete or maybe the content changes daily . Consider using persistent storage to store data between sessions.

What to Submit

Build a game and publish it to Snapchat. Each game published to Snapchat gets a Lens link. This Lens link will be submitted to us. It is also very important that when you publish your Lens, you include a video of your game in action.

Additional Notes:

  • You must publish your game from Lens Studio to Snapchat publically and you must upload a preview demo video when you publish your Lens. (The lens must be public, not Lens +)
  • No AR requirement. Games can be camera-off; AR is optional if it enhances gameplay.
  • We want these to be new Snap lenses created after December 10th, 2025. These can be games built off your original concepts. However, we also encourage porting or adapting existing mobile games you’ve made on other platforms to Snap by rebuilding them in Lens Studio.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$30,000 in prizes
2D Games - 1st Place
$2,500 in cash
1 winner

2D Games - 2nd Place
$1,500 in cash
1 winner

2D Games - 3rd Place
$750 in cash
1 winner

2D Games - Honorable Mentions
$250 in cash
6 winners

3D Games - 1st Place
$2,500 in cash
1 winner

3D Games - 2nd Place
$1,500 in cash
1 winner

3D Games - 3rd Place
$750 in cash
1 winner

3D Games - Honorable Mentions
$250 in cash
6 winners

Turn Based Game - 1st Place
$2,500 in cash
1 winner

Turn Based Game - 2nd Place
$1,500 in cash
1 winner

Turn Based Game - 3rd Place
$750 in cash
1 winner

Turn Based Game - Honorable Mentions
$250 in cash
6 winners

Long Form Game - 1st Place
$2,500 in cash
1 winner

Long Form Game - 2nd Place
$1,500 in cash
1 winner

Long Form Game - 3rd Place
$750 in cash
1 winner

Long Form Game - Honorable Mentions
$250 in cash
6 winners

Lens Engagement Prize - 1st Place
$2,500 in cash
1 winner

Lens Engagement Prize - 2nd Place
$1,500 in cash
1 winner

Lens Engagement Prize - 3rd Place
$1,000 in cash
1 winner

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Raag Harshavat

Raag Harshavat
Snapchat Developer Relations

Joe Darko

Joe Darko
Snapchat Developer Relations

Cameron Koyama

Cameron Koyama
Snapchat Games Team

Amar Boghani

Amar Boghani
Snapchat Games Team

Jacob Knipfing

Jacob Knipfing
Snapchat Games Team

Tony Mathew

Tony Mathew
Snapchat Games Team

Judging Criteria

  • Technological Implementation
    Does the project demonstrate quality software development? Does the project thoroughly leverage the required tool? How is the quality of the code?
  • Design
    Is the user experience and design of the project well thought out? Is there a balanced blend of frontend and backend in the software?
  • Fun
    How much fun is the project? Is it replayable?
  • Quality of the Idea
    How creative and unique is the project? Does the concept exist already? If so, how much does the project improve on it?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

Tell your friends

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