Minecraft Modding Contest

As part of CurseForge’s ongoing support of the community, CurseForge is running this contest, inviting you to create Mods on the CurseForge platform for Minecraft.

The Minecraft ModJam is a dynamic contest designed to inspire and showcase the talents of the Minecraft modding community.

Below is a brief overview of the qualifications for entering and participating in the contest. Afterward, you will find the full and official rules governing the contest. Please take the time to read the official rules carefully.

TIMETABLE:

• Start Date: September 9th - Participants may begin submitting their entries.
• End Date: October 21st - The final date for participants to submit their entries.
• Winners Announcement: November 4th

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES:

The contest will be running with four main categories:

• Mods (Java): Includes Java-based content that adds or changes blocks, items, mobs, or mechanics. 20 projects in this category will be selected as grand winners.
• Datapacks (Java): Includes files for customizing recipes, loot, rules, and world generation. 5 projects in this category will be selected as grand winners.
• Resource Packs (Java+Bedrock): Includes files that replace or edit textures, sounds, models, and the game’s interface. 5 projects in this category will be selected as grand winners.
• Bedrock Addons (Bedrock): Includes JSON-based files that add or modify mobs, blocks, and behaviors in Bedrock Edition. 10 projects in this category will be selected as grand winners.

WINNERS AND PRIZES:

The contest consists of Grand Prizes, Mid Contest Raffles, and Community Favorites. All prizes and rewards are based on skill. We or the community (all depending on the type of reward) will judge and select the winning projects.

This contest includes the following prizes:

• Grand Prize Winners: $1,000 per winner for the Mods, Datapacks, Resource Packs, and Bedrock Addons categories (40 total winners)
• Mid Contest Raffles: To keep the contest going and reward as many authors as possible, CurseForge will hold two Mid Contest Raffles, awarding 5 random creators who have made valid submissions to the contest with $200 each, totaling 10 additional winners.
• Community Favorites: Minecraft players are also invited to participate in the event by casting their votes for their favorite projects! Once our finalists are announced, the community will vote on their favorite from each category. The Community pick winners will be awarded $2,000 per winner (4 total winners). To cast your vote, use the voting form, which will be published alongside the finalists' announcement.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

1. Sign up as a CurseForge Mod Author: https://authors.curseforge.com/welcome/
2. Publish your project on CurseForge, and make sure it complies with the contest requirements (See “Submission Requirements” below for more information).
3. For the project's category, choose 'ModJam 2025'
4. Fill out the submission form:
5. Modders may publish and submit as many projects as they’d like.

JUDGING:

• Judges’ Picks (Grand Prize Winners): A panel of judges, consisting of judges from the modding community and CurseForge, would select the projects they rated the most among the submissions.
• Community Picks (Community Favorites Winners): Chosen by the most voted projects via a dedicated form.

The Panel of Judges will select the winners and winning creations based on 30% Originality, which will evaluate how creative, new, and unique the project is; 30% "Fun Factor," which will evaluate whether the project is fun to play with; 30% visual aesthetic aspect, which will evaluate whether the project is "eye-catching"; and 10% Downloads, which will determine the number of downloads the project has accumulated so far. Authors cannot win more than once per judging category.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• You need to have a CurseForge Author Account and accept the terms and conditions.
• You will need to review, approve, and comply with the Official Contest Rules attached below.
• All submitted creations must adhere to CurseForge Moderation Policies and Minecraft’s Specific Moderation Policies. This includes restrictions on the use of protected intellectual property, prohibitions on nudity, etc.
• All submitted projects must be new (not published on CurseForge prior to the contest Start Date).
• All submitted projects must support Minecraft version 1.20.1 or higher.
• All submissions for Mods and Datapacks categories must contain a GitHub link or a shared private repo for judging purposes (code visibility is required).
• Don’t publish duplicated projects, and don’t publish other people’s work as your own.
  Prioritize publishing creations that add value to the player community.
• When publishing your creations, ensure they are accurately categorized.
• Failure to meet any of the requirements set forth below in the official rules may lead to disqualification of your submission or revocation of any winnings.

Minecraft Modding Contest OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

This is a skill-based contest intended to encourage creativity in mod development. No purchase is necessary to enter or win, nor will it improve your chance of winning. Void where prohibited by law. By participating, you agree to these Official Rules and all relevant platform and game policies referenced herein.

Participation in the Minecraft ModJam 2025 contest (“Contest”) constitutes your full and unconditional agreement to these Official Contest Rules (“Official Rules”). This Contest is sponsored and administered by Overwolf Ltd., the operator of CurseForge. This Contest is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Mojang AB, Microsoft, or any of their affiliates. All information and entries are provided to Sponsor, not to Mojang or Microsoft.

Eligibility.

• Age: Open to individuals who are at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction, if higher) at the time of entry.
• Account: Entrants must have a valid CurseForge account in good standing.
• Location: The contest is open worldwide, except in any regions or countries where such contests are prohibited or restricted by law (void where prohibited).
• Compliance: All entrants must abide by the CurseForge Mod Author Terms and Conditions, the CurseForge Moderation Guidelines, as well as Mojang’s official Minecraft Usage Guidelines. Entries that violate these terms or guidelines will be disqualified.

Promotion Period.

The contest begins on September 9, 2025 and ends on October 21, 2025 (the "Promotion Period"). All entries must be submitted within this period. Precise start and end times (including time zone deadlines) will be indicated on the contest announcement page. Late submissions will not be accepted.

How to Enter.

• Create Your Project: Develop a new Minecraft modification or content project during the contest period. Your entry can be a Java Mod, Data Pack, Resource Pack, or Bedrock Addon (see Categories below for definitions). The overall theme is ‘The Future’; originality and fun are encouraged.
• Upload to CurseForge: Submit your project on the CurseForge platform under the appropriate class and choose the 'ModJam 2025' category as instructed in the contest announcement. Make sure your project complies with all CurseForge submission requirements (e.g. proper descriptions, no banned content, follows Minecraft Usage Guidelines)
• Complete Entry Form: Fill out the official contest entry form (available via CurseForge or the contest website). You will need to provide your CurseForge project link and contact information (such as your email). This step is required to confirm your entry.

Entrants may submit multiple projects if they wish to showcase more than one mod or pack. However, each individual participant is only eligible to win one prize per prize category (see Prizes section), regardless of the number of entries submitted.

Categories.

We welcome a variety of Minecraft content. Entries will be grouped into the following content categories for the contest:

• Java Mods: Mods for Minecraft: Java Edition that add or change gameplay via code (using mod loaders or APIs).
• Data Packs: Minecraft: Java Edition data packs that alter world generation, loot tables, advancements, functions, or other game data without a custom code mod.
• Resource Packs: Texture packs or resource packs that alter the visuals, audio, or other assets of the game (for Java or Bedrock editions).
• Bedrock Addons: Add-ons for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition (including Windows 10, mobile, console) that use the official Bedrock Addon system to introduce custom behaviors, items, or worlds.

Each category is judged separately, and a Community Favorite will be selected from each category (see Prizes below). Ensure your project is submitted in the correct category on CurseForge.

Judging and Community Vote.

All eligible entries will be evaluated after the contest period by a panel of judges appointed by Overwolf. Judges will include CurseForge team members and/or Minecraft content experts. Entries will be scored based on the following criteria:

• Originality (30%) – How creative, innovative, or unique is the mod or content? Does it bring new ideas or mechanics to the game?
• Fun Factor (30%) – How enjoyable and engaging is the gameplay or experience? Entries should be entertaining and improve the Minecraft experience for players.
• Aesthetics (30%) – The visual design, polish, and overall presentation of the project. This includes graphics, user interface, audio, and how professionally the project is put together.
• Community Engagement (10%) – Measured by community response during the contest, such as download counts or user feedback on CurseForge. This reflects how well the community receives the project. (Note: Entrants should not attempt to falsify downloads or ratings, such behavior may lead to disqualification.)

Using the above weighted criteria, the judges will calculate a total score for each entry. Grand Prize winners will be the top-scoring entries overall (as detailed in Prizes below). In addition to the judged results, there will be a Community Vote component: after the submission deadline, the CurseForge community will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite projects (or favorites will be determined by download/popularity metrics during the contest). The community voting will determine the Community Favorite winners (one per category). Details on how to vote and the voting period will be announced on the contest page after entries close. All judging decisions are final and made in the spirit of fair competition.

The judging panel and Overwolf reserve the right to disqualify any entries that do not fairly meet the above criteria or that violate the rules.

Prizes.

A total of 54 prizes will be awarded following the announcement, divided into the following categories:

• Grand Prizes (40 winners): Forty entries will be selected by the judges as Grand Prize winners. Each Grand Prize winner will receive $1,000 USD. These represent the overall best projects as determined by the judging criteria.
• Raffles (10 recipients): Throughout the contest, the Overwolf team will surprise up to ten participants with “Raffle” prizes of $200 USD each. Raffles are discretionary rewards given to recognize creators during the event. They are not based on formal criteria or chance drawings, but rather are awarded by Overwolf at its sole discretion (for example, to reward creative effort, community spirit, or as an act of appreciation). All entries submitted during the contest are automatically eligible for Raffles. Receiving a Raffle does not disqualify an entry from also winning a Grand Prize or Community Favorite, but the one-prize-per-category rule still applies per individual.
• Community Favorites (4 winners): After the judging, one Community Favorite winner will be chosen from each content category (Mods, Data Packs, Resource Packs, Bedrock Addons) based on the community voting or popularity. Each Community Favorite winner will receive $2,000 USD. This category lets the player community reward the creators of their favorite entries. (If a Community Favorite winner was also a Grand Prize winner by judges’ scores, the entrant will receive the higher of the two prizes and the other award may pass to the next eligible entry in that category, at Overwolf’s discretion.)
• Limit: No individual participant may receive more than one prize in each prize tier. In other words, the same person will not receive two Grand Prizes, nor two Raffles, nor two Community Favorite awards. This ensures a wide distribution of winners. If a single creator has multiple high-ranking entries, only their top-performing entry will be considered for a given prize category.

All prize values are in U.S. dollars. Prizes will be delivered via a payment method determined by Overwolf (for example, electronic funds transfer or gift card). Winners are responsible for any taxes or fees associated with receiving a prize. No substitution or transfer of prizes is permitted except at Overwolf’s discretion.

Winner Notification and Taxes.

Winners will be notified by Overwolf within approximately 7 days after the selection (for Grand Prizes and Community Favorites) or at the time of award (for Raffles). Notification will occur via the contact information provided in the entry form or via the email associated with the winner’s CurseForge account. It is the entrant’s responsibility to provide valid and accessible contact details.

If a selected winner cannot be reached, fails to respond within 10 days of the notification, or is found to be ineligible or non-compliant with these rules, an alternate winner may be selected (for Grand Prizes or Community Favorites, the next highest-scoring or next in line by votes; for Raffles, an alternate recipient may be chosen at Overwolf’s discretion). Prior to receiving a prize, winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (where permitted by law) or provide additional information for prize fulfillment.

Tax Disclosure: Any and all federal, state, provincial, or local taxes (if applicable) on the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. Overwolf may require winners to submit necessary tax forms (such as W-9 for US residents or W-8BEN for non-US residents) before awarding the prize, in accordance with U.S. tax law and applicable international tax treaties. Overwolf will not provide tax advice; winners should consult their tax advisors as needed.

Rights in Submission.

Ownership: As the creator, you retain full ownership of your mod or content submitted to the contest. Participation in the contest does not transfer any intellectual property rights, your mod remains yours.

License to Overwolf/CurseForge: By entering the contest, you grant Overwolf and CurseForge a limited, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, mirror, reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform or showcase your submission for purposes related to the contest and promotion of the CurseForge platform. This license is only for operating and showcasing the contest (for example, featuring your mod on CurseForge, in contest announcements, winner spotlights, social media posts, or other promotional channels). This license does not restrict your ability to use or release your mod elsewhere; it simply allows Overwolf to promote the contest and your achievement.

Apart from this limited license, all other rights to your submission remain with you. You can continue to develop, distribute, or monetize your mod as allowed under the CurseForge Mod Author Terms and Minecraft’s policies (e.g., you still must comply with Minecraft’s EULA/usage guidelines for any content, but you are free to do as you wish with your own work).

Publicity.

By accepting a prize, each winner consents to the use of their name (or online alias), likeness (e.g. avatar), and the title/description of their submitted project by Overwolf and CurseForge for promotional purposes. This includes, without limitation, announcements of the winners on CurseForge’s website, blog, social media, and other marketing materials, worldwide and in perpetuity, without further compensation or notice, except where prohibited by law. This publicity release is limited to context related to this Contest or the promotion of the CurseForge platform and is subject to the Privacy Policy and applicable laws.

Disqualifications.

Overwolf reserves the right to disqualify any entry or participant for the following reasons (including but not limited to):

• Rule Violation: If an entry or participant violates any part of these Official Rules or the referenced CurseForge policies and guidelines (e.g. submitting prohibited content, not following Minecraft’s usage guidelines, etc.), the entry can be removed from the contest.
• Inappropriate Content: Entries that contain cheating mechanisms, malware, hateful content, discriminatory themes, nudity/pornography, extreme violence, or any content that violates CurseForge’s Moderation policies or community standards will be disqualified.
• Intellectual Property Infringement: Submissions must be the entrant’s original work. Do not submit mods or content that you did not create, or which use others’ copyrighted material without permission. Plagiarism or infringement of others’ work will result in removal and potential banning.
• Gaming the System: Any attempt to manipulate the contest or scoring, such as by fraudulently inflating download counts, using multiple accounts, or coordinating fake votes/reviews, will result in disqualification. Keep the contest fair for everyone.
• Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Participants must behave in a fair and respectful manner. Harassment of other contestants or officials, or any attempt to undermine other entries, is grounds for disqualification.

If an entry is disqualified, Overwolf may remove it from the contest listing. In the event a disqualification is discovered after prizes have been awarded, Overwolf reserves the right to revoke the prize and select an alternate winner, if feasible. All decisions regarding disqualification and eligibility determinations are at the sole discretion of Overwolf and are final.

Governing Law.

This Contest, and any disputes arising from it, will be governed and resolved in accordance with the CurseForge Mod Author Terms and Conditions, including their provisions on governing law and jurisdiction.

Privacy Policy.

Any personal information collected through participation in the contest will be processed in accordance with Overwolf’s Privacy Policy .

Contact Information.

For any questions regarding the Contest, please contact us at curseforge@overwolf.com or through the CurseForge Discord server.