Maplestory Worlds logo
[Notice]
The submission deadline has been rescheduled to 6/4 (Thu) at 11:00 AM (UTC+9). Thank you for your understanding regarding this schedule change. Please refer to the notice below for more details.

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo

7 teams. Up to $65,000 USD each. A massive $455,000 invested in you.

BI Logo
WORLDS
글로벌 개발 콘테스트

Submission Period: 6/4–10/7

UPDATE!

The submission schedule has been changed from 5/28 to 6/4.

Share with passionate developers!

How to Participate

STEP 1

Open the MapleStory Worlds app.

STEP 2

Click Create to develop and release a world.

STEP 3

Click the Creator Challenge participation banner.

STEP 4

Select the worlds to submit, and click Submit.

You must set your world's Playability to "Public" and release it to participate.

2026 Global Creator Challenge Policy

Global Creator Challenge Rewards

per Team
Up to $65,000 USD

30 teams in the Final round!

Up to $35,000 USD in Support Funds

7 Winning Teams

Up to $30,000 USD Added

Teams that advance to the final round, who also participate in the MapleStory Worlds developer support connection program, can claim the support funds. The amount awarded will differ depending on the program's payment standards.

Teams who win the finals will receive $10,000 USD. Teams that also fulfill the separate payment requirements can earn up to $20,000 USD in additional development support funds. To review the details about the requirements to attain those funds, see the notice.

Recruitment Guidelines

Unlimited genre expansion!

We can't wait to see how your worlds put a new spin on the core fun of MapleStory.

What is the core fun of MapleStory?

#Growth #Exploration #Hunting #Combat #Collecting #Cooperative #Challenge #Competition

Check out all the great ways you can add to the fun!

#Growth + Idle
#Growth, Combat + Roguelite
#Combat + Strategy
#Combat + Defense
#Exploration, Collecting + RPG
#Challenge + Platformer
#Cooperative, Collecting + Simulation
#Growth, Combat + Survival
#Competition, Collecting + Tycoon

Selection Criteria

Creative IP Use and Expansion

40%

An independent panel will be judging competitors based on how creatively they reimagine MapleStory's core elements of fun and how they expand on the game's design in a way that is both fun and unique.

Level of Completion

40%

An independent panel will be judging competitors based on how stable the play environment is, how carefully crafted the Core Game Loop is, and how well the overall articulation and harmony between the audio and visual elements has been implemented.

Sustainability

20%

An independent panel will be judging competitors based on the Challenge expansion potential, their user management capabilities, and other similar competencies required to ensure stable operation of the service.

The detailed selection criteria is available in the MapleStory Worlds Global Creator Challenge 2026 Terms and Conditions.

A total of 30 Worlds will compete in the final round.

※ The selection scope is subject to change based on the evaluation results.

Global Creator Challenge Schedule

UPDATE!
The submission schedule has been changed from 5/28 to 6/4.

6/4

Submissions Open

10/7

Submissions Close and First Eval Starts

11/5

Announcement and Final Round Starts

11/25

Final Round Ends

Early December

Winners Announced

All schedules begin and end based on 11:00 KST (2:00 UTC).

The schedule is subject to change.

Participation Conditions

Open to anyone ages 14+!

※ Residents of certain regions, such as North America and Europe, must be ages 18+.

Worlds must have been created with the MapleStory Worlds platform.

Worlds must be revealed or released for the first time during the submission period.

Worlds must be a Global release.

※ Worlds must enable the automatic translation feature.

Worlds must be purely original works free from copyright and intellectual property issues.

※ AI can be used to create worlds.

Please check the notice for more detailed information.

FAQ
Q

I am at least 14 years-old, but I am not an adult yet. Can I still participate?

Yes, you can.
However, you will need a signed consent form from your guardian if you make it to the main round. (You cannot move on without a signed consent form.)
* Residents of certain regions, such as North America and Europe, must be ages 18+. Please review the details in the announcement.

A
Q

Can groups participate?

Yes, groups can participate.
However, only the group leader can make submissions.

A
Q

Can worlds that were already released participate as well?

No, they can't.
Only worlds that were publicly released
for the first time during the Global Creator Challenge submission period may participate.

A
Q

Will all worlds that are created
and made public during the Global
Creator Challenge submission period
be entered automatically?

No, worlds will not be entered automatically.
You must first release your world, then use the Global Creator Challenge Submission banner in the MapleStory Worlds client to complete submission.

A
Q

Can I submit multiple worlds?

Yes, you can. However, only one world per individual or group can move on to the main round.
If more than one of your worlds is selected, you will have to choose which world will move on.

A
Q

Can Next Creators also participate?

Yes, they can, as long as their world adheres to the submission criteria.

A
Q

Can Partner Creators also participate?

Partner Creators cannot participate.

A
Q

Can MCC Creators also participate?

MCC Creators cannot participate.

A

Do you have any more questions regarding the challenge?

Reference and Notes

Some content is subject to change based on the challenge's status.

Please refer to the notice for more detailed information.

Submission Checklist

Use the checklist to evaluate your world before submission!

Was your world created with the MapleStory Worlds platform?

Was your world published for the first time during the recruitment period?

Did you enter all of your world's basic information?

Be as detailed as possible, since it is crucial evaluation criteria!

Choose a genre based on the content of the world you created. Note: If they don't align, it can lead to a demerit or disqualification.

Is your world's Playability set to "Public"?

Did you submit your world survey?

Confirm that your world survey was submitted!

Please submit a world survey, so more people can play your released world! Your world will be visible to all users if it has the E for Everyone rating. ※ If you haven't submitted your survey, the highest age rating will be applied automatically.

Have you registered a world gameplay video that is at least 30 seconds long?

Have you registered a community address for your world?

*You must manage at least 1 community.

Have you set the Supported Region to "All" regions?

Did you go through the challenge participation banner to select and submit your world?

You can only select released worlds that have the Playability set to "Public".

Global Creator Challenge Lounge

We will provide a variety of development support for the creators who wish to participate in the Challenge! We invite you to join the Global Creator Challenge Discord.

Training Materials Provided

We will provide a variety of training materials
to help you improve your development skills.

Expert QnA

Experts will be available to
answer your burning world
development-related questions.

Exclusive Community

You'll have a place for everything from recruiting
team members to freely sharing information.

MapleStory Creation World Resources and Code Provided

To support endless imagination and creativity,

we've provided resources and sample code for 6 types of worlds to use as you see fit!

AI Toolkit Function Support for World Development Assistance

Work alongside an AI trained with development knowledge about MapleStory Worlds.

You can quickly and conveniently create your very own version of MapleStory by vibe-coding!

Create a world using Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor.

Illustration of vibe coding with Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor

Contest Participation World

Worlds are Collecting ...