<p>Avalanche Foundation announced Build Games on January 20, 2026. The six-week program runs through March 2026 with a million-dollar prize pool split across multiple tiers.</p><p>Applications for Avalanche’s Build Games competition started on Jan. 20, and builders can continue to sign up until Feb. 13. Build Games doesn't enforce specific categories or thematic constraints, so anyone with an idea is welcome. AVAX specifically wants builders working on ideas they actually believe in, so it avoided a themed format which would cause developers to retrofit their projects.</p><div class="raw-html-embed">
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            Build Games is built for founders.
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            <br>
            - For builders at all stages
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            - Any idea can win. Just has to be built on Avalanche
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            - All-star judges (to be announced soon)
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            - Post-competition support
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            - A-tier mentoring and workshops
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            There’s more: <a href="https://t.co/63YvbOADBy">pic.twitter.com/63YvbOADBy</a>
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        — Avalanche🔺 (@avax) <a href="https://twitter.com/avax/status/2013620075530461351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a>
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</div><h2>What Can You Expect from Avalanche’s Build Games Competition?</h2><p>AVAX’s Build Games is made up of distinct phases:</p><ul><li>Week one requires a one-minute pitch video.</li><li>Weeks two and three focus on prototype development.</li><li>Weeks four and five shift toward go-to-market planning.</li><li>Week six hosts the final judging showcase.</li></ul><p>Besides the prize pool, accepted teams get access to technical mentorship, pitch coaching, and direct feedback loops with Avalanche Foundation members.</p><p>Build Games’ prize distribution follows a milestone structure for top placements. The $100,000 grand prize breaks into $25,000 upfront and $75,000 unlocked through post-competition milestones. Second place ($75,000) and third place ($50,000) follow similar models. The remaining prize pool gets allocated case-by-case, with amounts and unlock conditions determined individually.</p><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:59.11%;"><img src="https://assets.funjible.games/avax_build_games_2_77c8983bec.jpg" alt="AVAX build games screenshot" srcset="https://assets.funjible.games/avax_build_games_2_77c8983bec.jpg 226w, https://assets.funjible.games/avax_build_games_2_77c8983bec.jpg 500w" sizes="100vw"></figure><p>There's also a $30,000 referral pool. If you bring in the winning team, you collect $10,000, so it might be a decent time to call any game developer connections you might have. Avalanche is also known for its grants, so strong teams that don't win top prizes could still land ongoing grants, partnerships, or program placements after the competition wraps.</p><p>Applications for Build Games close mid-February, and you can apply through&nbsp;<a href="https://build.avax.network/build-games">AVAX Network’s Build Games website</a>.</p><p>Gaming has always been one of AVAX’s strong sides. In recent months,&nbsp;<a href="https://funjible.games/news/avalanche-battle-pass-season-3-launches-with-25k-in-rewards">Avalanche also released the third season of its battle pass, featuring $25k in rewards</a>. Competitions like Build Games aim to further improve Avax’s gaming portfolio, which already has a few top titles, like&nbsp;<a href="https://funjible.games/games/maple-story-n">MapleStory N</a> and<a href="https://funjible.games/games/off-the-grid">Off the Grid</a>, who also had a decent year in 2025, even&nbsp;<a href="https://funjible.games/news/off-the-grid-draw-crowds-at-gamescom-as-avax-battle-pass-grows">drawing crowds at Gamescom</a>, one of the top conventions within the traditional gaming space.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;</p><div class="raw-html-embed">
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Off The Grid

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Avalanche Launches Build Games with $1M Prize Pool

Off The Grid

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