> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.rivalryze.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.rivalryze.com/contests/bounties.md).

# Bounties

A **Bounty** is an objective-based Contest. Instead of competing for the highest score, every participant works toward a clear finish line — unlock a specific achievement, earn a platinum, 100%-complete a game. **Everyone who finishes wins a share of the prize pool.**

## How Bounties work

1. **The host sets the objective.** Something concrete and verifiable: "Unlock the platinum trophy in Elden Ring," "Get the Achievement X in Game Y," "100%-complete this specific game."
2. **Everyone races toward it.** Participants play normally, and platform syncs detect when they hit the objective.
3. **The Bounty ends when its duration expires or its conditions are met.** Depending on configuration, it can end the moment one player wins (a true race) or stay open for multiple winners until the end date.
4. **Everyone who hit the objective splits the prize pool.**

## Objective-based Objective Modes

Bounties run on **Hunter-style** Objective Modes:

* **Achievement Hunter** — first (or anyone) to unlock a specific achievement in a specific game.
* **Platinum Hunter** — first (or anyone) to earn the platinum trophy in a specific PSN game.
* **Completion Hunter** — first (or anyone) to 100%-complete a specific game.

For full descriptions, see [Objective Modes](/contests/objective-modes.md).

## How the prize pool splits

Bounties typically use one of these distributions:

| Distribution             | What it does                                                                                             |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Winner Takes All**     | Only the first player to hit the objective wins. Pure race.                                              |
| **Equal Split**          | All players who hit the objective during the window split the prize pool equally. Common Bounty default. |
| **By Participant Count** | The platform scales the payout list based on how many players joined.                                    |

The host picks when creating the Bounty.

{% hint style="info" %}
A Bounty's "winner" isn't necessarily the first to finish — it depends on the host's setup. A pure "race" Bounty ends the moment one player wins. A "group challenge" Bounty stays open until its end date, and anyone who finishes during the window shares the prize.
{% endhint %}

## What you do as a participant

1. **Read the objective carefully.** Is it a specific achievement? A platinum? A 100% completion? Make sure you have the game and a realistic plan to hit it.
2. **Join and pay the entry fee.** Standard Contest join flow — see [Joining a Contest](/contests/joining-a-contest.md).
3. **Play and complete the objective.** When your platform syncs, RivalRyze detects the unlock.
4. **Get paid if you finish.** Whether you're the first or the fifth (depending on the Bounty's rules), gems land in your wallet when the Bounty ends.

## What "objective unlock" means

Different platforms confirm differently:

* **Steam** — the achievement appears on your Steam profile (must be Public).
* **PSN** — the trophy appears in your trophy list (privacy must be set to Anyone).
* **Xbox** — the achievement appears in your activity feed (game history must be visible).

If the unlock doesn't appear on the source platform, RivalRyze can't see it. See [Troubleshooting Sync Issues](/connecting-gaming-platforms/troubleshooting-sync.md).

## A Bounty edge case: Fair Play

Bounties verify the objective unlock against your real, organic play. If you have a historical achievement that auto-popped (e.g., you got it on Steam and then it instantly appeared on PSN when you connected), [Fair Play](/fair-play/auto-pop-and-fair-play.md) flags it.

For **Hunter** Bounties specifically, only achievements unlocked during the Bounty window count. So historical auto-pops don't disqualify you — you just need to do the thing for real, now.

## Hosting a Bounty

Pick a Hunter-style Objective Mode when you create the Contest. The rest of the flow (entry fee, duration, access policy) is the same as any Contest — see [Hosting Your Own Contest](/contests/hosting-a-contest.md).

A few host-specific notes for Bounties:

* **Pick objectives that are realistic and verifiable.** A platinum that takes 200 hours might attract no one. A 5-minute achievement might attract everyone. Aim for somewhere in between.
* **Decide on race vs. group format.** Race = one winner, ends immediately when someone finishes. Group = stays open until end date, anyone who finishes wins.
* **Use Equal Split if you want collaboration.** It encourages people to share strategies instead of racing each other.

## Battle vs. Bounty: which to host

| Pick a Bounty when…                           | Pick a [Battle](/contests/battles.md) when… |
| --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| You want a clear "first to" race              | You want a multi-day grind contest          |
| You want everyone who completes to win        | You want ranked top-N payouts               |
| You want a sprint with a definite finish line | You want consistent play to be rewarded     |
| The objective is well-defined and verifiable  | The competition is about score accumulation |

## Related

* [Battles](/contests/battles.md) — the other Contest type
* [Objective Modes](/contests/objective-modes.md) — all the modes Bounties support
* [Joining a Contest](/contests/joining-a-contest.md)
* [Hosting Your Own Contest](/contests/hosting-a-contest.md)
* [Fair Play](/fair-play/auto-pop-and-fair-play.md) — how achievement detection works