> 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/hosting-a-contest.md). # Hosting Your Own Contest Anyone with a gaming platform connected can host a Contest. It takes about three minutes. ## 1. Click "Create Contest" From your dashboard, go to **Contests → Create**. ## 2. Pick a Contest type Choose whether to host a **Battle** or a **Bounty**: * [**Battle**](/contests/battles.md) — leaderboard-based. Players compete on points; highest score wins. Best for grind contests, weekly events, and tournaments. * [**Bounty**](/contests/bounties.md) — objective-based. Players race to (or work toward) a clear finish line; everyone who hits it can win a share. Guild vs Guild Contests are coming soon. ## 3. Pick an Objective Mode The Objective Mode defines what players are actually competing on. The available modes depend on the Contest type you picked. **Battle modes (Points family):** * Achievement Points * Completion Achievement Points * Dota 2 Points Battle **Bounty modes (Hunter family):** * Achievement Hunter * Platinum Hunter * Completion Hunter See [Objective Modes](/contests/objective-modes.md) for full descriptions. ## 4. Pick the game Depending on the Objective Mode, you'll either: * **Pick a single game** — for Hunter modes (e.g. "First to platinum Elden Ring") or Points modes scoped to one title. * **Pick none** — for any future Collector modes (coming soon) where the score is across the player's whole library. When picking a game, you can filter by genre and theme. Pick something your target audience plays. {% hint style="success" %} Specific games attract people who actually own them. Picking a niche game means a smaller pool of joiners but a more focused audience. {% endhint %} ## 5. Set the entry fee and duration * **Entry fee** — gems each player pays to join. Higher fees = bigger prize pools but fewer joiners. * **Duration** — how long the Contest runs once it starts. For Hunter Bounties, you can configure "ends when first player wins" instead of a fixed duration. * **Max participants** (optional) — caps the prize pool size and triggers auto-start when full. * **Min participants** (optional) — Contest won't start until this is met. * **Scheduled start date** (optional) — when to begin, if not auto-starting. See [Entry Fees, Prize Pools & Donations](/contests/entry-fees-and-prizes.md) for pricing guidance. ## 6. Choose who can join (Access Policy) | Policy | Use it when | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Public** | You want anyone in the RivalRyze community to join. | | **Allowlist** | You want full control over who plays — joiners request, you approve. | | **Password protected** | You're running this with a friend group — share the password privately. | | **Guild members only** | You want it open to one Discord server. | | **Role-based** | You want it open to a specific Discord role (e.g. "Tournament Players"). | Full details: [Access Policies](/contests/access-policies.md). ## 7. Configure reward distribution Choose how the prize pool splits when the Contest ends. **For Battles (leaderboard):** * **Winner Takes All** — 100% to the #1 ranked player. * **Top 3** — 60% / 25% / 15%. * **Top 5** — 40% / 25% / 15% / 10% / 10%. * **By Participant Count** — auto-scales the payout list. Default. **For Bounties (objective):** * **Winner Takes All** — only the first to hit the objective wins. Pure race. * **Equal Split** — everyone who hits the objective during the window splits the pool equally. * **By Participant Count** — auto-scales based on joiners. You can also **boost the prize pool from your own wallet** before publishing to make the Contest more attractive. ## 8. Review and publish Double-check the type, objective, entry fee, access policy, and duration. Click **Publish**. Your Contest goes live. It now shows up in the Contests browse page (subject to your access policy — Guild and Allowlist Contests are only visible to eligible players). ## After publishing * **Share it.** Copy the Contest link from the page and share it on Discord or with friends. * **Watch joiners come in.** You'll be notified when someone joins, requests an invite, or donates. * **Approve allowlist requests.** If you set the Contest to Allowlist, you'll get notifications for each invite request. Approve or reject from the Contest page. * **Receive donations.** Other players can [donate to the prize pool](/contests/entry-fees-and-prizes.md) even if they're not playing — donors don't compete, they just sweeten the pot. ## When the Contest ends Winners are determined automatically based on the Contest type and Objective Mode. The prize pool transfers to winners' wallets — that's it. As host, you don't have to do anything to wrap up. {% hint style="info" %} Hosting doesn't cost gems. You only pay if you also join your own Contest. {% endhint %} ## What if no one joins? If your Contest doesn't reach the minimum participant count by its start date, it auto-cancels. Any entry fees collected are refunded. You can edit a Contest (entry fee, end date, etc.) before it starts in case you want to adjust to attract more joiners. ## A note on Fair Play For Contests involving achievements, trophies, or game completion, RivalRyze runs [Fair Play](/fair-play/auto-pop-and-fair-play.md) checks. By default, known cross-platform auto-pops are excluded automatically. For anything flagged as unknown or suspicious, **you (the host) get a notification and can decide** whether it counts. This means hosting is hands-off most of the time, with occasional adjudication for edge cases. ## Related * [What is a Contest](/contests/what-is-a-contest.md) * [Battles](/contests/battles.md) and [Bounties](/contests/bounties.md) — the two types * [Objective Modes](/contests/objective-modes.md) — what you can compete on * [Joining a Contest](/contests/joining-a-contest.md) * [Access Policies](/contests/access-policies.md) * [Entry Fees, Prize Pools & Donations](/contests/entry-fees-and-prizes.md) * [Auto-Start Rules](/contests/auto-start-rules.md) * [Fair Play](/fair-play/auto-pop-and-fair-play.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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