> 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/what-is-a-contest.md).

# What is a Contest

A **Contest** is a competition between players on RivalRyze. One player creates it, others join, and rewards pay out when it ends. There are two types of Contest currently:

* [**Battles**](/contests/battles.md) — leaderboard-based, scored on points. Highest score at the end wins (or top 3, top 5, etc.).
* [**Bounties**](/contests/bounties.md) — objective-based, boolean. Anyone who hits the goal during the window wins a share of the prize pool.

A third type, **Guild vs Guild**, is coming soon.

## The shared anatomy

Every Contest — Battle or Bounty — has the same building blocks:

| Piece                        | What it is                                                                                  |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Host**                     | The player who created the Contest.                                                         |
| **Objective Mode**           | Defines what players are competing on. See [Objective Modes](/contests/objective-modes.md). |
| **Game**                     | The specific game (or "any game" for collector-style modes).                                |
| **Entry fee**                | Gems each player pays to join. Goes into the prize pool.                                    |
| **Prize pool**               | All gems collected from entry fees, plus host boosts and donations.                         |
| **Reward distribution**      | How the prize pool splits at the end (winner-takes-all, top 3, equal split, etc.).          |
| **Access policy**            | Who is allowed to join. See [Access Policies](/contests/access-policies.md).                |
| **Duration / End condition** | When the Contest ends.                                                                      |

What changes between Battle and Bounty is mainly **how winners are decided** and **how the prize splits**.

## The lifecycle

```
[ Created ] → [ Open for joiners ] → [ Started ] → [ Ended ] → [ Winners paid ]
```

1. **Created.** The host configures the Contest.
2. **Open for joiners.** Eligible players join by paying the entry fee.
3. **Started.** Auto-starts based on the host's rules — see [Auto-Start Rules](/contests/auto-start-rules.md).
4. **Ended.** The Contest ends either when its objective is reached (Bounties), the duration expires (Battles), or it's manually cancelled.
5. **Winners paid.** Prize pool transfers automatically to winners' wallets.

## Picking between Battle and Bounty (for hosts)

If you're creating a Contest, the choice comes down to how you want winners decided.

| Question                                                        | Pick                                               |
| --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Do you want a long competition with a final ranking?            | [**Battle**](/contests/battles.md)                 |
| Do you want a fixed objective where anyone who finishes wins?   | [**Bounty**](/contests/bounties.md)                |
| Do you want a clear "first to" race?                            | [**Bounty**](/contests/bounties.md) (Hunter modes) |
| Do you want to reward consistent grinding over a week or month? | [**Battle**](/contests/battles.md) (Points modes)  |

## A word on Fair Play

RivalRyze automatically detects [achievement auto-pops and unfair patterns](/fair-play/auto-pop-and-fair-play.md) — situations where achievements unlock instantly across platforms or in patterns that don't match real play. By default, known cross-platform auto-pops are excluded from Contest scoring. Hosts can decide what to do with anything flagged as unknown or suspicious.

This is worth knowing before you join a Contest: your historical achievements are scored against your platform's reality, not just the raw counts.

## What's next

* [Battles](/contests/battles.md) — leaderboard format, deep dive
* [Bounties](/contests/bounties.md) — objective format, deep dive
* [Objective Modes](/contests/objective-modes.md) — the full list of what you can compete on
* [Joining a Contest](/contests/joining-a-contest.md)
* [Hosting Your Own Contest](/contests/hosting-a-contest.md)