LevelUp Game Hackathon 2026 is an online national game development hackathon organised by Gamnexis, a student-led game development and technology community. The event challenges students from across India to design, develop, and submit a fully playable game from scratch within a 12-hour window, based on an official theme announced at the start.
Who Should Apply
Open to Indian students at any level — from beginners to experienced game developers. Teams of 1 to 3 members. Solo participants are welcome.
Format & Timeline
The hackathon is conducted entirely online in two rounds:
Round 1 – Project Proposal Submission: Teams submit a 10-slide presentation covering theme understanding, game concept, gameplay, key features, technology stack, UI/UX design, development plan, challenges, and AI usage declaration. Submissions are evaluated on innovation (30 marks), theme relevance (20), technical feasibility (20), gameplay design (15), and presentation quality (15). Shortlisted teams advance to Round 2.
Round 2 – Final Game Development (12 hours): Shortlisted teams build a complete, playable game. Required deliverables include a public GitHub repository with source code, a playable build (APK, web link, or executable), a project presentation (max 15 slides), a 2–3 minute demo video, a README file, and an AI usage declaration. Judging criteria: gameplay & user experience (30 marks), innovation & creativity (25), UI/UX & visual design (15), performance & stability (15), technical implementation (10), and documentation & submission quality (5).
Prizes
Total cash prize pool of ₹1,700 distributed across top teams:
- Winner: ₹1,000 + Winner Certificate
- Runner-up: ₹500 + Runner-up Certificate
- Second Runner-up: ₹200 + Second Runner-up Certificate
- Best AI Game: Certificate (no cash)
- Best Mobile Game: Certificate (no cash)
- Best Web Game: Certificate (no cash)
All eligible participants who complete the hackathon receive a Digital Certificate of Participation.
Eligibility
Open to Indian students. Teams of 1–3 members. Participants may use any game engine, programming language, or framework. AI-powered development tools are allowed but must be disclosed. Previously completed projects are not allowed.
About the Organiser
Gamnexis is a student-led game development and technology community committed to fostering innovation through hackathons, coding competitions, and collaborative learning. They focus on providing platforms for students to showcase their skills and build real-world projects.
How to Apply
Register via the official Unstop page before the deadline. After registration, join the WhatsApp group for updates and theme announcement.
