Sandbox announced the Retro Game Jam competition, offering creators a substantial prize pool of 150,000 SAND tokens worth $150,000 and additional NFT prizes. Entries are open until December 23, 2025 for the competition, which focuses on pixel-era aesthetics and compact gameplay. Winners will not only receive symbolic prizes, but will also gain valuable visibility in the upcoming alpha season.
Reward structure and submission details
The competition is characterized by a multi-level prize system significant payouts for the best players. First place will receive $10,000 SAND and a gold CATALYST package, while second and third place will receive $8,000 and $5,000 SAND and silver CATALYST packages, respectively.
Fourth through tenth place participants will receive varying amounts of SAND dollars and silver or bronze CATALYST packages, with up to ten honorable mentions each receiving $1,000 SAND.
In addition to these initial rewards, ten unique entries will be selected for the Alpha Season featureeach will receive an additional $10,000 SAND and 1×1 LAND NFT. This provides creators with both immediate compensation and long-term visibility on the platform. To encourage early participation, the first 100 valid entries will receive a CATALYST package.
The competition started on November 27 and entries close on December 23, 2025 at 17:00 UTC. Organizers recommend submitting your entries by December 22 to avoid time zone and technical complications. Winners will be announced during a live event on Twitch on January 17, 2026.
The jam’s theme focuses on “low-tech aesthetics and high-creative builds,” encouraging the creation of compact, readable experiences rather than resource-intensive projects.
Market implications and participation strategy
From a market perspective, the distribution of rewards in native $SAND and LAND NFT tokens will result in an outflow of tokens from the platform. Winners can convert part of the proceeds into fiat currencies or other cryptocurrencieswhich may cause short-term sales pressure. However, award-winning exposure during the LAND and Alpha seasons offers long-term monetization opportunities for creators.
Submissions are expected to be used Sandbox game creator templates and existing resource libraries, with support workshops available to reduce technical barriers. Judging will focus on creativity, gameplay quality and retro-theme relevance, with the subjective “wow factor” helping to distinguish the best entries.
- Applications open: November 27, 2025
- Deadline for submission of entries: December 23, 2025 (17:00 UTC)
- Winners Announced: January 17, 2026 (Live Event on Twitch)
For institutional treasuries or DAOs planning to participate in the program, deposit, liquidity and potential market impact should be considered when accepting $SAND or NFT rewards. Traders should remember that the contest is a predictable and time-bound source of token distribution linked to public milestones that may impact short-term market flows.
Retro Game Jam effectively combines inventive incentives with a token economy, offering participants both immediate rewards and potential long-term benefits. The next key milestone is the announcement of winners in January 2026, and participants and market observers are advised to monitor entries and prize distribution until that date.
