Eligibility and Country Restrictions

 

 

 

What are the requirements to participate in the Competition?

Participants must be at least 18 years old (and the age of majority in their jurisdiction), have an active Meta Horizon account with Developer Access enabled, and they or a member of their team must be a member in good standing of the Meta Horizon Start Program, and be based in an eligible country. See rules for full details on eligibility.

Are there any regional restrictions on the use of specific development tools or features?

All development tools, SDKs, and features used must be available to the general public and/or Meta Horizon Start Program members. Use of unreleased Meta tools, SDKs, or features is not permitted. There are no additional regional restrictions on tools beyond the eligibility countries listed above.

Are apps currently in development with financial support from Meta eligible for the competition?

No. Apps that previously received or are currently in development with financial support from Meta (such as those funded through a Request for Proposal (RFP) or similar programs) are not eligible to participate in the competition.

Are developers working with a Meta Launch Manager and/or Partner Manager eligible to participate?

Yes, developers who are considered “managed” (i.e., those with published or soon-to-be published apps in the App Store and assigned to a Meta representative) are eligible to participate, as long as their submitted app is not currently in development with financial support from Meta and significant updates have been made to the app during the competition.

Can studios, companies, organizations enter the competition?

Yes, studios, companies and organizations are allowed to participate. However, any sponsorship prizing will be distributed to a single designated individual on behalf of the company or organization. The same rule applies to team entries: prizes will be awarded to one representative for the team.

What are the judging criteria for the competition?

Please see Judging for full details.

 

Content and IP Guidelines

Are previously published apps eligible to participate?

Yes, previously published apps are eligible only if they include significant updates introduced specifically for this competition. A "significant update" must add major new features, substantially improve existing features, or integrate new technologies that meaningfully enhance the app’s functionality, user experience, or value.

A significant update is defined as one or more of the following:
- Addition of at least one major new feature or capability.
- Substantial improvements to existing features that result in a demonstrable change in user interaction.
- Integration of new technologies, platforms, or services that expand the app’s scope.

Examples of significant updates:
- Adding multiplayer support to a previously single-player game.
- Introducing a new mixed reality (MR) interaction mode.
- Launching a new content creation tool within the app.
- Integrating with a new social platform or payment system.

Examples of updates that do not qualify as significant:
- Bug fixes or minor UI tweaks.
- Cosmetic changes (such as a new color scheme).
- Performance optimization without new user-facing features.

What documentation is required when submitting a previously published app?

Applicants must provide a summary (1-2 paragraphs) describing the new features or capabilities added since the app’s original release. Supporting materials such as screenshots, changelogs, or demo videos are strongly encouraged.

What are the content guidelines for apps, especially concerning age ratings (e.g., 10+, 13+, 18+)?

Apps must comply with Meta Horizon Developer Content Guidelines for age ratings (10+, 13+, or 18+). Content must be appropriate for the selected age group and must not include prohibited content such as obscene, offensive, hateful, or adult-oriented material. All content must comply with Meta’s developer policies and community standards.

Can I port an existing game or experience from another platform? 

Yes, you may port an existing game or experience, provided it is your original work or you have the necessary rights to use all included assets. The app must be built for Meta Horizon OS and meet all other eligibility and technical requirements.

What are the intellectual property (IP) guidelines for particularly regarding originality and the use of third-party assets? Are we allowed to use assets from asset stores in our project?

Entries must be original to the entrant or use content that is in the public domain or provided by Meta for the contest. If using third-party tools, code, or assets, you must be authorized to use them according to their licensing terms. Entries must not infringe on any third-party rights, including copyright, trademark, or privacy rights.

How will intellectual property be handled for submitted projects?

Participants retain ownership of their intellectual property. However, by submitting, you grant Meta a limited license to use your submission for judging and promotional purposes.

What are the intellectual property (IP) guidelines for particularly regarding originality and the use of third-party assets?

Entries must be original to the entrant or use content that is in the public domain or provided by Meta for the contest. If using third-party tools, code, or assets, you must be authorized to use them according to their licensing terms. Entries must not infringe on any third-party rights, including copyright, trademark, or privacy rights.

 

Technical Requirements and Tools

Are there any technical restrictions on the number of assets, scripts, or other parameters? 

There are no explicit limits on the number of objects or scripts, but your app must meet Meta’s technical requirements and function reliably on Meta Quest devices. All apps must be packaged as APKs and uploaded to a new release channel named "Competition" in the Meta Horizon Developer Center.

Which external 3D software and asset creation tools are supported? 

You may use any external 3D software or asset creation tools, as long as the resulting assets are compatible with Unity, Unreal Engine, Meta Spatial SDK, or Immersive Web SDK. Commonly used tools include Blender, Maya, and others, provided you have the proper licenses for any third-party assets used.

For Unity, we recommend optimization tools like Meta Quest Runtime Optimizer which checks vertices counts & best practices for large meshes. See Resources for support overview.

Can I use a development engine other than Unity, Unreal, Spatial SDK, IWSDK, React Native, or Android?

Yes, you may use other development engines including Godot or custom engines. This will not impact your prize eligibility. Please note that specific awards do require specific engine use (e.g., Best Experience Built with Spatial SDK). You can review the Rules & Resources for more details.

Do we have to use only Meta SDKs, or can we use other tools like the XR Interaction Toolkit?

Part of the judging criteria is the Technical Implementation of Horizon OS Capabilities (Hand interactions, Passthrough Camera Access with AI, Multiplayer). You may use any external 3D software or asset creation tools, as long as the resulting assets are compatible with Unity, Unreal Engine, Meta Spatial SDK, or Immersive Web SDK. See Judging & Resources for more details.

 

Competition and Submission Process

When are submissions due?

Submissions are due by December 9, 2025, at 12:00 P.M. Pacific Time. The entry period opens on November 5, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time.

How are submissions judged?

The judging process for the Meta Horizon Start Developer Competition involves two main stages: first, all submitted projects are reviewed to ensure they meet the baseline requirements, including alignment with the competition theme and proper use of required tools and features.
Projects that pass this initial check are then evaluated by a panel of Meta experts according to four equally weighted criteria: innovation and creativity, experience design, technical implementation, and polish and presentation. Each criterion accounts for 25% of the total score, and the highest scoring entries in each category are selected as winners. In the event of a tie, the judges will vote to determine the winner. All judging decisions are final, and entries are assessed based on their state at the submission deadline, with no changes permitted after the entry period closes.
See Rules & Judging for more details.

Can I submit multiple entries?

Yes. An Entrant may submit more than one Entry, however, each Entry must be unique and substantially different from each of the Entrant’s other Entries, as determined by the Sponsor and Devpost in their sole discretion.

Am I eligible to win more than one prize?

No. Each submission is only eligible for one prize. If in consideration for multiple prizes, you will be awarded the highest prize value.

Can I be a member of multiple teams or organizations?

You may enter as an individual and/ or as a member of a Team and/ or as an Organization, but each individual may be a member of only one Team or Organization.

What submission information do I need to select when submitting my project?

From Rules:

Project must be submitted during the Entry Period and remain available until the Winner Announcement in one of the following ways:

  1. For apps built with Unity, Unreal, Spatial SDK or Native/Android: An APK uploaded to the Meta Horizon Developer Dashboard under a new release channel named “Competition”.
  2. For apps built with IWSDK (WebXR): A link will be required for judges to access and test your application. See "Deploying to GitHub Pages" for additional details. You may also use your preferred hosting solution (e.g., Digital Ocean, AWS, Azure, etc).
  3. All required items must be added to the Submission of the Project on Devpost which includes, but is not limited to:
    • Link to your Project in the Competition release channel (from the Meta Horizon Developer Dashboard).
    • Demonstration video of your Project that should be less than three (3) minutes and showcase footage of your Project as viewed on a Meta Quest device or via XR Simulator or another equivalent emulator. The video must be uploaded to and made publicly visible on YouTube and a link to the video must be provided on the submission form on the Competition website. Judges are not required to watch beyond three minutes.
    • A text description that explains your inspiration, how you built it, future plans for improvement and a target launch date, if not already published to the Meta Horizon Store. If your Project is an UPDATED build (as described above), Entry should include a summary description of the new features/capabilities added to the application. Screenshots, changelogs and/or demo videos are highly recommended.
    • Select the Track you are submitting your Project into: Entertainment, Lifestyle or Gaming (Casual or Social).

Is it mandatory to include a video of our project in the submission?

Yes, a video is required as part of submission. See Rules for details.

Is there a specific format or length requirement for the project video?

We recommend keeping your video concise (under 3 minutes) and clearly demonstrating your project's key features and innovations.
From Rules: The video must be uploaded to and made publicly visible on YouTube and a link to the video must be provided on the submission form on the Competition website. Judges are not required to watch beyond three minutes.

I am unable to create an invite URL for my release channel. Can I submit my app’s Meta Horizon Store link as my competition entry?

Yes, If you are unable to generate an invite URL for your release channel and your competition project is published in the Meta Horizon Store, you may submit your app’s store link as your entry. Please ensure your submission meets all other eligibility requirements outlined in the official rules. Once the entry period ends on December 9 at 12pm PST, you cannot make changes to your submission until winners are announced on or around December 23. Judging is based on the state of your project at the deadline. Ensure your entry remains available.

Other

I'm experiencing technical issues on Devpost, who should I contact?

Please reach out to Devpost support directly at support@devpost.com for assistance with technical issues related to the submission form.

What kind of support is available for participants during the competition?

Participants can access support through our official Developer Forum, workshops and dedicated office hours, with mentors which can be found here.