The 2026 Global Skin Design Contest is officially underway, with Moonton Games inviting artists, illustrators, and creators from around the world to design the next standout skin for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
Built around the theme “Era of Awakening – The Clash of Two Destinies”, this year’s competition gives creators the opportunity to showcase original hero skin concepts on one of mobile gaming’s biggest global platforms.
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Beyond the spotlight, the contest also comes with a total prize pool of US$49,000 and the possibility of remote employment opportunities with Moonton Games’ global creative team.
2026 Global Skin Design Contest schedule
Submissions for the 2026 Global Skin Design Contest are now open and runs until Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Artists interested in participating can find the full contest rules and submission requirements on Moonton Games’ official contest website.
| 2026 GLOBAL SKIN DESIGN CONTEST PHASES | DATES |
| Contest Launch | May 17 |
| Submission Deadline | June 21 |
| Entry Review | June 22-July 3 |
| Results Announcement | July |
Moonton Games added that artists whose concepts closely align with MLBB’s overall visual style may also be offered remote employment opportunities to collaborate with the company’s global team on future hero skins.
2026 Global Skin Design Contest prize pool
| 2026 GLOBAL SKIN DESIGN CONTEST AWARDS | NO. OF WINNERS | PRIZES (USD) |
| 1st place | 1 | $10,000 |
| 2nd place | 2 | $7,000 |
| 3rd place | 5 | $3,000 |
| Honorable Mention | 10 | $1,000 |
2026 Global Skin Design Contest theme: Era of Awakening – The Clash of Two Destinies
Once united as a single world, reality was shattered by a catastrophic upheaval that split existence into two separate dimensions, each giving rise to its own civilization.
The first is the Awakened Civilisation — a technologically advanced society where powerful beings known as the Awakened can manipulate and rewrite the very code of reality.
Within this world, strength determines status, creating a harsh hierarchy where lower-tier individuals revere the elite almost like gods.
The second is the Immortal Bloodline Civilisation, a realm where death no longer exists. Neither magic nor blades can end a life, and immortality has become a burden rather than a blessing.
According to legend, only an ancient bloodline holds the ability to grant “true death”, making salvation — not eternal life — the civilisation’s ultimate pursuit.
As the two worlds collide through a rift in time and space, participants are invited to choose one of the two themes and create an original MLBB hero skin series inspired by it.
Selected heroes for 2026 Global Skin Design Contest
Contestants must select one hero from each of the game’s five lanes to complete their series.
| GOLD LANE | EXP LANE | MID LANE | JUNGLE | ROAM |
| Natan | Bane | Eudora | Joy | Franco |
| Hanabi | Uranus | Kimmy | Sun | Hilda |
| Claude | Jawhead | Odette | Harley | Estes |
| Beatrix | Terizla | Yve | Balmond | Mathilda |
| Clint | Alice | Valentina | Aulus | Atlas |
2026 Global Skin Design Contest submission guidelines
- Choose Your Theme
Participants may only select one theme and must create a complete hero skin series based on that chosen civilization. - Create a Full Skin Series
Each submission must include hero skin designs covering all five MLBB lanes, resulting in a complete themed lineup. - Prepare Submission Materials.
Entries must contain:
-One group showcase image featuring all five completed character designs
-Design development materials for each character, including sketches, line art, or rendering progress shots.
-A short written explanation outlining the creative vision and concept behind the skin series. - Follow MLBB Design Guidelines
All designs should remain faithful to the selected MLBB hero’s original silhouette, personality, and overall visual identity while incorporating the chosen theme. - Meet Image Quality Standards
Character design files must be created at a minimum resolution of 300dpi, with widths of at least 8000px. - Submit in the Required File Formats
All entries must be submitted in both PNG and PSD formats, with each individual file kept under 50MB.
Read the full participation guidelines here.
2026 Global Skin Design Contest judges
- Ma Hui, Senior Concept Designer for MLBB
- Wenjun Lin, MLBB Chief Artist and acclaimed computer graphics artist
- Adrian Smith, internationally recognized concept artist
- Ben Zhang, Principal Concept Artist for Overwatch
The judging panel for the 2026 Global Skin Design Contest includes several high-profile names from the global game art and concept design scene.
Among them is Wenjun Lin, MLBB Chief Artist and an acclaimed CG artist, alongside internationally recognized concept artist Adrian Smith, whose portfolio includes major franchises such as Warhammer 40,000 and Magic: The Gathering.
Also joining the panel is Ben Zhang, known for his work on Overwatch, as well as contributions to Hearthstone and Diablo.
Their involvement highlights Moonton’s ambition for the 2026 Global Skin Design Contest to go beyond a traditional fan competition. Instead, the publisher is framing the initiative as a global creative exchange where artists from different cultural backgrounds and artistic styles can explore the future of hero skin design together.
More than just a community event, the 2026 Global Skin Design Contest reflects how Moonton continues to position creativity at the center of the MLBB ecosystem. The publisher says the initiative is part of its broader effort to nurture emerging artistic talent while expanding the visual identity and storytelling possibilities of the MLBB universe.
The competition also serves as a direct pathway for creators hoping to break into the games industry. According to Moonton, artists whose work closely aligns with MLBB’s artistic direction may be considered for remote employment opportunities and future collaborations on official hero skins.
“We hope that through hosting competitions, offering prize incentives, and establishing an employment channel, we can help creators reach international platforms like MLBB and showcase their original concepts to the world,” said Ma Hui, Senior Concept Designer for MLBB and one of the contest judges.
Moonton continues investing in MLBB’s creative direction
The launch of the 2026 Global Skin Design Contest also arrives as Moonton continues expanding its investment across multiple creative disciplines tied to MLBB.
From hero and world design to music production, esports presentation, and community-driven content, the company has increasingly pushed creative development as a core part of the MLBB brand experience.
That direction was recently recognized at the 2026 NYX Game Awards, where Moontunes Studios, Moonton Games’ in-house music and audio production team, secured two Grand Winner titles for Mobile Game – Best Music and Mobile Game – Best Audio Design for MLBB.
“We look forward to seeing the collision and integration of different cultural backgrounds and art styles, and also hope that more outstanding creators can use the MLBB stage to showcase their works to global players,” said Wenjun Lin, MLBB Chief Artist and contest judge.
