Congratulations to Discord player @denmarkus, whose design "Pop-up Panic!" won the Excellence Award, earning $1500 cash + an exclusive custom gift!
Also big congrats to the following players for winning the Honorable Mention, each receiving $150 cash + an exclusive custom gift:

Discord player @sajjaad — "Otta's Whitewotta Rapids"
Discord player @jaywren — "Tomb of the Gods"
Discord player @fritzjenkins — "Nemo's Ark"
Discord player @kutakiarimeka — "Back to the Chaos"
HEYBOX player @是拾贰 — "高温沙漠 (Blazing Desert)"
Xiaohongshu player @小塔 — "俄罗斯方块 (Tetris)"
_{Listed in no particular order}

A huge thank-you to everyone who took part! We were blown away by your creativity, passion, and unique ideas in every single submission (judging was seriously tough!). Although the winning maps may not eventually make it into the game due to production and scheduling limits, we'll always keep working hard to bring you even more fun and exciting content!

You can check out the details of the winning entries below.

Excellence Award - "Pop-Up Panic!"

Creator: @denmarkus

🪶 Setting: 📚
Set inside a writers study on a Fantasy Book! The map consists of 3 mini pop-up pages set in differing fantasy settings (Castle Courtyard, Acidic Aztec and Lava Lair)

🗺️ Map Mechanics: 🗺️
Page Transition: After a page has completed, it begins to flip! Look closely at the shadows, and walk to where the holes will land. Otherwise you'll get squished! D:

The Map has three hazards on each page, with each getting more deadly the further the round goes on!
From Water, to Gas, To eventually Lava, the map gets smaller and the danger higher!

⚠️ Shrinking Circle Mechanic: ⚠️
After the Fourth page, instead of turning into a new page, the pages just keep turning! They increase in speed until its impossible to move to a safe spot in time!

🎮 Short Flow of Gameplay: 🎮
Players will have to both watch their step, as the pages are quite cramped. But also keep a close eye when the pages are about to fall! The quick changes of layout and hazards will make the players have to think extra fast!

Link to Original Post: Pop-Up Panic!

Honorable Mention - "Otta's Whitewotta Rapids"

Creator: @sajjaad
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This idea is inspired by theme park water rides where you have to throw each other off the ride all while being tossed around by the rapids and blasted by water cannons. And watch out for the waterfalls! The only thing that will keep you from washing away are the seats on board, but the seats will take damage from the waterfalls and come loose over time until there's only one seat left; sort of like musical chairs!

OTTA'S WHITEWOTTA RAPIDS
KEEP YOUR HANDS AND FEET IN THE RIDE AT ALL TIMES

⚠️ HAZARDS: ⚠️
WATER CANNON
Water cannons will try to blast you! They have strong knockback and can even knock you out! Keeping to the center of the raft is safest

WATERFALLS
Waterfalls wipe you out completely! When you see one approaching, return to your seat and buckle up! Chairs will break loose after taking damage from the waterfall.

GENERAL FLOW:
Players spawn in a raft the size of Ring of Garfat with 12 seats on the edges of it. Teams attempt to throw opponents off the side of the raft as it travels along an endless path, bumping side to side and rotating the entire time.
There are water cannons on the side of the path that attempt to shoot at players. They work similarly to the crossbow item; heavy knockback and can even knock players out if hit for long enough. For this reason, its safest to keep towards the center of the raft.
After a while, a waterfall will appear in the distance, and the audio cue of the approaching waterfall will let players know to return to a seat and buckle in. Waterfalls wash players who aren't buckled off the raft and eliminate them from the round. Once the waterfall passes, players can return to fighting in the center, and this repeats until one team is left standing.

“SHRINKING-CIRCLE” MECHANIC:
After the raft passes through the waterfall, chairs will take damage and come loose over time. This creates a musical chairs-like mechanic where players will have to fight over remaining seats until only one seat remains.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Players can influence the drift and rotation of the raft through fighting and using throwable items!
Loose chairs can knock players out!

Link to Original Post: Otta's Whitewotta Rapids

Honorable Mention - "Tomb of the Gods"

Creator: @jaywren
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Inspiration
Inspired by ancient Egyptian architecture, its tombs and mythology. Takes place underneath a pyramid where the animals raid a tomb for its riches while trying to avoid its dangers.

Shrinking Circle Mechanics
The shrinking-circle mechanic of this map is rising quick sand in a pit surrounding the stage platform. At the start of the round the quick sand is shallow and easy to escape but as the round progresses the sand becomes deeper and harder to move around in slowly draining your stamina as you move through it. If your stamina reaches zero you’ll fully be engulfed by the sand and eliminated. Not only that the sand fills the pit over time but will eventually cover the entire stage so you would have to use the center statue Anubis when it’s not activated anymore to climb to safety or fallen pillars, debris, or the toppled over bigger statues.

Special Mechanics
On the two minute mark the Anubis Nemo statue rises from the center of the stage platform and activates to judge players with good karma or bad karma. It only locks on to one player at a time only moving its head to follow their every move. While it’s judges a player the scale that it holds in its left hand will shift down either left or right depending on the players karma levels. There is a red flame and a blue flame. The blue flame represents "Good Karma" while the red flame represents "Bad Karma".

Good karma is earned when the player doesn’t hit another player, doesn’t grab treasures such as gems, gold bars, small ankhs, vases, or grab the Anubis statue itself while it’s judging them. Bad karma is when the player hits another player, touches the treasures, or grabs onto the Anubis statue while it’s judging them.

The judging cycle only lasts 5 seconds and resets with a cool down of 8 seconds. If the player in the time that they are judged has good karma they will receive a buff of either spinach strength, speed for 8 seconds, invisibility for 8 seconds, or a random weapon is granted. If the player has bad karma they will receive a debuff for weaker punches, slower speed for running, slower speed for climbing, or blurred vision. Those debufs will also last 8 seconds. A random piece of debris will also fall on them too if they have bad karma.

Player Elimination
The possible ways players can be eliminated on this map is drowning in deep quick sand, burning for a long time in a brazier, falling into hole that Anubis Nemo rises from, getting smashed by a pillar or big statue, or getting bonked too many times on the head by falling debris as the map is also falling apart over time during the match.

Player Spawn Points
The players spawn on the sides of the stage platform on the center of the map surrounding the place where Anubis will appear. Hopefully the map concepts I did explain it better than I did here 😅

Weapons & Spawn Points
All of the weapon types can spawn on the map with additionally added vase stage props. These vases have a limited amount of uses and gems 💎 such as, diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. Bars of gold and small ankhs and be grabbed and thrown as well. Potions and spinach do not spawn on this map but are gifted as small buffs for good karma by Anubis Nemo.

Gameplay Flow
The general flow of gameplay would be slow in the beginning with the threat of the quick sand and falling debris being low but as time progresses the threat becomes higher and deadlier . How I would expect players to behave on this map is with caution with their surroundings, managing their stamina in case they get thrown in the sand pit and being careful around Anubis’s judgment for a minute.

Additional Notes
Additional notes and explanations would be that players can use fallen debris, pillars and statues stuck in the sand pit to get back on to the stage. If they choose to stay in the sand pit for a certain amount of time they will be at risk of debris falling on them or what ever they are standing in will sink into the sand so they will need to act quickly if they don’t want to be eliminated.

When Anubis is targeting a player, said player will have a faint colored glow to make it easier to see who they are targeting. Players that are not targeted by Anubis will be able to freely fight and pick up treasures but cannot grab the statue while it’s active as they will be punished as well. If a spectator from a random team were to throw a bomb while the statue is active and it explodes on the statue or destroys a treasure prop, the spectator will receive a penalty of not being able to throw anything for 5 seconds. When the last minute mark of the match starts, Anubis will deactivate and players will be free to grab and climb on the statue.

The bigger statues like Apis Valiente and Ra Moonmoon have giant pots that pour out sand continuously along with sand leaking from the ceiling and walls of the map.

Egyptian god themed skins for Coco, Nemo, Valiente, Levi, and Moonmoon that match their statue counterparts would be perfect for this map. Shout out to @ragnarocknstone for Moonmoon being Ra as an idea 🙂

This map would be a mix of Typhoon and Ring of Garfat, with inspiration from Typhoon’s rising water and climbing to a higher point and Garfat’s falling rocks.

Link to Original Post:
Tomb of the Gods - 1
Tomb of the Gods - 2

Honorable Mention - "Nemo's Ark"

Creator: @fritzjenkins
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Nemo's Ark
Made this design with my little brother out of clay, paint and paper!
Read section 6 to understand the complete gameplay loop.

1. "Shrinking-Circle" Mechanic
Players will fight on the deck of the ark as the boat dips up and down waves which grow increasingly larger as the game continues. Every 30 seconds a larger rouge wave comes and sweeps anyone on deck not holding onto a crate or barrel, into the sea. These crates get slowly washed overboard over time until all of them are gone, leaving nothing to hold onto when the wave comes.

2. Special Mechanics
Fish will launch out of the waves and flop around the deck knocking out players.
There could also be rare lightning strikes which cause fire on deck.

3. Player Elimination
Players can be washed off deck by a rouge wave if not holding onto a crate, (similar to Gator Valley waves) or simply fall or get thrown off and left behind in the sea.
While rocking, the ships movement causes the crates to slide back and fourth along the deck, pushing players around or off the deck.

4. Player Spawn Points
In the 2 teams of 4 variant of last stand, one team spawns on the front bow and the other on the back.
In a classic 4 teams of 2 game, a duo spawns front, back and the left and right sides of the ship.

5. Weapons & Spawn Points
All weapons are supported, spawning in any of the 4 spawn locations as mentioned above.
(Idea for a new weapon: plunger shooting bazooka with a rope like a grappling gun)

6. Gameplay Flow
Players spawn, and begin fighting as the ark bobs up and down swells which rock the deck (similar to the plane in the Broken Arrow map).
You must avoid crates and barrels sliding around the deck while trying to toss other players into the sea which will wash them away out of bounds if they don't climb back up, (similar to the submarine map).
This goes on for about 30 seconds. During this time, players may need to avoid schools of fish which launch onto the deck, flopping around and knocking players out until flopping back into the sea.

Suddenly, the lobby is notified that a big rouge wave is about to sweep the deck by a loud creaking noise and the sound of water hitting the haul as the ship tips upward. Players grab onto crates and barrels scattered about the deck as the crest of the wave washes across the entire surface of deck, knocking anyone not holding onto an object, off into the sea.
The Ark will rotate very slowly in circles, making the rouge wave hit the deck and wash players off from a different angle each time.

Anyone in the water or climbing the side of the ship will be washed away and eliminated by the rouge wave.
This cycle continues as the waves get larger, pushing more and more crates off the boat, as well as taking more stamina to hold on.

7. Additional Notes
The maps theme is stormy, with rain and lightning, (if you ever sailed through a storm in sea of thieves, you'll get the idea).
Players can avoid some of the waves strength by hiding behind the cabin in the center, however, you cannot hold onto the cabin itself to stay on. This tactic only works for the first few waves.
Players can move crates and barrel around the deck, but cannot throw them off.
There could be windows in the ark with animal faces peeking out.

Link to Original Post: Nemo's Ark

Honorable Mention - "Back to the Chaos"

Creator: @kutakiarimeka
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🔥 Back to the chaos

A short summary of the map
Back to the Chaos is battle arena set on a giant wall clock floating in the void. With changing speed zones, deadly rotating clock hands, and the game-changing Second Chance Bomb, players will have to adapt every second to survive.

Special game mechanics
The entire match unfolds on the face of a giant wall clock divided into four distinct zones:

Two Normal Zones – standard movement and attack speed.
Green Fast Zone – movement, attack speed, and reaction times are greatly increased; perfect for aggressive plays, but knockbacks are harder to control.
Purple Slow Zone – movement and attack animations are slowed; however, hits carry more force and can send opponents flying.

The hands of the clock - constantly rotate around the map. At first, they move slowly, but they gradually speed up during the match. At high speeds, they become destructive obstacles that can stun players or throw them off the clock entirely.
Destructible Railings - like on Beat Up Bridge, players can destroy certain sections to create dangerous openings to the darkness.

How players can be eliminated

The Darkness – the space beyond the clock’s edge; players who fall into it float briefly before rapidly aging and dying.
Accelerating Clock Hands – starting as safe platforms, but gradually turn into merciless obstacles.

Unique Map Item – Second Chance Bomb
The Second Chance Bomb is a throwable item that can be used by dead players in spectator mode or spawned directly on the map.
After detonation, all surviving players are sent back in time by 3 seconds, returning them to their exact positions before the explosion.
It can save players from elimination, cancel a fall, or reverse an opponent's advantage.
It does not resurrect eliminated players, but it can immediately change the course of the match.

Weapons and items
invisible potion, spinach, lollipop, pan, taser, freeze gun, nunchucks,
bat, second chance bomb (exclusive to this map)

Flow of gameplay
At the start of the match, the clock hands move slowly, giving players the option to walk across them or ride them for positioning. Over time, their speed increases, forcing players to dodge, jump, or risk a devastating knockout.
The fast and slow time zones create unpredictable engagements, forcing fighters to constantly adjust their tactics. Destructible railings open up more hazards, and the appearance of a Second Chance Bomb can instantly change the outcome of a fight.
In Back to the Chaos, every second counts… and sometimes, you get to steal a few back.

Link to Original Post: Back to the Chaos

Honorable Mention - "Blazing Desert"

Creator: @是拾贰

A blazing desert. At the starting phase, clouds block the sunlight, allowing normal fighting for a while. Once the clouds disappear, the intense heat causes exposed animals to gradually overheat and eventually start burning. The map contains walls, cacti, and water pools that provide shade or protection from the heat. Staying outside in direct sunlight for too long before clouds return will cause continuous burn damage. Perhaps the sun could also move over time, so shadows grow, shrink, and shift according to its position.

During the mid-phase of the match, structures that provide shade will shrink, walls collapse, water pools evaporate, and cacti wilt—reducing safe areas. Maybe potion-type items can also be added to the map to potentially mitigate heat effects. In the final phase, all shade-providing structures collapse and become ineffective, and clouds gradually stop blocking the sun, leaving the entire ground fully exposed to sunlight (shrinking zone mechanic).
Summary: Blizzard 2.0

Link to Original Post: 高温沙漠

Honorable Mention - "Tetris"

Creator: @小塔
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Inspiration
Tetris & color-matching games

Shrinking Circle Mechanic
The map shrinks as "blocks" disappear. Blocks of the same color that touch each other will vanish together.

Special Mechanics
Blue blocks are made of ice and have low friction.
Orange blocks are made of burning charcoal, and players standing on them will catch fire.

Player Elimination
Falling to death
Crushed by moving blocks
Burned by charcoal blocks

Player Spawn Points
Spawned along the four sides of the terrain, 2-4 per side

Weapons & Spawn Points
All weapons are supported, and they spawn on remaining blocks

Gameplay Flow
At the start, the base terrain stays flat for a while. After some time (inspired by Ichiban), blocks float in from four directions. Blocks of the same color will disappear together upon collision, while blocks of different colors will merge as new parts of the terrain. All blocks are climbable.
Ending 1: Only charcoal blocks remain, and players fight on them until the last one stands.
Ending 2: All blocks vanish, and all players fall.
Players are encouraged to use the ice and burning charcoal mechanics to defeat opponents or escape pursuits.

Additional Notes
Besides the color-matching style shrink idea, the map can also mimic Tetris where a row or column gets fully stacked and then disappears.
For colorblind-friendly design, symbols are added on blocks for identification. Ice vs charcoal blocks can also be distinguished by material.

Link to Original Post: 俄罗斯方块