Live at RDC 2026 · San Jose, CA
Uplift
Awards.
Five awards for the developers contributing to the Roblox ecosystem. Nominated by the community, voted by the community, decided live at RDC by a panel of judges from several studios.
Most award shows point the spotlight at experiences that already have it. Uplift Awards is meant to generate tailwinds for some of the under-appreciated rising stars in the Roblox developer community: scripters, artists, solo developers making amazing things, and inventive work the algorithm hasn't found yet.
Every category carries a $4,000 no-strings cash prize. We take no IP, no revenue share, no hiring rights. We just want to celebrate excellent work.
The categories
5 × $4,000Anyone with a linked Roblox account can nominate. Community votes pick the finalists; the panel picks the winners.
How it works
Four steps between now and the stage.
Link your account
Sign in with Roblox OAuth. We read your username and avatar, nothing else. One account, one ballot. Accounts must be at least three months old and in good standing.
Nominate
September 4-11. A nomination is a username and 280 characters on why they deserve it. Self-nominations are welcome. If you're proud of the work, say so.
Vote
September 10-11. Vote for any nominee, and change your mind until midnight PT on the 11th. Votes aren't binding. They highlight candidates for the judging panel.
Decided at RDC
The morning after voting closes, judges from four studios review every nominee with the community's votes as signal. Winners announced September 12 at RDC. $4,000 each, paid directly.
Your ballot
Nominations and votes live here once your Roblox account is linked.
Link your Roblox account to open your ballot. Linking takes about ten seconds and only shares your username and avatar.
Link Roblox accountNominations are closed for this year. Winners are announced September 12.
Voting opens September 10.
The panel
Four studios with one vote each, plus guest judges from the community. Nominees come from the community; the panel can't add names.
Any studio with a conflict of interest in a category (a current teammate, a contractor, acquisition talks) recuses from that category. Community votes are advisory by design: they highlight candidates for the panel, and the panel owns the call.
Dates
All deadlines 11:59 PM Pacific.
Questions
The short version of the rules. Full rules published when nominations open.
Do I need to be at RDC to win?
No. Winners don't need to attend. We announce September 12 at RDC and right here, and we contact every winner directly. If you're around, come by the booth; the crowd's better than the feed.
Can I nominate myself?
Yes, in every category. The judges care about the work, not who put it forward. The people this event exists for are often the last to be nominated by anyone else.
Who can't win?
Employees of Uplift Games and the judging studios. Beyond that, these awards exist for developers who haven't been celebrated yet: household names and already-famous creators are outside the spirit of the thing, and moderation may decline those nominations. If they already headline conference talks, they don't need this.
How is "under 10 million visits" measured?
Lifetime visits, the public number on the experience page. Visits count play sessions rather than unique players, so the audience is smaller than the number sounds. Eligibility is checked at the time of nomination: we record the visit count when a nominee is screened onto the ballot, so attention from the nomination itself can't disqualify anyone afterward.
How exactly are winners picked?
Community nominations build the pool, right up until the event. Community votes highlight candidates for the panel, but they are not a runoff. The judges read every nomination, weigh the vote, and judge the work itself. Vote totals are never shown publicly. Winners are decided the morning of September 12 and announced that day.
What are the strings on the $4,000?
There are none. It's cash, paid directly to the winner. We claim no IP, no revenue share, no right to hire you (though our jobs page is very much open). Winners under 18 are paid through a parent or guardian.
Is this an official Roblox event?
No. Uplift Awards is hosted independently by Uplift Games and held during RDC 2026. This event is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Roblox Corporation.