Stardew Valley Modfest 2026 – Terms and Conditions


1. Promoter

1.1. The Stardew Valley Modfest 2026 (“the Event”) is organised by Black Tree Gaming Ltd, trading as Nexus Mods (“the Promoter”).

Registered office: Black Tree Gaming Ltd, 33 Southernhay East, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1NX, United Kingdom.

Registered in England and Wales No. 06360077.

1.2. The Event runs on the Nexus Mods website (www.nexusmods.com)

1.3. By entering the Event, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

2. Eligibility

2.1. The Event is open to all registered Nexus Mods users who meet the site’s minimum age requirement.

2.2. By using Nexus Mods, you represent that you are aged 18 or older, or that you are aged 13 or older and have the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

2.3. Employees of the Promoter and their immediate families are not eligible to enter. Members of the judging panel may participate for fun but are not eligible to win prizes.

2.4. All submitted mods and tutorials must only include assets that entrants are legally entitled to use. Mods and tutorials must comply with any usage restrictions set by game companies or other rights holders.

2.5 All entrants must comply with the Nexus Mods Community Guidelines and conduct themselves in a respectful and appropriate manner at all times. Nexus Mods reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify or void any entry from a participant whose behaviour is deemed to be disruptive, harmful, or otherwise negatively impacting the Nexus Mods community.

3. Entry Rules

3.1. The Event opens at 00:01 GMT on 26 February 2026 and closes at 23:59 GMT on 26 March 2026.

3.2. To participate, entrants must create and publish a new mod or tutorial via a mod page or video share on Nexus Mods during the Event window and tag it with “Stardew Valley Modfest 2026”. Mods may be for Stardew Valley only.

3.3. Mods or tutorials must be newly published during the Event window. Existing mods or tutorials are not eligible unless first made public during the Event period.

3.4. Tutorials on mod pages must have a playable file included. 

3.5. Collaborative mods or tutorials are welcome. All collaborators must be listed on the mod or tutorials Nexus Mods page at the time of submission.

Each collaborator will receive individual prizes where applicable (such as badges or merchandise).



For prizes that cannot be duplicated (e.g., a single gift card), the prize will be awarded to the main uploader as listed on the Collection page. It is the responsibility of the collaborators to decide how shared prizes are managed.



3.6. Mods and tutorials must comply with Nexus Mods’ Site Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.

3.7. No porting or distribution of game assets in violation of copyright or licensing restrictions is permitted.

3.8. Mods or tutorials that include previously paywalled or restricted mods must ensure those mods are publicly downloadable from Nexus Mods.

By entering the Event, entrants agree that, if their mod or tutorial wins a prize, the Promoter may keep the winning entry publicly available on Nexus Mods for a reasonable period after the Event to preserve the integrity of the competition.

3.9. All entries must be created by humans. The use of generative AI for assets, code, or dialogue is strictly prohibited.

3.10. Data Collection Period: While the window for submitting and tagging new mods closes at 23:59 GMT on 26 March 2026, the final counts for endorsements and downloads used to determine the Grand Prize winners will be recorded 30 days after the competition ends.

4. Prizes and Recognition

4.1. All participants will receive a digital Modfest badge, which can be displayed on their Nexus Mods profile and eligible content.

4.2 Category Prizes

Each category winner will receive:

  • One digital winner’s badge
  • One custom pixel art commission created by Pau
  • A merchandise bundle, which will include:
    • The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook
    • Krobus and Friends enamel pin
    • Junimo colouring book and colouring pencils
    • Chicken mouse mat
    • Exclusive Nexus Mods merchandise (including stickers, magnets, t-shirts, and more)

4.3 Grand Prizes

The following grand prize awards will be presented:

  • Most Endorsed Mod
  • Most Downloaded Mod

The final totals for these categories will be calculated based on data pulled 30 days after the Event closing date (the "Data Cut-off"). Only endorsements and downloads accumulated by the Data Cut-off will be considered.

Each grand prize winner will receive: A PC setup prize, consisting of a gaming PC, monitor, keyboard, and mouse, with a maximum total value of £4,500 or local currency equivalent, plus the Stardew Valley and Nexus Mods merchandise bundle listed in section 4.2

Exact models and retailers may vary depending on availability and the winner’s country of residence. Where substitutions are required, items will be of equivalent specification and category.

4.3. Prizes are non-transferable. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute any prize with a reasonable equivalent if necessary.

4.4. Winners agree to participate in reasonable publicity, including appearing in Nexus Mods content such as videos or news posts. By accepting a prize, winners grant the Promoter the right to use such content for promotional purposes relating to the Event.

5. Judging and Community Recognition

5.1. Category winners will be selected by an independent judging panel made up of respected members of the Stardew Valley and modding community. Judges will assess mods and tutorials based on:

Creativity

Quality of curation

Presentation (description, structure, clarity)

Relevance to the category theme



5.2. Judges may participate for enjoyment but may not win prizes.

5.3. Core Award Categories include:

  • Best Visual Mod
  • Best Gameplay Mod
  • Best New Modder
  • Best Tutorial
  • Community Favourite

5.4. Only endorsements and unique downloads from Nexus Mods accounts created prior to the announcement of the Modfest will be counted, to prevent manipulation or fraudulent voting.

6. Announcements and Delivery

6.1. Winners will be announced in a news post on Nexus Mods after the Event closes.

6.2. Winners will also be contacted via Nexus Mods private messages.

6.3. Art commission prizes will be completed and delivered within a reasonable timeframe to allow the artist sufficient time to create the work, usually within 90 days of initial contact.

6.4. Physical prizes (merchandise) may take longer depending on location. The Promoter will make reasonable efforts to deliver physical prizes within 90 days of contact.

7. Fairness and Integrity

7.1. The Promoter reserves the right to remove entries that breach these Terms and Conditions.

7.2. The Promoter may disqualify participants who attempt to manipulate results or otherwise act unfairly.

7.3. In exceptional circumstances beyond the Promoter’s control, the Event may be amended or cancelled. Any such decision will be taken fairly and with the aim of avoiding unnecessary disappointment.

7.4. Only one prize may be awarded per entrant, regardless of the number of submissions. Entrants may submit multiple mods or tutorials but may only win one prize. If an entrant qualifies for more than one prize, the Promoter will award the higher-value prize and reallocate the other to the next eligible participant.

7.5. The Promoter reserves the right to review endorsement and download data to identify fraudulent or suspicious activity. Entries found to be benefiting from such activity may be disqualified at the Promoter’s discretion.

8. General

8.1. By participating in the Event, entrants agree to these Terms and Conditions.

8.2. These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.