In 2026, the Wuthering Waves fan creation event from early 2024 reads like a vintage poster found in a very stylish attic: loud, generous, slightly chaotic, and absolutely not a live invitation. The average player might squint at the dates and ask whether the internet has simply refused to archive anything properly. It ran from February 19 to March 19, 2024, Pacific Time, with the reward calculation date also set for March 19, 2024. That was two years ago. The event is history, not a to-do list. Still, it remains a fascinating snapshot of how Kuro Games tried to turn fan enthusiasm into art, videos, cash prizes, and official merchandise all at once.
The structure was simple enough for a tired Wanderer to understand after one cup of coffee. Entries came in three flavors: long-form video, short-form video, and artwork. The art crowd got judges. The video crowd got views and likes. Everyone got rules, deadlines, and the distinct feeling that someone in the legal department had enjoyed writing the phrase 'final interpretation.'
| Track | Main Platforms | How Winners Were Chosen |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork | X/Twitter and Instagram | Official event judges at Kuro Games |
| Long-form video | YouTube | Total views by the end of the event period |
| Short-form video | YouTube Shorts and TikTok | Likes by the end of the event period |
The Art Track: Judges, Tags, and One Prize Per Human
The artwork rules had a charmingly bureaucratic rhythm. Participants had to follow the official X/Twitter or Instagram account, post original Wuthering Waves fan art with the required Wuthering Waves and Fan Creation tags, and then submit the artwork file through the official submission route before the event ended. Posting alone was not enough. Submitting alone was not enough. The event wanted both the public post and the official file, which is a bit like asking a chef to both plate the dish and hand over the recipe.
Multiple entries were allowed. Multiple prizes were not. Only one prize could be won per participant, which prevented one terrifyingly productive artist from sweeping the entire table. The prizes were straightforward: one first prize of 500 USD, two second prizes of 200 USD, five third prizes of 100 USD, and ten excellence prizes of official merchandise. Winners on X/Twitter and Instagram were awarded separately, meaning the social platforms had their own little prize ecosystems. Original fan art related to Wuthering Waves was the content requirement, and the judges at Kuro Games had the final say. Very official. Very dramatic. Very much a reminder that fan art contests are part talent show and part paperwork festival.
The Video Track: Views, Likes, and the 61-Second Gate
The video side was where the event showed its chaotic streak. Participants followed the official YouTube or TikTok channel, posted their own Wuthering Waves videos with the required tags, and submitted the multimedia file or video through the official route before the deadline. Long-form videos on YouTube had to be 61 seconds or longer. YouTube Shorts and TikTok videos had no duration requirement. That single second above one minute was the gatekeeper, and it probably caused more editing timeline zooming than any boss fight.
The content menu was delightfully broad: game reviews, beta information, MMDs, walkthrough guides, music, and anything else related to Wuthering Waves. Casual or hardcore, action-packed or emotional, the event invited creators to present the game in whatever shape they liked. The prize logic, however, was less about artistic judgment and more about crowd metrics. Long-form YouTube winners were tied to total views by the end of the event period. Short-form winners on YouTube Shorts and TikTok were tied to likes. Winners for YouTube and TikTok were awarded separately. The rules text promised cash rewards to the top videos, with prize tiers that looked suspiciously generous for something labeled 'top three.' One first prize of 500 USD, three second prizes of 200 USD, and five third prizes of 50 USD appeared in both the long-form and short-form categories. The math was not the point. The spectacle was.
Prize Table With Suspiciously Many Winners
| Category | First Prize | Second Prize | Third Prize | Excellence Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork | 1 winner, 500 USD | 2 winners, 200 USD each | 5 winners, 100 USD each | 10 winners, official merchandise |
| Long-form video | 1 winner, 500 USD | 3 winners, 200 USD each | 5 winners, 50 USD each | None listed |
| Short-form video | 1 winner, 500 USD | 3 winners, 200 USD each | 5 winners, 50 USD each | None listed |
What 2026 Readers Should Take Away
By 2026, this event is best understood as a time capsule. It shows a community being invited to make things, post things, tag things, submit things, and then wait for judges or algorithms to decide their fate. The art track rewarded craft and official review. The video track rewarded reach and engagement. The merchandise prizes added a physical trophy for the most dedicated fans. The rules reserved final interpretation to Kuro Games, as rules do when they want to keep the last word.
Anyone reading in 2026 should not mistake this retrospective for a current call to action. The 2024 window is closed. The reward calculation date has long passed. The official submission route from that period is not a magical portal for late entries. The modern lesson is simpler: fan creation events are part celebration, part marketing, and part endurance test for anyone who enjoys reading fine print. The average player can admire the ambition, laugh at the bureaucracy, and remember that the best fan work usually survives long after the prize table is folded away. 🎨🎬💸