Sky’s the Limit: The Cloud9 × JetBrains Global Hackathon Is Live

Roman Prokashev

Last month, we announced that JetBrains is now the Official AI-Powered Coding Partner of Cloud9. The response from the community has been incredible, and today, we’re taking the next step in that journey.

We’re excited to launch Sky’s the Limit, a global hackathon designed for developers, esports fans, analysts, and creators who want to push competitive gaming forward. Whether you’re fascinated by data-driven coaching, obsessed with the pick/ban phase, or love building interactive fan experiences, this is your chance to make something game-changing.

And yes, the prizes are epic!

Your mission: build the future of esports

Choose from four categories inspired directly by real workflows to support Cloud9’s teams using official esports data from GRID for League of Legends and VALORANT. These are meaningful, high-impact challenges that players and coaches face daily.

Category 1: Comprehensive assistant coach

Build an assistant coach that merges micro-level player analytics with macro-level strategic review. Inspired by the analytical approach popularized in Moneyball, this near-real-time application works with historical match data to provide a holistic performance picture. Your tool might detect recurring individual mistakes, quantify their impact on team-level strategy, and convert those insights into clear, actionable recommendations for players and coaching staff.

Category 2: Automated scouting report generator

Create an application that automatically scours recent official esport GRID match data to generate concise and informative scouting reports for upcoming opponents. Your system could highlight strategic tendencies, preferred playstyles, default site setups in VALORANT, or frequently played comps in VALORANT or League of Legends. The goal is to help teams prepare smarter, faster, and with more confidence.

Category 3: AI drafting assistant or draft predictor (LoL)

Develop a tool that analyzes a wide range of historical information such as champion pools, comp synergies, win rates, patch trends, and recent match histories to generate optimized pick/ban recommendations. Your solution should support coaches during the draft phase with intelligent guidance tailored to specific opponents and scenarios, making drafting more strategic and data-driven.

Category 4: Event minigame

Design a fun and engaging minigame that fans can play at Cloud9 or JetBrains booths during LCS or VCT events. This is your chance to build something playful, fast, and memorable. The winning project may even be showcased at a future Cloud9 event activation.

In addition to the main prizes, the hackathon also features three bonus categories: Best Video Submission, Most Valuable JetBrains Software or Junie Feedback, and Best Written Blog Post.

Prizes

Main Category Winners

• USD 4,000–6,000
• USD 100 Cloud9 Store gift card
• A one-year JetBrains All Products Pack subscription
• GDC event ticket
• All-expenses-paid trip to GDC (flight + hotel)

Bonus Category Winners

• USD 1,000
• USD 100 Cloud9 Store gift card
• A one-year JetBrains All Products Pack subscription

For the full details on eligibility, prize structures, and judging, be sure to review the official rules. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges from Cloud9 and JetBrains.

Important Dates

Registration and Submission:
Registration opens December 9, 2025 (11:00 am PST) and the submission deadline is February 3, 2026 (11:00 am PST).

Judging Period:
February 10, 2026 to February 24, 2026

Winners Announced:
On or around March 9, 2026

Why This Hackathon Matters

Esports is evolving quickly, and the tools used behind the scenes have a real impact on team performance, player improvement, and fan engagement. We want developers around the world to push technical creativity even further and encourage them to use JetBrains IDEs and our AI coding agent Junie along the way

We can’t wait to see what you build! Some of the most innovative ideas in esports analytics and the fan experience come from passionate, curious coders like you. This hackathon is your launchpad. Sky’s the Limit.

Ready to Join?

All details, rules, and the submission form are available here.

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