Backpack Bonanza: My 2026 Look Back at PUBG’s 2022 Fan Art Contest Finalists

I’ll be honest: I’ve covered a lot of in-game contests since 2026, but the 2022 Fan Art Contest: LOOT still hits different. Back in late 2022, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS asked players to reimagine the Level 2 Backpack. I wasn’t on the judging panel, but I voted, and I remember the five finalist designs like it was yesterday. The theme was simple but brilliant: take one of the most popular pieces of equipment in the game and let the community turn it into a skin. Submissions poured in from around the globe. Picking the top five was no walk in the park. Every design had standout qualities, and I can only imagine the headaches the judges had.

Without further ado, here’s my 2026 look back at the finalists, the voting process, and why this contest still matters.

🎒 The Stakes and the Timeline

Those dates are history now, but the structure was smart. The public voted for one of five designs, and the design with the highest votes would be created and released as an in-game skin. That’s not just a contest—that’s a direct line from fan art to actual loot. Voting also earned players a Spray reward, which was a nice little carrot to get folks involved. I know I jumped on the bandwagon for that alone.

🎨 The Five Finalists

Here are the five designs that made the cut. I’ve included the images exactly as they were shown during the contest.

1. Design by CrazyNight-**Z

1. Design by Lost_Vod_**

1. Design by GipsyG**g

1. Design by DUZZ**G

1. Design by Maps_**e

I remember staring at these five and thinking, “Man, this is going to be a tough vote.” Each one had its own flavor. Some felt tactical, some felt playful, and all of them looked like they belonged on the Battlegrounds. The winner was decided by public vote, which meant the community had real skin in the game—literally.

📜 The Fine Print

The contest wasn’t just about cool art. There were rules, and they were strict. All participants of the 2022 Fan Art Contest: LOOT had to comply with the Terms and Conditions and Official Rules shared in prior notices. The winner would receive 10,000 USD, but they were responsible for paying applicable taxes and charges.

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Team also collected winners’ personal information—name, phone number, account information, a copy of identification card, and more—to send the reward and handle taxes and public charges. Winners had to consent to the collection and usage of their personal information. If they didn’t agree, they could decline the reward, but then the prize would go to the next eligible entrant based on the judging criteria.

Winners could be deemed ineligible for several reasons:

• A. Contact information was entered falsely.

• B. Taxes and public charges were not deposited by the notified period.

• C. The winner did not meet the game’s age-rating requirement.

• D. The recipient of the actual prize did not match the winner’s name.

• E. Required documents or relevant tax payments were not submitted by the notified period.

• F. The winner did not accept or reject the prize within the allotted time.

That’s a lot of red tape, but it makes sense. A 10,000 USD prize is no piece of cake, and the team had to protect themselves. The prize would be given after the champion was announced, once the Fan Art Contest: LOOT was over.

🚀 Why It Still Matters in 2026

Fast forward to 2026, and the gaming world is packed with community contests, creator collaborations, and fan-made cosmetics. Yet this 2022 contest still stands out to me. It wasn’t just a popularity contest; it was a pipeline. Fans submitted art, the public voted, and one design became an actual in-game skin. The winner got a serious cash prize, and voters got a Spray. That’s a win-win in my book.

It also reminds me that community engagement is not rocket science. Give players a clear theme, a fair voting process, a meaningful reward, and a chance to see their work in the game. Boom—you’ve got lightning in a bottle. I’ve seen plenty of contests since, but this one had that special sauce. It made the Level 2 Backpack feel personal. Every time I equipped one in-game, I thought about those five designs and the vote.

So, if you’re a player in 2026 and you’ve got a sketchbook full of ideas, don’t sleep on fan art contests. Your design could be the next one to make the jump from paper to Battlegrounds. And who knows? Maybe a future contest will make this 2022 event look like a warm-up. Until then, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for another backpack bonanza.

Thank you, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Team, for a contest that still has me reminiscing.