$1M+ USD PAID TO TEEN DEVELOPERS FOR USER-GENERATED CONTENT IN MOBILE SIMULATION GAME ‘MELON SANDBOX.’

Top earners received nearly $80,000 in the physics-based sandbox game for creating mod content and custom experiences.

Mobile game publisher PlayDucky is starting 2026 by celebrating its massive 2025 achievements. The publisher paid over $1,000,000 USD to creators last year for producing mod content in their free mobile game, Melon Sandbox. The game is available to play on iOS, Android, and browser, and significant content updates will be announced in the coming months.

Create, Interact, And Earn Money

With over 150,000,000 downloads across the App Store and Google Play, Melon Sandbox has amassed a global fanbase since its launch in 2022. The ragdoll physics game features a robust creator economy, where players can produce UGC (user-generated content) to create custom experiences using Melon Sandbox’s pre-existing features. Most of the game’s highest-earning players are under 20 years old, with some earning as much as $80,000 from their user-generated mods. Today, the platform hosts over 42,000 creators and more than 85,000 original works. This data establishes Melon Sandbox as one of the most significant UGC cash-out systems in mobile gaming.

Encouraging Creativity Through Coding

UGC content drives a substantial share of Melon Sandbox’s engagement. The team reviews hundreds of thousands of user-generated mods every month and provides frequent engine improvements and upgraded creator tools for a smoother experience. This effort, in turn, encourages innovation among its players and provides a passive income opportunity for young people. One of the game’s top creators, Max_1, expresses “shock” that his hobby has paid off.

“I was making good mods even before Workshop and cash payouts were officially introduced. Then they added the option to cash out Mels into real dollars… and my first payout was around $3,000,” recalls Max. “Since then, everything changed. I bought a powerful PC, built up real savings, got my driver’s license, and already bought a car. Honestly, I still can’t believe I make money from this.”

According to PlayDucky’s founder, Ivan Fedyanin, the secret was staying out of the way and letting the players lead.

“The biggest names in this space didn’t start as platforms. They began as strong, focused experiences… and evolved organically,” says Fedyanin. “Melon wasn’t designed as a platform; it simply gave players tools to create scenes, play them out, and share them. Our role now is to empower creators and let the ecosystem shape itself.”

Community-Led Content

Melon Sandbox already boasts a large number of user-created mods for players to enjoy on the platform. Mods are accessible on the Workshop, where players can exchange Mels (an in-game currency) for community-created content. Users can find prehistoric mod packs to add new models to the game, recreations of real-life cityscapes for a change of scenery, original ‘Melon’ sprite designs inspired by popular media, and an array of original item and weapon designs to refresh the gameplay experience.

About Melon Sandbox

Melon Sandbox encourages players to create, experiment, and earn money. Originally launched in 2022, the sandbox game utilizes ragdoll physics to encourage experimentation and creativity among its playerbase. Users can test unique interactions between objects–such as vehicles, weapons, explosives, and tools–to create chaos in an open world. A variety of maps are available to choose from–including cities, acid pits, and underwater environments–each with unique physics and different items to choose from. In addition, Melon Sandbox Workshop allows users to create their own gameplay experiences to share with fellow players. These creations may be uploaded and purchased via the in-game Marketplace.

Melon Sandbox is free to download. The game is available now on iOS, Android, and browser. Players can join the game’s official Discord to discuss the game, share modded content, and receive tips for their UGC experiences. Melon Sandbox will reveal its latest content announcement in the coming months.

About PlayDucky

PlayDucky Game Publishing is a premier, global mobile game publisher focused on casual games. With years of experience in the industry, PlayDucky provides developers with essential support and resources, allowing them to thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

About Melon Sandbox

Launched in 2022, Melon Sandbox is a physics-based world where players use a massive toolkit of objects and vehicles to create emergent gameplay. Available on iOS, Android, and Browser, it has surpassed 150 million downloads and is becoming the go-to launchpad for the next generation of indie developers.