Lens Fest: A Decade of Lenses and the Future of Computing
Lens Fest 2025 wasn’t just a milestone — it was a global gathering of creators, builders, and innovators who are shaping the future of augmented reality and AI by building with Snap.
This year, we celebrated ten years of Lenses and the incredible community that turned a playful idea into a global platform for creativity.
Over the past decade, you’ve transformed how people communicate, learn, and connect — bringing AR to classrooms, stadiums, art exhibits, and moments shared between friends. Lens Fest was our chance to celebrate you, and to imagine together what the next decade of creation will bring.
The energy, imagination, and spirit of this year’s event proved one thing: the future of AR belongs to the community building it.
Bobby Murphy’s Keynote Highlights
The day began with a powerful keynote from Bobby Murphy, Snap’s Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, who reminded everyone why Lens Fest is so much more than a conference — it’s a celebration of a shared vision.
He spoke about the journey from the very first Lens — joyful, weird, and culture-defining — to a decade later, where 400,000 developers have built more than 4 million Lenses that reach people around the world.
“Our mission has always been to build technology that brings people closer together — and you, our developers, make that possible every single day.”
His message was clear: Snap’s mission is to build technology that brings people closer together, and developers are at the heart of that mission.
Social Play at Scale
Lens Games now reach 175M monthly active users. New tools released this year like the Character Controller, Camera Controller, Input System, and the Bitmoji Suite make it easier than ever to design social, shareable fun. And the announcement of live multiplayer matchmaking (coming next year) promises a new era of real-time play.
A new agent for Developers
Lens Studio AI is a true game-changer. Choose between a Developer or Creator assistant to help you write code, debug, suggest assets, or even drive your project — it’s like having a personal Lens expert in your corner.
Next-Level Creativity
Lens Studio features like Realistic Style Generation transform Snapchatters and their surroundings into new worlds in real time; and the AI Portraits feature unlocks AI Photo generation to everyone. Glam & Glitter is a new intuitive editor for professional-quality beauty looks. Coming soon: AI Clips, a Lens format that turns everyday Snaps into imaginative video clips.
The Future Through Spectacles
Bobby also gave everyone a glimpse into what’s next for Spectacles. He teased major updates powered by Snap OS 2.0, including new tools for developers, a redesigned system for performance and immersion, and a vision for computing that feels more human.
A Special Q&A with Evan & Bobby
Attendees were treated to an open Q&A with Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, hosted by Resh Sidhu — a chance to hear directly from Snap’s founders about their vision for AR, community creativity, what’s next for Spectacles, and the path toward building computing that feels more human.
Lens Fest Awards
One of the most exciting parts of the day was celebrating the Lens Fest Awards. These awards honor the creativity and innovation of developers worldwide — from breathtaking visual effects to groundbreaking interactive experiences. Congratulations to all the winners!
Lensathon: Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation
Lens Fest isn’t just about announcements — it’s also about showcasing the creativity of the community in action. This year’s Lensathon brought together a diverse, global group of top developers — 76 strong — to push creative boundaries and build innovative experiences for both Spectacles and Snapchat.
For the first time, the Lensathon featured a new two-track structure. Developers were strategically assigned to either the Spectacles Track or the Snapchat Games Track, based on their expertise. This approach highlighted the advanced momentum happening across Snap’s entire ecosystem — from cutting-edge wearable computing to playful, social game development.
The result? An inspiring showcase of what’s possible when AR, AI, and creativity collide.
Congratulations to this year’s Lensathon winners!
Snapchat Games Track
1st Place: Tongue Topple by Mouth Cannon Crew
2nd Place: Epic Dance Battle by Hackstreet Bois
3rd Place: Knockout Combo by Knock Out
Spectacles Track
1st Place: Decisionator by Where’s Liam
2nd Place: CartDB by CartDB
3rd Place: Fireside Tales by Marshmallow
Lens Studio: The Heart of Creation
A Decade of Innovation, A New Era of Possibility
At the center of everything we build — and everything our community dreams up — is Lens Studio.
This year marked its biggest evolution yet. Developers can now create with Blocks, modular AR components that can be shared and remixed by others. With the launch of Lens Studio for Mobile & Web, creation is no longer confined to the desktop — it’s portable, collaborative, and powered by AI.
Lens Studio isn’t just a tool — it’s an ecosystem built for exploration, collaboration, and creativity. It’s where ideas become Lenses, and where Lenses become movements.
Download Lens Studio and start building today.
Spectacles: A Purpose-Built Future
A New Era of Computing
Specs aren’t just another device — they’re a new paradigm: a wearable computer built to make computing more human. In a world dominated by screens, Spectacles lift our eyes and integrate computing into the environment around us. Powered by Snap OS 2.0, Specs combine spatial intelligence and real-world awareness, turning everyday life into a living canvas.
What’s New for Developers
Snap Cloud powered by Supabase — a new backend-as-a-service with APIs, secure storage, and vector embeddings to unlock richer, more dynamic AR/AI projects.
Travel Mode and EyeConnect — features that make on-the-go and co-located AR experiences seamless.
WebXR support and a rebuilt browser for immersive exploration.
Commerce Kit for in-Lens payments.
Compact but mighty, Specs are the first true AR + AI glasses, built to connect us in real time at world scale.
Join the Spectacles Developer Program to help build the future with Snap.
Turning Creativity into a Career
Global Reach. Real Income. Endless Possibility.
This year, Snap made it clear: there has never been more opportunity to grow your career, monetize your work, and reach a global audience through the Snap ecosystem.
From subscription revenue to client work, from rewards to commerce — Snap is helping developers transform creativity into business:
Lens+ Payouts — Apply now to unlock the ability to publish Exclusive Lenses for Lens+ subscribers and receive revenue share payouts.
Camera Kit is now available to everyone — Take Lenses anywhere (apps, websites, AR mirrors) with optional Snap branding, and monetize through client projects.
Top Performer Payouts — Through this program, previously known as the Lens Creator Rewards Program, developers have earned more than $1M for top-performing Lenses.
Challenge Tags — introduced this year, a monthly, global competition that awards prizes for originality and technical excellence.
Commerce Kit for Spectacles — enable payments directly inside Spectacles Lenses, from digital goods to premium features in real time.
Your creativity can be your career. And Snap is here to help you scale it worldwide.
Lens Fest 2025 wasn’t just a look back — it was a leap forward. A decade of innovation has led us here, but it’s the next decade that excites us most.
Thank you to every developer, creator, and partner who’s helped shape this journey. Together, we’re not just imagining the future — we’re building it.
We can’t wait to see what you’ll build next with Snap.