image link: https://images.app.goo.gl/synEo173nMeXePjQ9
Cosplay and video games
Initially, the KindaGeeky crew feared that the worldwide hobby and social scene in geek culture known as “cosplay” would grow, expand, and pop like a bubble. But with the video game industry riding nonstop to the top of nerdom, it appears that cosplay rides first class with no signs of stopping. The Gamer Geek never had any doubt (no, seriously)!
Cosplay has been around for years, starting first in the motherland of creative costuming: Japan. It began as a show of support for Japanese fashion in anime. The trend there began to pick up and spread across the rest of the world, most notably America where popular cosplay conventions like Anime Expo, San Diego Comic Con, and Blizzcon make home to the largest gatherings the geek scene has ever seen. Prior to cosplay becoming a coined term, America did have its own costuming events as well, although the fandom was significantly smaller at the time as “nerdy stuff” like Star Wars and Marvel/DC Comics weren’t considered “cool” in that present, but look at the nerds now! Once the appreciation for comic books and movies that were once classified as “nerdy” came to the spotlight of swagger, cosplay began to boom significantly. Then beyond the movies and comic books, video games took center stage in the cosplay world as many nerds evolved to gamer nerds (and it’s not even their final form).
Hot-rated MMO (massive multiplayer online) games of today like League of Legends (LoL), Overwatch (OW), and World of Warcraft (WoW) heavily inspires cosplayers to dress up (or in certain cases, armor up) as their favorite character, expressing both love and support for their fandom. Riot, the developing team behind the PC tycoon League of Legends has an incredible creative team who highly encourages fans to cosplay the characters they put so much depth and heart into. Delving into the LoL website, fans are even given access to the piece-by-piece character models of the characters and their aesthetics, further emphasizing that cosplay motivation (not kidding, some files even read cosplay). In 2019, LoL cosplays hit the all-time-high with the release of the late-2018 3D-animated K-POP music video appropriated named “POP/STARS” comprised of fictional characters from the League-universe: Kai’sa, Akali, Ahri, and Evelyn - forming the world-renowned K/DA. These four girls in-game are AP assassins that snowball hard with the right kill-death-assist (KDA) ratios (badum tss!) and when they were featured with their aesthetic new designs, danced through the video with awe-styling choreography (thanks to the choreo team down below), voices backed by real-life music artists, and tuned a beat that “topped the World Digital Charts” - it’s no wonder they became the most widely popular cosplay of 2019. Speaking from experience, it was a wonderful feeling to have other cosplayers and photographers recognize the characters and designs despite not playing the games themselves as it just means that the teams behind League are getting exposure for their jaw-dropping content and thus will continue to have eyes and support for their works. In the first quarter of 2020 Riot has invited cosplayers for a competition dedicated to the game, where it will be hosted in Europe but extended to all online. More information about it can be found in the credits at the end of this post.
Blizzcon, one of the biggest gaming conventions in the USA, is hosted by none other than Blizzard Entertainment, the team behind the widely popular MMOs World of Warcraft and Overwatch. The con is host to one of the top cosplay gatherings in the world, offering a wide variety of larger than life costuming from giant life-sized Reinhardts (OW) to beautiful badass Sylvanas’. The weekend is teamed with master-tier cosplays that would make any attendees drop their jaw in awe. No joke, the craftsmanship is amazing; one can only imagine the amount of time and effort it takes to bring the intricate designs and intricate details of armor, fabric, makeup, special effects to life (some examples can be found below). And almost each and every cosplay is inspired and dedicated by video games.
Console games receive a lot of love from the cosplay community as well. For the past several years, they simmer within the anime and comic book convention scenes in obscurity yet everyone goes crazy when they recognize Leon Kennedy from the timeless Resident Evil series swaggering in the halls with a broody, signature side bangs and police vest on or spot Sora from Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts flip onto the floor with his massive keyblade and obscenely large shoes. And now, there are conventions that are dominated by the cosplay scene- and they’re totally centered on video games! Even upcoming video games get some love from cosplayers. Aside from being one of the most popular actors of 2019 with the success of John Wick 3: Parabellum and Always Be My Maybe, Keanu Reeves enters the gaming scene by starring as the charismatic anarchist Johnny Silverhand (also a John, what a coincidence) of the highly anticipated, futuristic rpg game Cyberpunk 2077. Featured by Microsoft at E3 and developed by CD Projekt Red (same people behind the popular Witcher game series) John Wick 2077- err, Cyberpunk 2077 received a hype so massive that the minute Keanu Reeves appeared in the trailer and on the stage, people began to don a military vest, a shiny metal arm (probably borrowed from the Winter Soldier), and a pair of sweet shades to then proceed to yell at figurative samurais to wake up. After seeing dozens and dozens of these cosplayers’ take on the Silverhand- let’s just say they’re breathtaking. As more and more games receive recognition, the numbers of cosplays grow to outstanding heights!
Video games offer a greater impact to the life of gamers and nerds alike, inspiring sparks of creativity and bringing that inspiration beyond the LCD screen to the con floor for all to appreciate together. Check out some of the magnificent works of cosplay as well as the games that inspired them. See what sings to the nerdy heart and remember to stay KindaGeeky.
SOURCES
League of Legends
● https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thegamer.com/league-legends-best-cosplay/amp/
● https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UOxkGD8qRB4
● https://youtu.be/EBqDR62Mr38
● https://lolcosplay2020.gry-online.pl/regulations/
Blizzcon
● https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/blizzard/23227980/the-artists-inside-blizzcon-s-winning-cosplays
● https://youtu.be/hUVEboc7kFo
Cyberpunk 2077
● https://youtu.be/1kFGvNHMK8Y