PGW: cosplay now has its own temple

It's a discipline in its own right and a must-see spectacle in the world of video games. Cosplays (a contraction of the words "costume" and "play") are a highlight of every video game convention and trade show. A true tradition at the show, the festival closed on 5 November with a showcase of the finest creations. Organised by PGW x Imagin'Con x France Cosplay, the final attracted more than 1,800 spectators to the PGW x Fnac stage, where the costume designers were able to parade before a panel of expert judges.

A 100% female 2023 podium

The final podium featured three talented female creators, inspired by video games, bringing to life Eivor from Assassin's Creed Valhalla (1st place, @xia.cosplay ), Amicia from Rune from the game A Plague Tale: Innocence (2nd place, @akisa_cosplay ) and finally the character from Alice Madness Returns (3rd place, @images_en_scen ). The jury also awarded two special prizes to @celk4e and her character Isis from the game Smite and @ainlinaa_ for her Princess Zelda. The Paris Games Week audience was thrilled by these unique creations, both technically and artistically. Each costume is handcrafted with a wealth of detail to reproduce the outfits and looks of these imaginary characters as closely as possible.

The work of a goldsmith

"There was a huge amount of work involved in the sewing, the patterns on the tunic and especially the belt, the weathering... in short, all the details that make a costume a realistic piece of work", explains Akisa, runner-up in this competition with her character Amicia (photo above).These preparations can take participants weeks of work to achieve perfection, each piece being unique and a challenge in its own right.

Akisa recalls that "Many of the techniques I was aiming to use were a first, such as cutting out the patterns on the tunic or the gold embroidery on the belt: it was something that motivated me during the month when I was lucky enough to be able to devote my whole days to the project!"

A not-to-be-missed event

A colossal amount of work for a few moments of glory under the lights of the Paris Games Week x Fnac stage, where some of the best cosplayers in France came together. It was a real competition in which all the artists vied with each other in excellence for an incredible show, with these fictional characters seemingly coming to life in flesh and blood. But it's also a human adventure where the artists can exchange ideas, encourage each other and give each other advice...

"In short, it was a great personal experience that gave me a lot to discover and left me with some very happy memories!"