Acceptance emails will start going out on September 5th, 2025. You will receive a confirmation email once we have your application.
The cosplay competition at DreamHack Atlanta 2025 will feature a structured schedule, including prejudging, a line-up of contestants, a showcase walk, an intermission, the awards ceremony, and a group photo to celebrate all participants.
The Best in Show winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to DreamHack Stockholm, happening November 28–30, to compete in their official cosplay competition. The prize includes roundtrip flights for two, hotel stay, meals, and a $500 USD stipend.
This top honor is awarded to the cosplayer who delivers an best combination of craftsmanship, creativity, and overall presentation. All entrants—regardless of tier—are eligible for this award.
Participants cannot compete wearing a cosplay that has previously placed in the top three of any category at DreamHack Cosplay Championship. Each contestant will have a few minutes for pre-judging and up to 1 minute on stage from entering to exiting. Experts may send in up to 60 seconds long music file for their catwalk (optional)
The judges will have final decision and right to interpret our criteria while judging. All decisions are final, and must be respected. The judges have the right to change the contestant’s tier before the stage show based on the contestant’s experience and the cosplay they have chosen to compete in. We may consult with the judges prior to the event if we believe a re-tiering may be in order.
We allow cosplays from all media, video games, role-playing games, comic books, manga, anime, TV or film adaptations, fan art etc. We also allow for gender bends, gijinkas and original characters (e.g. DnD characters, or your character from a game). Important to note that you still need to bring reference materials for your design. Please note that mascot costumes or bought dress-up costumes are not acceptable to compete with.
Contestants aiming to compete at a higher level must wear self-made costumes—excluding base wigs, shoes, and undergarments—and winners of the Expert category cannot enter Artisan in their next event.
Top Honors
Ingrese el nivel que refleje su experiencia en competencias anteriores. Los organizadores del festival y los jueces se reservan el derecho de cambiar su categoría según la construcción enviada y las fotos WIP.
Nope! Everyone is welcome to cosplay at DreamHack—no sign-up required. Come dressed as your favorite character and enjoy the festival!
Not automatically. The competition and the creator program are two separate things. You need to apply to each one individually if you want to do both.
Absolutely! If you want to be part of our featured Cosplay Creators and compete in the contest, just make sure to fill out both applications.
Links to both applications are right on this page—scroll up!
(Sujeto a cambios)
1ero - $1000, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de su elección (viaje no incluido).
2do - $500, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
3er - $300, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
1ero - $500, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
2do - $200, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
3ero - $100, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
1ero - $300, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
2do - $100, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
3ero - $50, un premio, 2 boletos regulares de 3 días para un evento DreamHack de tu elección (viaje no incluido).
Cada juez tendrá la oportunidad de destacar a un concursante de su elección aparte de nuestros premios de artesanía. Esto está reservado para concursantes que no hayan recibido reconocimiento dentro de los premios de la categoría.
Awarded to the cosplay entry that exemplifies overall excellence, regardless of skill tier. This distinction celebrates a craftsmanship that stood out above all others, showcasing an exceptional combination of creativity, technical execution, and stage presence. It represents the spirit of cosplay at its finest where passion, talent, and storytelling come together to create an unforgettable impression.
The winner of this award will be flown to compete in the Expert category at DreamHack Stockholm 2025, November 28 – 30, 2025. This covers 2x round-trip international economy flights (in and out of the same aiport), 1 hotel room with 2 beds, local transportation (may be in the form of vouchers with a price cap) for the competitor and a +1.