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LAN: June 16 – 19
Day: June 16 – 18
All fandoms welcome. DreamHack welcomes all cosplayers from all fandoms.
Gaming, anime, books, graphic novels, etc – cosplay is for everyone
Perks that are unique to cosplayers.
Pick the tier that you want to compete in.
Click here when ready to submit your application.
Cosplay has a long history of being an important component of DreamHack Festivals. This year we want to level up and showcase DreamHack’s commitment to the cosplay community in a larger sense, by adding more activities for our cosplayers and community.
Besides our DreamHack Cosplay Championship and Parade, we also hope to host panels, workshops, and other fun things for our cosplayers to enjoy. More information to come!
For DreamHack Summer 2023 we will only give free Cosplay badges and 3-day festival tickets to those Cosplayers who sign up beforehand to compete in the DreamHack Cosplay Championship, or to those selected to be part of panels, workshops or other Cosplay activities.
The Cosplay Lounge is a safe haven for Cosplayers to unwind, get dressed/changed in our 4 dressing rooms, have snacks, and prepare for various cosplay activities and competitions during the event.
Only cosplayers are allowed in the Cosplay Lounge. You may bring 1 assistant to help with costumes in the lounge. All who wish to use the Cosplay Lounge must register at check-in by Cosplay Crew.
The lounge will be closed during cosplay competitions. Opening hours to be announced.
All weapons and props are to be checked and tagged upon arrival. Tags need to remain at all times and can only be removed during competition and during the Cosplay parade.
Cosplayers compete in four tiers for a total share of the SEK 25,000 prize pool.
You start by checking into the Cosplay Lounge located in the hallway between the Congress House and Lobby South/North. If you can’t find it, please ask our DreamHack Crew or Cosplay Crew to guide you
If this is your first time competing at DreamHack, please make sure you attend the information session at the start of the competition day to hear how the competition will look like. This is also a chance for you to ask questions and meet the judges. Everyone is welcome to join!
You will receive a timeslot for your individual pre-judging with the judges. Please respect this time and make sure to be there a bit earlier so that they can start as soon as the cosplayer before you is done. This is where the judges will look through your WIP pictures, your costume and ask you questions about your cosplay. Please be aware you need to be in your cosplay at pre-judging and can’t alter it in any way post pre-judging.
After pre-judging is done and we are getting closer to the time of the Cosplay Championship, all cosplayers competing will meet in the Cosplay Lounge to walk together through Elmia to the Main Stage, escorted by the Cosplay Crew and security. Each category will be announced by the hosts, and you will walk in the order that we have provided beforehand, one by one. The host will call your cosplay name when it’s your turn. The judges will sit in front of the stage, to see your catwalk.
After all contestants have done the catwalk, it’s time for the judges to deliberate. Please make sure to stay hydrated and remain backstage. The intermission will be roughly 15-30 min depending on the judges quickness in making a decision.
After the intermission, the judges will return on stage and the host will call up each category/tier of contestants to join them for the awards ceremony. Please wait for the previous category to exit the stage before entering when your category is called to the stage.
After all prizes have been given, we will take group pictures on stage of all winners, so please don’t leave after your category has left the stage.
If you haven’t already done a photoshoot in the photo studio located by the Cosplay Lounge, please take the opportunity to do so after the Championship. Free professional photoshoot? Yes, please!
● Contestants who want to compete on a higher level. ● Costume must be self-made, the exceptions are Base wig, shoes, and undergarments.
● Contestants who have outgrown the novice tier, but are not quite ready for the Expert tier. ● Self-made costume, may use modified/changed garments.
● Cosplayers who haven't won any cosplay competition before. ● Eligible if you do not have a crafting education (sewing, welding/3D-printing, etc) ● Self-made costume, may use modified/changed garments.
● Ages 0-15 years old ● Prizes and recognition for all competitors!
More information soon
Participants cannot compete wearing a cosplay that previously placed in the top three at DreamHack Cosplay Championship.
Each contestant will have a couple of minutes for pre-judging and up to 1 min on stage from the entrance to exit – Expert contestants may send in up to 60-sec long music for their catwalk (optional).
Note that ultimately contestants must respect the judge’s decision and the judge’s interpretation of the criteria. The judges have the right to change the contestant’s tier before the stage show based on the contestant’s experience and the cosplay presented. The cosplayer will be consulted regarding this before the stage show.
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 are not accepted as cosplay.
WEAPONS AND EFFECTS
Real weapons are not allowed, including soft air guns or other air/gas weapons. Weapons made of metal are not allowed as props, these will be taken care of by security. So no real swords, knives, bats, etc. We do not allow explosive materials, fire, smoke, sparks, or similar effects.
Props will be checked by the Cosplay team and/or Security when entering the event and getting an approval tag, this tag may only be removed during the competition and if needed for a photo-op.
EVENT
Since this is a family-friendly event, Costumes must be appropriate for wear in public. No hateful, offensive, or provocative symbols, designs, or text are allowed. We encourage cosplayers to participate in activities around the event. Have fun, join competitions at the expo, and mingle with visitors. But when walking around the event, full-cover masks/helmets are not allowed. E.g. ski masks showing only eyes and mouth, or full helmets. Please carry the helmet or mask, and put it on for posing and photo-op. Some exceptions apply, like when walking to the competition and the cosplay parade.
When walking around the event, weapons should be sheathed or carried in a non-aggressive way. So no actively walking around the event aiming around you with a gun. We love large cosplays but for extremely large ones please notify us before the event so we can plan to help you have the best experience possible. This also applies if your cosplay makes it very hard to see.
Breaking the rules may lead to disqualification and/or a cut festival bracelet. DreamHack and Elmia will have the final say in decisions when enforcing the event rules.
Contact DreamHack Cosplay
If you have any questions regarding Cosplay at DreamHack Summer 2023, please reach out to us here
