Day attendees: June 14 – 16
LAN attendees: June 14 – 17
Meny
Day attendees: June 14 – 16
LAN attendees: June 14 – 17
Cosplaying at DreamHack has several unique aspects that set it apart from other cosplay events.
Overall, the combination of gaming focus, massive scale, competition opportunities, integration with esports, and community spirit makes cosplay at DreamHack a unique & memorable experience for cosplayers and attendees alike.
DreamHack seamlessly combines cosplay with its esports tournaments, creating a unique synergy between the two worlds. Cosplayers often have opportunities to interact with professional players, esports teams, and gaming industry personalities, enhancing the overall experience. This integration enables cosplayers to immerse themselves in the gaming culture and be part of the larger DreamHack community.
DreamHack fosters a sense of community among attendees, and cosplay plays a significant role in building that camaraderie. Cosplayers at DreamHack often connect with like-minded individuals who share their passion for gaming and pop culture. The event offers a welcoming and inclusive environment where cosplayers can engage with fellow enthusiasts, exchange tips and tricks, and celebrate their mutual interests.
Cosplayers compete in four tiers for a share of the 25,000 SEK prize pool.
Ages 0-15 years old
Prizes and recognition for all competitors!
If you have previously won the Youth/Kids category, please apply for the Novice tier.
For cosplayers who have not won any cosplay competition before.
You are eligible if you do not have a crafting education (sewing, welding/3D-printing, etc
The costume must be self-made but may use modified/changed garments.
Contestants who have outgrown the novice tier, but are not quite ready for the Expert tier.
Self-made costume, but may use modified/changed garments.
Contestants who want to compete at the highest level.
The costume must be self-made, the exceptions are: Base wig, shoes, and undergarments.
If you are an approved cosplayer you will be eligible to receive a custom Cosplayer badge. This is for our approved signed up cosplays only.
Make sure to have your photo taken (for free) at our photo studio. Located by the Cosplay Lounge. We have a talented cosplay photographer there to take photos of you!
All weapons to be checked and tagged upon arrival. Tags need to remain at all times and can only be removed during competition and during Cosplay parade.
We will continue with special tags for masks this event, which needs to be checked with Security. The cosplayer need to submit picture of mask beforehand and a picture of themselves so that we can make sure it’s the correct person wearing it during the event, and upon security checks.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 works. This is also a chance for you to ask questions and meet the judges. Everyone is welcome to join! Even if you are a seasoned competitor at DreamHack, there is still value in this meeting since we will inform you about things specific to the current event.
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.
The contestant has 30 seconds to one minute to present their cosplay to the audience and to show off their work. There will be several marked spots on stage that the contestant has to stand on to give photographers time to take pictures in that position. The stage portion will also be live-streamed through Twitch to allow viewers globally to view the competition.
We are happy to announce that DreamHack Summer will host the Swedish selection for the Tournament of Champions (ToC) at YuniCon, and select the winner that will represent Sweden at ToC 2024.
The idea for the “Tournament of Champions” was created by YuniCon in 2020, shortly before the Pandemic, and has been a work in Progress since then. After the success of last year’s Tournament of Champions last year, season 2 will include more countries with selections happening all over the world during 2024.
As one of the founding countries competing in ToC, we will once again send a contestant to compete in Vienna at the end of October 2024. The event will be held Oct 31st – Nov 3rd. DreamHack will provide travel to Vienna, and YuniCon organizers will provide accommodation.
ToC’s goal is to create a contest where crafting skills are valued equally, so the most complete costume will be the winner. At the finals, every costume will be judged in 5 Categories: Needlework, Armor, Prop making, Wig & Makeup, and Craftsmanship, giving participants the chance to win separate categories, as well as the “Best in Show” award, which will be the highest score of all categories combined.
To have a valid entry into the competition, must be a Swedish native or hold a Swedish permanent residency and be 18 years old or above. The contestant must provide the following (in English):
Furthermore, each contestant/event must provide the following files:
Important: It is possible to create a new cosplay for the final event. It is the contestants’ choice to do so. If they choose to create new cosplay, a portfolio has to be created for this new cosplay.
The judging is split into multiple categories:
Propmaking: additional props to enhance the costume, such as (but not limited to) weapons, jewelry, accessories, etc.
The following cannot be used in your costumes, to ensure the safety of the event:
Cutting weapons or tools: Any prop made with a cutting edge of any metal or ceramic
Firearms: Any prop that can fire projectiles that can cause harm (Nerf and similar are permitted, the event takes no responsibility in retrieving any projectiles)
Incendiary devices: Any prop intended to cause a fire
Liquids: The use of liquids is strictly prohibited on stage and during judging.
All products that would require cleanup, such as confetti, glitter, etc.
Costumes that have already placed in other contests are excluded from participation. This includes any award (except audience vote).
The same is valid for original creations (OCs) or personal characters. Costume variations are only permitted with reference art (such as designs by Zach Fischer or Hannah Alexandre Designs). It has to be proven that the reference art was done prior to the costume creation, to prevent people from creating reference art based on their costumes after completion.
Furthermore, costumes have to be at least 80-90% self-made and will not be permitted otherwise. Exceptions will be made for things like contact lenses, shoes, wigs, etc. as well as using other people’s equipment (such as using someone else’s 3D printer after modelling your own file)
Any depiction of sexual activity, racist or slandering behavior or similar is not allowed, and will lead to disqualification. Depiction of racist symbols or such that can be associated with such (e.g. Swastika on “Tokyo Revengers” costumes) are illegal in Austria, and can therefore not be used.
Contestants are only eligible for participation if they are 18 and over at the time of the qualifying event.
Should any of these exclusion/disqualification reasons come to light after the contest, the contestant will be retroactively disqualified, and by applying to this contest you agree that you will return the entire prize, should such things come to pass.
We appreciate your work, and that’s why we celebrate Cosplayers for their participation in DreamHack with cool rewards. Score afterparty invites, discounts, tech gear, meals, festival tickets, limited hoodies, collectible cards, shop credit, hotel stays, & a GRAND PRIZE! Level up your DreamHack by sharing your personal promo code with your community!
You don’t have to compete or watch our cosplay competition to enjoy cosplay at DreamHack Summer! Meet your favorite cosplay judges or hosts. You’ll see them walking around the festival with their amazing outfits. Remember though, cosplay is not consent!
International judge
Ailyta is a cosplayer from Switzerland currently based in the UK. What started in 2015 as pure curiosity for costuming and crafting rapidly became a passion and led her to meet new people, travel and compete. She developed a large range of skills from crafting to photography and stage performance and thinks her work as a game artist is really helpful with shapes and specific programs like photoshop and illustrator. It indeed became really handy when she started representing Switzerland on multiple occasions in the international scene where she recently won best needlework during the tournament of champions 2023.
Swedish judge
Kaj (knightofwandscosplay) has a burning passion for – as well as an university background in – art and textile history. Cosplay for him is a way to explore and research historical techniques in a casual and hands-on way. Plant dyeing from plants grown in his own garden, wet felting wool, fabric manipulation and weaving, and of course many hours of embroidery are all things he loves doing, and seeing others do in cosplay!
Kaj strives towards a low-environment footprint in his craft, so he largely harvests and uses materials from various thrifting adventures: from curtains and bedsheets, to upcycled household materials, recently pepsi cans and broom handles.
He has been cosplaying on and off for around ten years, but decided to get into competitions more recently, and has since competed in Cosplay-SM, and represented Sweden in the first ever Tournament of Champions, where he won Best Craftsmanship.
In his day life he is currently studying the craft of furniture upholstery and renovating a small hobbit house, as well as watching a lot of horror movies with his wife.
Nordic judge
Faroni’s cosplay journey started in 2014 when his friends introduced him to the world of cosplay. For Faroni cosplay is a way to challenge himself as an artist, sharpen his problem-solving skills, and create art on stage, in photoshoots, and online.
Cosplay also combines three of his passions: crafting, makeup, and performing on stage. Every cosplay experience is unique and precious to him, but one of the most exciting and inspiring experiences was the Nordic Cosplay Championship (NCC) 2023 where he placed first place and also won the audience choice. He saw so much passion, talent, and hard work while he was there and met many amazing fellow cosplayers. Faroni can’t wait to see YOUR passion and love for cosplay at DreamHack Summer!
Cosplay host
Neah Rayne is a cosplayer, streamer and gameshow host from Sweden who has both studied cosplay in Norway as well as founded the cosplay organization Göteborg Cosplay Guild. She has won several cosplay competitions as well as been a cosplay judge and lecturer. As a streamer she streams everything from traveling and hiking to games and game shows. Besides streaming or cosplaying she also got several years of experience in the entertainment industry and currently works as a gameshow host.
Cosplay host
Ciwiel is a former DreamHack contestant and Swedish Championship participant. After putting the competitive glue gun on the shelf, she has dabbled in streaming, video making and "casual" crafting. Today Ciwiel is focusing on her job in the games industry while expanding her music skills. Rumor has it that she still live streams Mulle Meck every year for charity.
Join us at the Main Stage on Saturday afternoon at 17:00 CEST to watch the finals of our Cosplay Championship!
