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Blizzard employee Rene Koiter chats about Khal Drogo cosplay
Blizzard's annual Halloween costume contest is well-known among those who follow the company, and in 2013 it got even more attention thanks to artist Rene Koiter's incredible Khal Drogo cosplay, which went viral back in the fall. The website Geekpron recently sat down with Mr. Koiter for a five-question interview, going in-depth about why he chose the character for his outfit and how he made his vision a reality. One aspect I hadn't fully appreciated prior to this interview was how many people it took to realize Mr. Koiter's vision of a Khal Drogo cosplay. It took no fewer than five other people to help him achieve the look--one costumer, two hair and makeup artists, a coworker who sculpted the medallion belt, and one who played the translator in the contest. It was clearly an enormous effort that payed wonderful dividends. Head on over to Geekpron for the full interview, and once again we tip our hat to Rene Koiter for his amazing performance!
Sons of the Storm to appear at BlizzCon, unveil another member
The Sons of the Storm is a kind of artists' collective connected with Blizzard -- they're responsible for the majority of the concept and game art coming out of Blizzard, from the Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo series. They count Samwise Didier and Chris Metzen in their ranks, along with many of Blizzard's most popular artists. And apparently their ranks are growing -- on their latest website update, they have posted a new group picture, along with a mysterious "eighth son" that they say they will introduce sometime later, possibly months after BlizzCon. From left on the picture above, you can see Samwise Dider, Chris Metzen, René Koiter, Travis Thammer, Glenn Rane, Peter Lee, Mark Gibbons, and the Eighth Son, who a commenter over at Blizzplanet speculates may be Wei Wang.Speaking of BlizzCon, the Sons site also says that all of the seven current sons will be signing at the convention, so be sure to bring your TCG cards, Warcraft novels, art books and anything else these guys may have worked on. We're sure there'll be a line, but if you're willing to brave the wait, you might get to meet some of the most creative minds behind Blizzard's beloved universes.
Around Azeroth: Shrine of the Fallen Warrior
This shrine (the spirit healer image is visible if you visit the area when dead even when not dead) is located in the Barrens to the west of the Crossroads. The shrine is a tribute to the memory of Michel Koiter, twin brother of René Koiter, both influential Blizzard artists. Ariss of Duskwood sent in this image, saying that there's a bet riding on the picture getting posted -- I never knew "Around Azeroth" was a competitive sport! Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! You can attach a picture file or send us a link to one -- and don't worry about formatting, we'll take care of that part.
