The Perfect Ten: Amazing amateur MMO cosplay
I find the whole cosplay subculture at conventions to be both foreign and fascinating. On one hand, I deeply admire the dedication and time it takes to put together a complex outfit and then spend all day wearing this custom-made sweatsuit. On the other hand, it does tend to bring out some folks' narcissism and unnecessary cleavage.
While many facets of geek and video game culture are adequately represented by those crazy cosplayers, I don't see as much when it comes to MMORPGs. Was it truly underrepresented, I wondered, or have I just never looked?
Consider the following 10 costumes the result of an afternoon or two combing through so much amateur cosplay that it vastly exceeded the recommended amount as set by the American Medical Association. I'm glad to make the sacrifice for you, and besides, you just know those doctors are the ones in these outfits, anyway.
(Please note that if you're looking for more skin than skill, this will not be the list for you!)
1. Froglok from EverQuest
This amphibious warrior made a splash at the 2008 SOE Fan Faire, eventually netting the top prize in the costume contest. Rumor is that he still wears this to his day job as a claims adjuster for MetLife.
2. Gwen from Guild Wars
Guild Wars has a very healthy cosplay following, but among the many scantily clad Ritualists and Elementalists that populate the field, one lady came up with an award-winning Gwen outfit. Aurora Astralis won the grand prize of the official 2008 Guild Wars Halloween costume contest with her spot-on representation of everyone's favorite grumpy Mesmer.
3. Elios Sorcerer from Aion
Russian artist Lina is a huge fan of Aion, and it shows in her wonderfully detailed outfit that includes a giant wingspan. One does wonder how she expects to do anything than stay in a single spot and pose while wearing that, but perhaps that's the point.
4. Shaman with turtle mount from World of Warcraft
WoW is probably the most represented MMO when it comes to cosplay, and the sheer variety and passion of costume designers makes it hard to pick any "best" one. However, this turtle mount BlizzCon 2008 winner certainly stands out -- and just wait until you see it in motion.
College student Amanda Hosler won the contest in both 2007 and 2008. The turtle mount was animated and made around an electric wheelchair. It took the help of her father and three months to fully assemble the beast.
5. Ensemble from Diablo III
Korea is nuts for cosplay, and the level of competition can be so fierce that there are actually teams of dedicated cosplayers that receive a fanatical following. The Spiral Cats is one such team, and the artists' work on Diablo III costumes so impressed Blizzard that they received a featured article on the site.
6. Ratonga from EverQuest II
Last year's winner of Fan Faire's Best in Show is so adorably cute that we'd take him home in a split second. Seriously.
Look at him! You can just imagine that he's twitching that little nose! Who's the magically superior pyromaniac? You are! Yes, you are!
7. Virindi from Asheron's Call
The terror is real. The hugs are free.
This charming little number is a Virindi from -- of all games -- Asheron's Call. Seriously, Asheron's Call cosplay. Can you believe it? I was both delighted and amazed to find this number, not just because someone took the time to do an AC outfit but because it was done so dang well.
8. Warrior Priest from Warhammer Online
I'm not 100% sure whether this outfit was inspired from the MMO or the franchise (as both share the same source material), but we're going to call this a win for awesome outfits in either case.
The real win here is the insane level of detail that went into this costume, especially in the attached trinkets that add personality to the whole getup.
9. Faction trio from The Secret World
This picture popped up on the Secret World forums a while back, and while I'm not sure whether it's a fan effort or officially done, it's pretty nifty all around. The Templars, Illuminati, and Dragon each get a representative, and they look none too pleased to be in close proximity to each other.
10. Satele Shan from Star Wars: The Old Republic
Among the legions of Smugglers and Trooper cosplayers, Nebulaluben made her mark as an incredible Satele Shan. There's good and there's "holy mackerel, she just won the internet" good. Guess which one this is?
Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
