Overwatch Cosplay Battle finalists celebrate creativity and pride

Cosplay and fan art have always been a big part of the Overwatch fandom, and now Blizzard is recognizing some of the best cosplayers in the world.

The Overwatch Cosplay Battle has six teams of three cosplayers each competing in a three-month rush to create the best Overwatch cosplays. The teams come from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Russia. According to the contest’s official home page, this is not only a battle, but a celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, and national pride.

The Community Favorite vote has just ended, and the overall winner will be announced tomorrow, chosen by Blizzard artists and professional cosplayers. This includes Blizzard’s lead character artist Renaud Galand and Kamui Cosplay’s Svetlana Quindt. She started cosplaying in 2003, including a first place finish at BlizzCon’s 2013 costume contest.

The UK team has created a massive Orisa cosplay, worn by two people. The Forest Spirit theme combines natural and robotic elements, including animated effects.

France paid homage to Torbjorn’s beard with an intricate Magni armor cosplay. Russia is boasting a classic D.Va mech cosplay, complete with moving parts and lighting effects.

The Spanish team printed hundreds of individual scales for their intricate and detailed Baihu Genji cosplay. Italy brought a Genji of their own, bringing his Blackwatch skin to life with a lifelike Dragonblade and cyborg parts. Then there’s the German team’s Dragon Symmetra, with a beautiful, glowing color scheme.

Each member of the Grand Prize winning team will receive a brand new 3D printer. The cosplay chosen by the Overwatch fans across Europe will receive framed Overwatch artwork signed by the game’s development team.