CB2025 COSPLAY CONTEST

Cosplay Contest

  • Saturday, May 26, 2025
  • Final schedule and Contest Locations to be announced May 5, 2025


About Our Contest

COMBO BREAKER’s annual cosplay contest celebrates fighting games by highlighting the costuming skills of artisans in the FGC! Costumes eligible for judging and contest awards MUST be featured in one of the CB2025 tournament games. Guest characters from tournament games can also be entered, but they MUST be in their costume as it appears in the fighting game they are featured in to be eligible. 

Contest entrants will need to provide art references of their character. References should be official art or screenshots of their selected character from the game they are featured in. For a complete list of tournament games please visit our tournaments page.

CB2025’s Cosplay Contest is a free-to-enter competition (no tournament fee). Pre-judging will be available in a publicly accessible area within the badged CB2025 event spaces. You will need a weekend or day pass to reach the pre-judging area. Seating and water will be available!

Cosplay assistants, handlers, and mobility aids are welcome and will not be a factor in judging.


Contest Overview and Details

Contestants are encouraged to bring in-progress photos for their cosplay! Presented cosplays must be at least 75% handmade to be eligible for an award. Contestants will have their cosplays reviewed on the following criteria:

  • Craftsmanship: The stitching, fabric selection, form, fit, and construction of your costume. This category includes prop-making in our contest.
  • Accuracy: How well your costume represents your character and the official art references provided 
  • Originality: Is your costume unique? Did it require inventive crafting to realize?
  • Sizing: Costumes must allow for the wearer to move freely within the convention space and access the 2nd floor judging area by escalator, stairs, or elevator. The wearer may use mobility aids or handlers 
  • Weaponry Rule: Only blunted, foam, plastic, or otherwise non-lethal weaponry will be allowed as part of COMBO BREAKER’s Cosplay Contest. Any and all gun props will be required to have an orange covered tip on the barrel, triggers should be rendered unmovable, and should be unable to fire projectiles. Any weapons violating this rule may not be allowed in the convention spaces. Any weapons allowed in the convention spaces will all be at the discretion of COMBO BREAKER staff and security. Please note that weaponry adhering to these rules may still be deemed inappropriate for convention display at the event’s discretion
  • Large metal props are not allowed
  • Non-cosplay masks worn for health and safety will not impact judging
  • Cosplays previously awarded at a COMBO BREAKER event will need to showcase significant alteration and/or refinement to be eligible for a second award. No singular cosplay will be eligible to win multiple awards.

CB2025’s contest is open to cosplayers of all skill levels, but our finalists will need to display great skill and a love of fighting game characters to win our awards!

All costumes will be judged singularly, with no additional favor shown to group costumery. CB2024 Cosplay Contest judges will prioritize construction over showmanship. Please note that the above rules are subject to change prior to show weekend. They can become more lax at our judges discretion, but they will never become more strict. Any rule changes will be posted here and announced on CB social channels.


Pre-Registration Form

Please fill out this FORM to pre-register yourself for the Cosplay Contest. This will help our Judges immensely and ensure they have all the details they need to review your cosplay at the show. Good luck!


Pre-Judging

The second-floor foyer in front of the Nirvana ballroom and its adjoining photo areas will host pre-judging for the Cosplay Contest. Pre-Judging hours will be confirmed alongside the final event schedule. Cosplay Contest Finals will take place onstage in the Convention Center. Expected showcase time is 7:15 PM CT.

An event photographer and backdrops will be available during pre-judging to ensure that all participants receive a keepsake photo as part of their participation in the contest. Photos will be posted post-event in a gallery linked on combobreaker.org.


Prizing

Contestants will win Top 8 medals, their listed share of cash prizing, and COMBO BREAKER merchandise packages

  • 1st Place / Best In Show
    Costume is at-least 75% hand-crafted, with minimal purchased props or embellishments
    Prize: $1,000, a COMBO BREAKER medal, and merch item 
  • 2nd Place / Runner-Up
    Costume is at-least 75% hand-crafted
    Prize: $750, a COMBO BREAKER medal, and merch item
  • 3rd Place / Notable Cosplay
    Costume is at-least 75% hand-crafted
    Prize: $500, a COMBO BREAKER medal, and merch item
  • 4th Place / Notable Cosplay
    Costume is at-least 75% hand-crafted
    Prize: $250, a COMBO BREAKER medal, and merch item

JUDGES AWARDS
Each judge will also be awarding a merch package to acknowledge their individual appreciation of one contestant’s cosplay.


CB2025 JUDGES (ANNOUNCING SOON)


TBA JUDGE

(She/Her)


Announcing guest judges in early February!


TBA JUDGE

(They/Them)


Announcing guest judges in early February!


TBA JUDGE

(He/Him)


Announcing guest judges in early February!

SHOW US YOUR BEST COSPLAY AT CB2025!

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