E3 is the video game event of the year, every year. Although E3 2019 didn't have any sign of PlayStation, considering they decided to skip it this year, there were still plenty of things to get excited about. Cosplay at E3 isn't something that's often talked about and is usually reserved for PAX and Comic-Con every year. Well, over the years E3 has let the public into the event in larger numbers and as a result, cosplay has become an even stronger part of the week-long celebration of games.
As with any hobby, there are people who simply stand out. The following 10 cosplays from E3 2019 were the best of the best.
10 Dead By Daylight
Horror-based cosplay tends to stick to the staples of Michael Myers, Jason, and Freddy Krueger. Thanks to games like Five Nights At Freddy's and Resident Evil returning to survival horror, we're seeing a renewed interest in games in the horror genre and in turn, they're selling particularly well for being a niche genre of games. Dead By Daylight is a successful multiplayer game that features asymmetrical horror based gameplay. This cosplay really captures the terror of trying to turn on the engines and escape so you're not dead by daylight.
9 Yokai Kitchen
This is most likely the cosplay on the list that most people won't recognize. It's based on the Yokai Kitchen game which is a card-based mobile title that has the player preparing dishes for cute little animals. The term Yokai should be familiar for those who have tried out the Pokémon-inspired Yokai Watch series of games and entertainment.
Despite this cosplay being representative of a title not super popular or anticipated in the West, it's still a simple yet well-made representation of a world and its characters. The only thing missing is an adorable animal companion.
8 Final Fantasy 7
Thanks to the PlayStation State of Play in May, fans were expecting to see tons of Final Fantasy 7 Remake at E3 2019. Thankfully, Square Enix delivered a ton of details and gameplay for the long-awaited remake and fans lined up in droves to get a glimpse of the game slated for an early 2020 release. Fans were mostly anticipating the reveal of Tifa and her updated look for the remake.
It seems that fans were spot on about the upcoming reveal happening and managed to dress the part. Seeing Tifa in combat action was also a bonus for those awaiting her new model reveal.
7 Destroy All Humans
THQ Nordic seemingly out of nowhere announced a remaster of the beloved Destroy All Humans. Despite having a very strong cult following, the games have never sold particularly well. This is why the announcement of a remaster from the ground up came as such a huge surprise for fans. THQ Nordic has left game journalists stumped and confused at their business strategy, but it seems like the plan is to double down on the all but dissolved mid-tier AA gaming market. Time will tell if this was a smart long-term strategy, or simply history repeating itself.
6 Wario
It's hard to go 10 or 20 feet without running into a Mario or Luigi cosplayer at conventions throughout the year. It's the secondary and tertiary characters that pop up randomly that really bring a smile to those who find them.
Wario is a character who people either love or hate. He comes across as a grumpy and gross weirdo, but fans see him as the necessary inversion of everyone's beloved Mario. Deciding to dress up as the pointy mustached evil-doer is a bold choice many people will celebrate, but few will truly appreciate.
5 Assassin's Creed
The beauty of E3 is that it is a celebration of games past and present. Though there wasn't much new for Assassin's Creed during this year's E3, it didn't stop this gentleman from taking on the role of who seems to be Alexios from Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. Despite Kassandra being the overwhelming favorite choice for players, it's great to see this guy take on the role of a character he likes despite his lack of popularity. With all of the rumors swirling around, there might be a Norse or Viking inspired assassin to cosplay as in the coming years.
4 Fortnite
By now it's a joke that Fortnite is as large as it is. There are tons of streamers who are primarily making a name for themselves in the free-to-play battle royale phenomenon. Epic Games flexed their endless ocean of cash by decking out a large area of E3's show floor and dedicating it to Fortnite. This Care Bear inspired skin is one of the more popular ones the game has to offer and there's no surprise why it showed up at their gigantic E3 takeover stage. There were other character skins being cosplayed, but the pink bear was arguably the most noteworthy among them.
3 Lifeline
Apex Legends showcased to the wider world just how good Respawn Entertainment is at developing games. Titanfall 2 featured one of the best received first-person shooter campaigns of the current console generation and was lauded for its creativity, craftsmanship, and consistency.
Since Apex Legends is free-to-play it features a super accessible entry point for millions. Lifeline is the number one healer and many people's favorite character. This cosplay really captures her charismatic charm perfectly. Having the healing bot look like it's floating is a great touch as well.
2 Darksiders Genesis
Slightly before E3 2019 kicked off, publisher THQ Nordic revealed some new games they will be releasing in 2019 and beyond. One of these games was a Darksiders spinoff that was reminiscent of the Diablo games in its isometric dungeon-crawling gameplay reveal. It's called Darksiders Genesis and came as a welcome surprise to many people. The Darksiders community may be split on whether or not they want this spinoff, but the cosplay community seemed stoked. Group cosplay is always exciting, especially for a video game that came out of nowhere.
1 Apex Legends
Though Electronic Arts tend to put on the worst conference every E3, and even decided to skip a conference in 2019, they still featured some of the best cosplay of Apex Legends in the world. There was a cosplayer for each character in the game, including the new character who was announced the same day as the EA Play event in Los Angeles, CA. Group cosplay is often the most impressive considering it takes effort and planning from various moving parts over the course of weeks and months. Having all of these legends together in real life was an all-time great cosplay moment.