Amid the March of the Lich King hype is the Hearthstone Death Knight Cosplay Contest! Here’s how to enter and where to get some inspiration.

While the hype for Hearthstone's March of the Lich King expansion continues, there's also something exciting happening for cosplayers! The Hearthstone Death Knight Cosplay Contest is running from now until the entry deadline of December 21st.

Arthas Menethil became the Lich King in Warcraft. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.
Arthas Menethil became the Lich King in Warcraft. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.

Hearthstone Death Knight Cosplay Contest

This contest did not just arrive randomly. Hearthstone actually teased it last month in a Tweet, and users had to solve a puzzle by filling in the blanks.

While some players guessed “cosplay contest” correctly, there were also amusing contenders. A couple of these include “Coldplay concert” and “company context” in jest. 

Death Knight cosplay contest categories

The cosplay contest has four categories, including Armor, Needlework, Death Knight and Goblin Craft. As for the cosplay itself, it should include identifiable elements of Hearthstone or a character from the Warcraft franchise.

Fans showcased their dedication to cosplay at BlizzConline 2021. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.
Fans showcased their dedication to cosplay at BlizzConline 2021. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.

Below are the prize details for each of these categories.

  • Armor Category: 3 Finalists
    • First place will win “Best in Category” and be awarded $1,500.00 and a custom category medal.
  • Needlework Category: 3 Finalists
    • First place will win “Best in Category” and be awarded $1,500.00 and a custom category medal.
  • Death Knight Category: 3 Finalists
    • First place will win “Best in Category” and be awarded $1,500.00 and a custom category medal.
  • Goblin Craft (Cardboard and Duct Tape) Category: 1 Winner
    • This winner will be awarded $500.00 and a custom medal.

Death Knight crown and mysterious judges 

The top three “Best in Category” champions, with the exception of Goblin Craft, can also take part in the “Best in Show” competition. Whoever becomes the “Best in Show” winner receives an extra $5,000. They also get a custom crown inspired by the Death Knight class. This crown is designed by Hoku Props.

Some inspiration for the cosplay contest. This image features Garona Halforcen. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.
Some inspiration for the cosplay contest. This image features Garona Halforcen. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.

As for who’s hosting the event, they’re Tock Custom and Ultimate Cosplay. More information about who’s judging the competition is coming soon, according to Blizzard

In the meantime, there is a hint for those who want to put their detective caps on like Murloc Holmes. The hint is: “German Lionheart Potato.”

How to enter the Hearthstone cosplay contest

There are important criteria that interested cosplayers should meet before they enter the Hearthstone Death Knight Cosplay Contest. Some of those conditions include the following:

  • The cosplay must be 100% complete.
  • Only 10% or less of the visible cosplay can be store-bought.
  • No music should be included in the submission video. 

Again, these are only a few of the listed rules. The full list is available via Blizzard’s official rulebook for the contest. After reading the terms and conditions, an eligible participant can submit their entry via this Blizzard form

Alkali, Hearthstone’s Community Manager, also posted a useful thread over on Twitter. Alkali is a cosplayer as well! Some of her past cosplays include Valeera, a Vaporeon gijinka and Wonder Woman.

Cosplay inspiration

Folks who want some inspiration can check out Blizzard’s cosplay reference guides:

Cosplay contest inspiration. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.
Cosplay contest inspiration. Image via Blizzard Entertainment.

Remember that the entry deadline is December 21st at 11:59 p.m. PST. As for the Hearthstone cosplay contest finals, they will be live on Twitch on January 6th, 2023.

Until then, stay tuned on Esports.gg for more Hearthstone news and updates!