All dressed up for the parts

New console, better game

Snapshots from ChinaJoy 2014

For a long time, cosplayers in China have chosen to imitate characters from games they like. Yang Zhihao, 23, a recent graduate, is one of them.

He attracted a lot of attention at the expo dressed as a character from the Japanese game Final Fantasy, and was stopped repeatedly by people wanting a photo with him.

"Final Fantasy is a real classic among many players. I have been playing it for nearly 10 years and that's why I am a huge fan. It's really hot in here to be wearing this heavy costume, but I am really enjoying it. This is awesome and it is really nice that everyone is having fun here," he says.

With the rise of the Chinese gaming companies, however, games produced by Chinese developers are getting an equally enthusiastic following.

According to the China Gaming Industry Report released at the opening of China Joy, the revenue for online games developed by China has surged 41.3 percent to reach 34.3 billion yuan ($5.5 billion). The growing popularity of local games has produced a new cast of characters for the cosplayers.

Xiao Ban, 21, is one of these.

In a hall crammed with people smelling of sweat and testosterone, Xiao is like a statue no one can miss. He stands absolutely still, staring ahead soberly, his face painted paper-white. He is dressed in a heavy leather jacket, and he holds a sickle-like weapon, eyes glittering like a vampire.

"This is my original work. I have taken inspiration from a lot of games from both home and abroad. My face is like a clown and I am wearing horns. To look more like a vampire, I am wearing red contacts. It is not very comfortable, but it's worthwhile.

"Check out the people watching me. I am feeling super cool now," he says.