Magnificon Winter Expo 2024 is already over, however the excitement is still alive. Let’s revisit our first impressions of this festival. Saturday marked the official opening of the event, which featured numerous concerts, competitions, panels, and other attractions. Here’s what we managed to capture during the first day.
Fog as thick as curdled milk? Such minor inconveniences on the morning road to Magnificon couldn’t deter IndieGames from arriving at Expo Kraków right after the gates opened at 9:15. After picking up my accreditation, I had plenty of time to explore the numerous stands and attractions prepared for the day. And I must admit, there was a lot to see.
First stop: a panel about Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. We listened to a presentation about the history and development of the company, its most popular games, and also the controversies surrounding it. We also discussed issues like in-game transactions, DLC releases, and bug fixes. Iconic series like Diablo, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Starcraft were also mentioned, but mostly with a humorous twist.
After the panel, it was time for a Q&A session with international cosplay guests. Fans fired questions at Shunsuke from Switzerland, Ariderion from Serbia, Reika from Japan, and SayoChuu and SAB from Latvia. The cosplayers shared their experiences from competitions worldwide, inspirations for creating new costumes, and impressions of tasting Polish pierogi. SayoChuu and SAB even found a moment to talk to us about the beginnings of their careers, preparations for photo shoots, and gaming influences in their work – the interview will be available on our website.
At 2:00 PM, I joined the crowd at the main stage for the official opening of the event, followed by the Anime Symphony concert. An orchestra, soloists, vocalists, custom visuals, and timeless Japanese animations (including Sailor Moon, Attack on Titan, and Fairy Tail) combined to transport listeners into the world of their favorite anime. This became literal when the final piece, „The Rising Fighting Spirit”, turned the area in front of the stage into a race track. Members of Anime Symphony and the audience performed the legendary “Naruto Run” to the rhythm of the music. Naturally, I joined in, running afterward to meet the Anime Symphony team, where we learned about the behind-the-scenes details. You’ll find out more in our interview with Wiktor Kuliński, the mastermind behind this initiative, who also teased some plans for the near future.
Returning to gaming topics, the next panel focused on writing video game reviews. We approached this subject from two perspectives: the games themselves and the work of gaming journalists. We discussed classifying games into genres, evaluating their stories, and using access keys from publishers. The grand finale of this brainstorming session was meant to be a collaborative review, but it ended with jokes about IGN Poland’s review of Gothic II Complete Classic. Quoting the author: „6/10, it’s alright.”
That day, our gaming adventures extended beyond Gothic or World of Warcraft. Next on our schedule was a session on fashion design inspired by characters from Genshin Impact. We explored how the shape, color, and texture of clothing attract attention in gacha games and how this appeal resonates even with younger players. We also sought references to various cultures, architectural styles, and even modern fashion shows.
These distinctive elements were visible outside the panel too. In my free time, I happily visited the Genshin-themed village and its inhabitants (someone had to check if the tavern’s beer was real – sadly, it wasn’t). I also had the chance to drop by the Chunithm rhythm game tournament, where advanced players competed in a „dance battle royale”.
Saturday was filled with gaming, anime, and cosplay. The event kicked off at Naruto-running speed and didn’t slow down until the end of the day. It left us hungry for more adventures – we were eager to see if the second day would offer even more experiences and surprises. Spoiler: it did.
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