Aloy, Cosplay Assignment

Holly Bartels, T00663819 

VISA 1500 

Dr. Terryl Atkins 

10/17/21  

Assignment 2: Cosplay 

When the first look at the PlayStation exclusive game, Horizon Zero Dawn (2017), was released in 2015, this inspired Norwegian cosplayer Anne Torstensen to immerse herself in the main character Aloy, (“PlayStation Europe,” 00:00:08-00:00:15). Anne, now 28, has been a cosplayer for some time under the social media name Ibelinn Cosplay. She got started back in 2013, 4 years before portraying Aloy in cosplay, (“PlayStation Europe,” 00:00:33-00:00:38). In the game, Aloy sports intricate outfits with some having many layers. This was a challenge for Anne to create from scratch, taking around 5 months to finish her hand-crafted cosplay, (“PlayStation Europe,” 00:01:13-00:01:22). In the PlayStation Europe’s feature and interview video, Anne mentions it would have taken much longer if Guerrilla Games (creating company of the game) had not released a cosplay guide, allowing fans access to a range of detailed reference photos of Aloy and her equipment, (PlayStation Europe,” 00:02:29-00:02:50). 

In the image above, we have Ibelinn Cosplay in her Aloy costume, possibly in a sitting pose outside. The image is of excellent quality, taken by a professional photographer (something many dedicated cosplayers do). The location being outside and near what looks to be a forest, evokes the location and feeling of the game to players, placing the character in her natural habitat. How she is sitting and what is pictured within the frame of the photograph is true to Aloy’s character as well, since it is not sexual or trying to accentuate the female features of her body. The blurring of the background allows for the viewer to focus on the detail of the outfit and wig. 

The cosplaying of Aloy is quite popular, especially with those who are female gamers. Aloy is a character that female gamers and non-gamers alike see as a positive role model for young girls, Anne voicing this opinion as well in one of her appreciation Facebook posts, (Ibelinn Cosplay). Her character goes against feminine stereotypes of reserved behaviour and the female objectification designs in video games, (Forni p. 92). Her body physique and outfits demonstrate this, with muscled arms and aesthetically pleasing yet covering outfits that still retain situational functionality as she runs, climbs, rides and fights outdoors in different weather and temperature, (Forni p. 92). 

In Forni’s paper on how videogames could be utilized as a tool for gender education and stereotype combating, she goes over how Aloy and her game break ‘traditional’ gender stereotypes with some female and male characters partaking in both traditional roles and the ruling systems for the tribes varying with Aloy’s people being led by a matriarchy, (p. 91, 93-94, 96-97). Forni also states that the game passes the Bechdel test, (p. 95), which was mentioned in last week’s lecture. 

Media’s influence on Ibelinn Cosplay, specifically that of videogames, has had a positive effect on her, as she states that portraying Aloy at fan events like Comic Con, has allowed her to have great interactions with people (fans of the game and not) and given her lasting friendships within the cosplaying community over in Europe with those who love the character, (Ibelinn Cosplay). 

 References 

Forni, Dalila. “Horizon Zero Dawn: The Educational Influence of Video Games in Counteracting  Gender Stereotypes.” ToDIGRA, vol. 5, no. 1, Dec. 2019, pp. 91-97. http://todigra.org/index.php/todigra/article/view/111/158 . Accessed 13 October 2021. 

“Horizon Zero Dawn | Becoming Aloy: Ibelinn Cosplay – Part 1 | PS4.” YouTube, uploaded by PlayStation Europe, 23 Jan. 2017,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQIhH2RgKCA . Accessed 15 October 2021. 

Ibelinn Cosplay. Guerrilla Games and Aloy appreciation post. Facebook, 6 Mar. 2017, https://m.facebook.com/125657114311775/photos/a.125703737640446/618123071731841/?type=3&__cft__%5B0%5D=AZXvBNa0JKJJKkTIG7Qh_KqO45h_f7qMp_mIam8h-qOAyBtB08_k_Gg5irwfZnEtWbpVde3-tbftXx1rKQuMvwgXn19lwYm4oVXqqzs1Nwf_YYXCEBs5izTBl70jJjd52dmPMXU91XIPnOMkFiJ1E6xb8e0kZorSEFoRI1aS0rNSHM-Gi9N7tHWFMaqk2WPkKHE&__tn__=EH-R . Accessed 15 October 2021.