When Worlds Collide: Gaming Culture At Anime NYC 2024

Throughout its three days, Anime NYC connected all kinds of anime enjoyers, whether they are casual watchers or hardcore fans. Ultimately, Anime NYC served as a bridge for people to bond over what they love and create memorable experiences. 

This past August, the Anime NYC worked on drawing in another niche audience — gamers. In the same way it reaches anime fans, Anime NYC 2024 worked on reaching gaming fans through panels, booths, and cosplay contests. The Gaming Hall also stayed open after hours until 10 p.m., allowing attendees to enjoy their stay a bit more once the convention closed at 7 p.m. 

Bigger and Better With Booths and Games

Gfuel, known as gaming fuel known as gaming fuel to hydrate and energize, was a new sponsor for Anime NYC. This year, Gfuel provided themed flavors and shaker bottles for franchises like Naruto, Megaman, and Dragon Ball Z. Their new flavor, Miso Ramen, made an appearance too, which can be used alongside fans’ favorite ramen.

Triforce Cosplay and Accessories has been a consistent vendor for many conventions, providing weapons and accessories for a wide range of cosplayers — even for the niche ones. This year, Triforce offered a special selection at their booth, including resin and movable parts. You would have found them in a spotlight that doesn’t match the others with walls displaying swords, guns, and staves props, as well as a crew with a mission to expand each year.

And who can forget about the talented creators at the Artist Alley? Anime NYC 2024 saw veteran and new artists presenting not only their love for anime but also their love for games through charms, stickers, and prints. 

Developers, Gamers, and More in Hall 1B

Playcrafting, the host of the Play NYC Convention, brought an 80,000 square foot gaming hall to their ninth year at Anime NYC. This allowed gaming to live longer in the convention (usually Play NYC lasts two days; this year it was a three-day event.) Hall 1B of the Javits Center featured many indie game creators in their developing games. 

This area showcased games that are in development, building anticipation for when they are officially released. Current and new fans were able to sit in and explore various lines of genres that are to offer. These categories included — but were not limited to — fighting games, escape rooms, and roleplay with interesting and deep messages behind the content, team, and process. 

Here are some of EnVi’s favorite picks from the Gaming Hall:

Dojo City

Presented by native New Yorkers, Atlantic Games featured their game Dojo City. A 3D fighting game, Dojo City’s look and feel was inspired by the atmosphere the creators grew up in. It is reimagined in modern day New York City with an addition of “out-of-control martial arts dojos.” Some of the game’s elements and features can be discovered through hidden gems around the fighting map like advertising billboards. Players can also discover charms such as hidden equipables that can be found in boxes along the map as well as hidden abilities. Dojo City plans to expand their zones in other locations and promote their game to audiences across the city. 

AI2U: With You ‘Til The End

AI2U: With You ‘Til The End, a first-person escape room game, presents the player in a good, bad, and even neutral ending explored with your Yandere girlfriend who will always be by your side! Developed by AlterStaff, their journey started with a popular demo called Yandere AI Girlfriend Simulator, which gained 300 million views across all platforms globally. They have incorporated AI-powered companionship that allows you to craft your personal narrative in plotting your escape. Thus, AlterStaff has expanded what the fans love in AI2U with new levels and characters. 

Signal Creek

Signal Creek is a visual novel told in a top-RPG format where characters have to face their deepest regrets. Players control the main character, Nour, and learn more about her, as well as her brother and mentor, as they explore and grow from their deepest regrets. The company, snacktime games, is a company of eight people formed in 2022 and started out as a capstone project. Developed by friends during college, the friend dynamic helps contribute to the open communication found in the team that keeps the drive going for their games. 

Dirty Work

Dirty Work is a 2D shooting and cleaning game led by a team of students from NYU, called Rinse & Repeat, with a mission to make a positive impact on the world. Set in a dystopian world, the player wields a water gun as they battle through grimy dungeons, highlighting the importance of environmental preservation. The character’s actions with water and soap creates an impact by gutting out homes and eliminating enemies made out of muck. 

EnVi’s Gaming Cosplay Picks

Fans came out in full force for their favorite franchises this year, filling River Pavilion 4 with a number of cosplay contests and the annual Cosplay Masquerade. This year’s lineup featured 10 different events where people could meet and forge new friendships over their interests. 

Yakuza, Like a Dragon franchise met up on a Friday with a notable presence of fans dressed as the iconic recurring characters Kiryu Kazuma, Majima Goro, and other unique appearances, making it impossible to miss them throughout the convention. With the highly-anticipated game announcement from Sega alongside their live action film, fans celebrated their favorite series. The spirited portrayal of characters had energized the pavilion as cosplayers shared the games’ intense and dramatic narratives. It was a powerful experience to connect with fellow fans who share a passion for the series’ gritty stories and complex characters. 

Baldur’s Gate fans also were in high spirits this year, having two dedicated cosplay meetups that drew enthusiastic crowds. As the Game of the Year of 2023, with nine nominations and six wins, its popularity soared throughout the convention. These events were a testament to the game’s impact as fans united over their love for the compelling characters that this game has imprinted on the community. 

As for the Final Fantasy cosplayers, the meetup included all games across the final fantasy franchise, including Kingdom Hearts and crossover series like NieR: Automata. Among the many cosplayers who attended, a majority were inspired by and came in for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth after its release in February this year (and which won the most-anticipated game). With the inspiring atmosphere of the game’s soundtracks and organization, the host of the meetup Anderson Blitz helped incorporate the main reason they were there in the first place. Although each game universe is different, all the cosplayers shared a common — and empowering — goal: saving the world, or multiple worlds, from approaching doom.

On Sunday morning, the Ace Attorney cosplayers made sure they had their moment in the spotlight, despite Nintendo also holding a meetup at the same time. They gathered around the pavilion as the day drew to a close, electric as the signature “Objection” echoed through the hall. The fans came together with the variety of characters for group photos, adding to the vibrant and celebratory feeling of the meetup. 

Honorable Mentions and Memes

Not to miss out on the action, cosplayers on the floor of the convention made a marvelous appearance despite not having a designated cosplay meetup. Their dedication to their cosplay craft created show-stopping moments while walking around the venue.

A fandom can’t be a fandom without the memes that come with it. Throughout the convention, comedy was kept alive through inside jokes and references from various shows and franchises. When worlds collide, a tapestry of humor and creativity emerges, forging a unique blend of laughter and camaraderie as fans joined together in unexpected and delightful ways. 

Joining In On the Fun

If you have debated whether or not Anime NYC is a convention worth attending, EnVi hopes this piece can give a glimpse of what could be experienced in the next few years. In addition, it was revealed by Anime NYC on Instagram that the 2025 convention will take place on August 22–24. Keep up to date with the reveals and updates on Anime NYC’s Instagram, X, and Facebook.

Want to read more about Anime NYC? Read our overall coverage of this year’s convention here!