IRL BioWare ‘Anthem’ Javelin Suits At E3 2018: Tips For Future Cosplayers

BioWare teased future Anthem players with another trailer and more details about the game at E3 2018. Besides footage and information, the gaming company also had a little surprise for future Anthem gamers. The game developer gave gamers the experience of actually touching and seeing real Javelin suits, like the ones they would be using in Anthem.

BioWare had Henchman Studios in Toronto, Canada, make a real Javelin suit for each class: the Ranger, Storm, Interceptor, and Colossus. Each of the suits were life-size and had the same exact features as the ones gamers would use in Anthem.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when cosplaying as a Javelin in the future.

Tip No.1: Plan At Least Six Months In Advance

According to EA’s official website, these IRL Javelin suit took some time and a lot of dedication before they were ready to showcase at E3 2018. It took several months to just plan out production and make prototypes for each Javelin.

Given that a cosplayer would most likely be making only one of these suits, it would probably be safe to plan at least six months in advance. First, study the Javelin suit you would like to bring to life — every detail. Then think of the materials you would need to make the suit.

Tip No. 2: Save, Save, Save

Once you have a set plan, it would be easier to see what you need and how much everything will cost. Then it is time to save up.

Tip No. 3: Take The Time To Search For Inexpensive But Sturdy Materials

BioWare seems to have spared no expense when making the IRL Javelin Suits. For the Ranger, Storm and Interceptor suits, Henchmen Studios used cast plastic, finished PLA, and ABS 3D prints to make certain armour pieces.

While the materials that Henchmen Studios used had fantastic results, there are cheaper materials cosplayers can use to get the same aesthetic. For instance, Mark Pearson was able to make a truly breathtaking Iron Man suit with just sheets of recyclable cardboard and fiberglass, reported Gizmodo.

Day 3
Let’s do this #EAPLAY pic.twitter.com/n9WdtnUnpB

— BioWare (@bioware) June 11, 2018

Tip No. 4: Think About Making the Suits Life-Sized

The Javelin suits built for E3 were worn by real performers. The suits may need to be tweaked a bit for future Javelin cosplayers because there are some design features which may not be suitable for cosplayers.

For instance, the Javelin suits were fitted with stilts to adhere to the true dimensions of the suits in the game. All the suits except the Colossus stood at seven-feet, two-inches tall. The Colossus Javelin stood at eight-feet, five-inches tall. Padding needed to be added to the suits to help the performers adjust to the additional height.

Anthem may just be BioWare’s next biggest hit, and here are high expectations for the game. If BioWare does manage to deliver an outstanding game, there is no doubt that cosplayers will make Javelin suits similar to the ones featured at E3 2018.