A Thematic Fan Festival for Gamers
Dark Souls Fest is a conceptual event designed specifically for the Dark Souls video game fanbase. Inspired by "Return to Lordran," the community-run online event where players start fresh playthroughs together for cooperative play, this festival acts as a physical extension of that camaraderie. It offers fans a dedicated space to connect in person and celebrate their shared love for the franchise, much like a traditional fan convention.
Technical Considerations
Logistics
This three-day event would be hosted at the Los Angeles Convention Center and feature both English and Spanish print materials to reflect local demographics and ensure wider accessibility.
IP Separation & Community Identity
While celebrating the game, the festival's primary focus is its community. To distinguish the event from the grim tone of Dark Souls, the visual identity takes a more playful and inviting approach centered on the community's core concept of "jolly cooperation."
Visual Aesthetic
The design language is bold and playful, featuring a warm color palette and high-contrast silhouettes of recognizable in-game motifs.
Verbal Tone
The phrasing style is a deliberate mix of archaic language similar to the game's official world-building, the in-game player message sentence structure, and popular community lingo.
Immersiveness
The design system focuses on player immersion and perspective. By translating gameplay mechanics and community references into physical details, the festival encourages a rich role-playing atmosphere. Attendees are not treated as spectators, but as the main characters of the event, mirroring how players experience the games.
Badge Design
The ID ticket badges for each day of the festival features one of the three iconic cover art knights from the Dark Souls trilogy, paired with the respective titles players earn in-game: the "Chosen Undead" for Day 1, the "Bearer of the Curse" for Day 2, and the "Ashen One" for Day 3. The special pass design combines all three knights alongside the "Lord of Cinder" title, earned upon beating the game. The back of the badge displays the ticket details styled after the in-game character status menu.
Back of badge (left) and in-game status UI (right).
Program Guide
Shaped like a sword, the festival program guide draws attendees directly into the festival with their own "weapon," for a playful role-playing experience . Every detail, from the custom icons and word choice, to the scheduled events and renamed map locations across the Los Angeles Convention Center, serves as an intentional nod to the game franchise and its community.
Wayfinding
The festival entrance takes inspiration from the in-game fog gates to bring the game's world-building to life for an immersive environmental experience for attendees. The design features an old stone archway with a bonfire in the background to make visitors feel as if they are about to step directly into the another world.
The wayfinding signage is designed to reference various elements from the game, including weapons, items, locations, and lore. These designs feature the same festival map icons to ensure a cohesive navigational system across the physical space.
Merch apparel and desk pad designs.
A promotional banner for the Steam Community Page, a post for social media, and a conceptual promotion design based on the in-game messaging system to reach the gaming target demographic.
