Games as Art and Content – Interview with Prince de Guzman

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This year’s Magnificon Expo featured far more gaming-related highlights than usual. Whether it was lectures on popular game series, competitions and tournaments played on various consoles, or musical performances featuring iconic soundtracks, attendees had plenty of opportunities to expand their gaming horizons. The spring edition of the convention also featured numerous meet-and-greets with creators and artists from around the world. One of the guests was cosplayer Prince de Guzman, who is known for his transformations spanning various areas of pop culture, including video games. 

Prince de Guzman is a Filipino cosplayer and content creator known as the master of transformation. He is best known for his designs inspired by horror, anime, and gaming, which he created as part of official collaborations with major film and gaming studios and producers. He has worked on projects with companies such as Riot, Blizzard, and Garena on titles like League of Legends and the Diablo series, and has also collaborated with Warner Bros., Netflix, and Disney+. 

We had the opportunity to talk to him about his interest in gaming, both in his personal life and in his professional activities, the challenges of creating technical cosplays from scratch, as well as unique aspects of content creation today. 

The description on the Magnificon website states that you specialize in transformations inspired by horror, anime, and games. If you had to choose which of these areas is closest to your heart, which one would you pick? 

Of course, I’d choose horror. Horror is my home; that’s where my adventure really began. I first became interested in art through horror movies – I wasn’t scared while watching them, but instead, I was curious about what was happening behind the camera.

Your journey really took off after you were spotted by Warner Bros. – how do you look back on those experiences?  

It was a very humbling experience, because at the time I was on the verge of giving up on my dreams and taking a corporate job, since I thought that creating content wouldn’t provide me with a stable source of income. But I really love makeup, so I decided to do one more cosplay, this time as Pennywise, and that’s when Warner Bros. discovered me, and the rest is history. So, every time I feel like giving up, I remind myself of that moment. It’s life-changing. 

In addition to Warner Bros., you’ve also collaborated with Netflix and Disney+. What’s it like to work behind the scenes with such major players in the film and television industry? 

Of course, that put quite a bit of pressure on me, because I had to maintain the quality of my work while also taking into account feedback from these companies. I had to consider intellectual property issues and also try to be careful to stay true to the characters’ personalities and all that. So, yes, it wasn’t easy, but it was an honor for me to work on various projects with these big brands. 

Let’s not forget about the gaming industry either – after all, not everyone can boast of collaborations with Riot, Blizzard, or Garena. 

The truth is, I got into gaming a bit late. I’ve loved games since I was a kid, but my family couldn’t afford things like consoles or other equipment back then. It’s only now, since I’ve started earning my own money, that I can enjoy a PlayStation or a Game Boy. I only started playing a few years ago because I started working early – I worked during college and even before graduating from high school to pay for my education. So, now I finally have the chance to just enjoy all of this, and that’s why it was a real honor for me to work with these developers and publishers. It was a bit intimidating at first, but I felt very fulfilled.

In one of your interviews, you mentioned that you have fond memories of cosplaying as Gunzo from Call of Duty, because it introduced you to other games-related cosplays. How did this project come about? 

Call of Duty Mobile was the game my friends and I turned to during the pandemic. We played it practically all day and all night. We had the luxury of being able to devote time to it because we were in lockdown and there was nothing else to do. And Gunzo immediately became my favorite character since he’s a clown, he’s scary, and he laughs like Pennywise. So, when the developers of Call of Duty Mobile reached out to me, I was very happy to cosplay as Gunzo for them. After that, other gaming companies started contacting me, so this was a project that opened many doors for me. 

In addition to Call of Duty, your portfolio includes collaborations on Diablo and League of Legends – do you have a favorite among these well-known titles?

Actually, I love them all, so it’s really hard for me to pick a favorite. But right now, I’m having a blast playing another title: Honor of Kings. It’s a mobile game that’s currently huge in the Philippines. So, I’d say that’s my favorite game right now, since I play it the most. 

And which one of your projects has been the most challenging, and why? 

The biggest challenge for me was portraying Vecna from Stranger Things and the Predator from Predator: Badlands. It was really tough due to a full-face makeup look and prosthetics. Creating content with all of that going on at once is a huge challenge, so when I finished those projects, I told myself that right now, I can do anything. 

Since we’re on the subject of prosthetics and technical elements, which are often highlighted as your trademark, can you tell us how do you usually approach creating them? 

First and foremost, no two costumes are exactly alike. While the creative process is the same – we sculpt and sew – every costume we make is different, always unique. That’s why I always start by delving into the character and the way they move. I wonder, for example, how a given character would translate into a live-action film, especially when it comes to games that haven’t yet been adapted for the screen.  

I also usually try to imagine: if this character were real, what would they look like? How would they behave? And based on the answers I come up with, I create textures in my head: I try to visualize them, try to translate the ideas into fabric. And that’s always the first step. But the middle of the process is always different – it’s always a crazy, wild ride until I figure everything out. 

You’ve also done cosplays with your partner – does your perspective or your approach change when you’re not working solo? 

In general, I love collaborating with artists, both when it comes to cosplay and other forms of art, because it really sparks my imagination. But what’s unique about collaborating with an artist you’re close to is that you have more creative possibilities at your disposal. 

With my partner Awie, we can do couple cosplays or famous character duos – for example, we plan to portray Garp and Coby from One Piece – and in moments like these, it’s not just work for us, but also a great opportunity to spend time together. So, I always believe that artists should collaborate with their peers, because it helps them spark creativity, especially when it comes to people they love. 

You both have gained popularity online thanks to your projects – how do you manage to balance being a creator with being a content creator? Do you try to maintain a certain balance, or do these areas complement each other? 

Actually, you have to strike a balance, and I used to have a lot of trouble with that. Of course, at first I felt overwhelmed, because being a cosplayer and an artist is one thing, but creating content is a whole different matter. And if your content is about art, your energy and motivation will depend on inspiration, and during periods of burnout – on how you handle it. 

Your main job requires a lot of soul and creativity, so you have to maintain balance to avoid burnout. When I had my first burnout, it was hard for me to get back on track as an artist afterward, so when I recovered, I told myself I wouldn’t let it happen again. So, everything has to be balanced: I have to do what I love, and I have to do what my audience loves just as much. 

With nearly 1.8 million YouTube subscribers and 1.7 million TikTok followers, do you feel the pressure of having such a large audience on a daily basis? 

Of course, I feel the pressure. I believe that being a content creator is a responsibility. It’s like a superpower – you have to be careful to inspire kindness as much as possible, but at the same time, I want to take creative risks and show the audience my own strength. So, it’s important to have a healthy relationship with your community. Right now, I can say that I still feel the pressure, but not as much as I used to – I’m somewhere between not caring about what people say and truly loving those who support me. 

You now have the opportunity to meet fans in person at Magnificon Expo. What are your impressions of these meetings so far? 

A moment ago, a girl was crying here, and I was trying my hardest to hold back my tears, because she said she’d watched my inspirational videos, and they’d really helped her. It was truly amazing, and honestly, Magnificent is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, one of those where I received the warmest welcome. 

You’ll also have a panel here on content creation in 2026 – what’s the most important piece of advice you want to share? 

The most important thing is to stop thinking that the world of content creation is oversaturated. It’s true that there are thousands of cosplayers and other artists online, but even though we create the same kind of content, each of us has a different story to tell. So, there’s no need to get discouraged right from the start, because everyone has a chance to stand out with their story and share it with the world.