Airsoft replicas have long become a common element or base for props in LARP-type games as well as in cosplay. Meanwhile, the organizers of Pyrkon, the largest fantasy festival in Poland, have decided to introduce far-reaching changes to the festival regulations. These changes concern items and costumes that will no longer be allowed on the convention grounds starting with the 2026 edition.
According to the new regulations (points 21–28), it will be prohibited, among other things, to:
- bring in decorative weapons or weapon replicas, including airsoft guns (ASG),
- bring in any kind of melee weapons, including metal flats,
- wear uniforms made after, or modeled on, any real designs used after the year 1900.
Exceptions are made only for items made from materials such as plastic, foam, rubber, balsa wood, thermoplastic cosplay materials such as Worbla and its derivatives, as well as uniforms or costumes entirely inspired by fictional organizations.
According to information provided by the festival organizers, these changes are motivated by the desire to ensure “comfort” for all participants — “We realize that these are major changes, but we always prioritize your safety. We live in increasingly uncertain times, and among us are people for whom encountering weapons or uniforms may cause extreme discomfort. Thanks to these changes, every Pyrkon attendee will be able to feel safe.”
The changes to the festival’s regulations have caused quite a stir among fans of the convention, cosplay events, fantasy, and gaming. As is often the case in such situations, opinions are strongly divided. Supporters of the changes point to safety issues, especially in the context of various attacks at mass events held abroad that occasionally make the news. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that this is a form of discrimination against some participants of previous editions and that the changes will lead to the disappearance of attractions such as the medieval village, Stalkers, or “Resident Evil” from the event.
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Source: pyrkon.pl
