A GAMER who entered the Cosplay world at 16 has been nominated for an Esports Awards.

The ceremony, taking place in Arlington, Texas, recognises excellence in Esports and showcases ‘top class performance’ from players, teams, media, hardware providers, games, events, and personalities within the scene.

Francesca Sheldon, 21, is hoping to clinch title ‘Cosplay of the Year’ after being nominated. She is the first Welsh person to be nominated for an Esports Award.

Francesca, whose Cosplay name is FusRoFran, said: “When I was 16. I attended my first Comic Con in July 2016 where I actually met my now fiancé Mike. Since then, I’ve created countless costumes from my favourite games and I specialise in big armour sets. I often collaborate with big companies; recently I worked with Marvel and LADBible to advertise the new Avengers game.

“I also worked with Bethesda Game Studios (the creators of The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, The Evil Within etc) and visited their studios to do promo for The Elder Scrolls VI. I also worked with Bethesda at the Hammersmith Apollo in London as their official Fallout cosplayer for the War Child orchestra concert.

Denbighshire Free Press:

Filming with Marvel and LADBible for the new Avengers game

“I travel around the UK at all of the major conventions as a guest and I get to give panels and workshops on creating costumes and how I got into the industry. I also judge competitive costuming competitions and have booths where people can meet me. Within four months I had four magazine publications, one of which was a two page spread

“Cosplay started out as a hobby. I was always the ‘nerdy’ child throughout school and never really enjoyed stereotypically girly things.

“It means the absolute world to me to be recognised as a finalist among some of the most incredible people in the industry who I’ve looked up to for as long as I can remember.”

“The nomination itself was completely unexpected and I am so incredibly grateful.”

Francesca, of Rhyl, attended St Brigid’s School in Denbigh before studying English Literature at Bangor University.

“I still live in Rhyl where I bought my first house last year,” she said.

Denbighshire Free Press:

On stage panelling at EGX as a guest

“It’s almost difficult to distinguish the cosplay me from the ‘real life’ me because, even outside of the industry, I’m an avid gamer and nerd culture is essentially my life.

“I have so much respect for the cosplay community and I am so proud to be a part of it. Most movies have budgets of hundreds of thousands of pounds. The cosplay community recreates these costumes often on shoestring budgets to an incredible standard.”

Francesca said the nomination for the Esports Awards came out of the blue.

“The public nominate people they believe deserve the award and then each nominee is assessed by a panel of judges who are some of the industry’s finest,” she added.

“They assess the quality of the work, the craftsmanship, the accuracy, the skills used and also the impact on the industry and wider world. So it’s even more of an honour to be nominated as it means an esteemed panel of judges picked my work to be among the best of the best.

“Previous nominees for the award include people with millions of followers such as Jessica Nigri [an American cosplay enthusiast, promotional and glamour model] so it’s surreal to be named this year.”

Due to the current pandemic, Francesca is unable to attend the ceremony that takes place this November.

“I am gutted to not be walking my first ever red carpet, but I’ve been able to film a preliminary acceptance speech if I am to win and the team at the Esports Awards have been so amazingly accommodating,” she said.

“Winning the category would mean the world to me. I started this journey for fun and truly, everything that’s come from it has been a bonus and a blessing.

“For the past four years I’ve dedicated my life to the community and the industry so winning the award would be the greatest affirmation.

“I was teased a lot in high school for being the nerdy girl who never really fitted in. Now being a finalist in the biggest awards ceremony for the same things I was bullied for is such a full circle moment.

“Cosplay is my greatest passion and hobby. Not only do I get to enjoy the craft and portraying my favourite characters, I also take great pleasure in helping others,” she added.

“Whether it’s through panels, workshops, magazine articles or being a figure for body positivity and mental health awareness, I love trying to be the role model I needed when I was younger.”

Vote for Francesca at Click category Esports Cosplay of the Year and Fusrofran.