Wintersday Contest Winners Announced

I like all the winning entries. But I have one criticism towards the number one entry. It looks more like a Dwayna themed hat to me than a Grenth themed hat.

Well they got next years already done, so they can keep working on GW2 and do not have to worry about it! Just a though, i could be wrong...I entered as well, but lets just say mine look like trash compaired to theres.

Darksun you got my vote!! LOVE the whole Candycane reindeer skull thing, perfect for Grenth imho. Maybe the green bit dyeable.....yup I likes it

I'm so excited to finally see all the designs, they all rock!

Yeah, I definately have to agree with you there.

Personally I think #5 is the best with the head in a snowglobe haha I would have loved to see tons of those running around Kamadan. The winner was nice also, I'm just a bit disappointed because it's my opinion that #5 is much more entertaining.

Info on the hat (and I thought it was pretty clear ):

There will be two hats this year. No need to jump between towns four times to get all the hats. There are a total of nine finale events that take place in two towns: Lion's Arch and Kamadan. The "battle" takes place between two gods -- Dwayna and Grenth -- and each of them will give you one hat (one hat, no matter what town you're in), if that god is the winner of that district's battle.

The Grenth hat will be based on Nian's design. The second hat, from Dwayna, have been designed by our art team. The other hats on the contest winners page are from folks who will get prizes, but those hats will not be in the game.

Next year, I hope to be able to have another contest. Who knows? We may have a player-designed Dwayna hat. Or another Grenth hat. Or maybe both!

Edit to add: Grenth is the god of Ice and Death. The winning hat -- and many entered in the contest -- was very well themed. When you see Dwayna's, you'll have no difficulty knowing whose is whose.

Yes she is, she's a very talented artist. You can see some of her work over Nolani Academy of Arts

Congratulations to the winners! Can't wait to see what the design team has designed for the Dwayna hat and how they've adapted Nian's hat.

And Darksun, Kiya, Redd and Kha, I like your hats a lot. They're all very imaginative IMO.

Any chance of seeing any other of the top hats used some time in the future? No offense, but to me the grand prize winner is nothing special. In fact, I can honestly say that the other entries were above and beyond it, the winning hat is bland and unoriginal. The other hats, especially second and 4th place, are very well designed and I would much rather seem them in the game over the run-of-the-mill crown.

My mesmer really wants hat #6

I think what my criticism (it's a very minor criticism since I DO like that hat) is based on is that even though Grenth is the god of Ice, just linking a hat to the Ice theme doesnt automatically link it to Grenth since this IS a Wintersday theme, whether it's Dwayna or Grenth. Both would be icy in some way yes? Look at Dwayna's snowman cap from last year. And there's really no other link to Grenth in the winning hat entry other than ice. Anyway, I'm not bashing it. It just feels and looks more Dwayna to me and the other entries felt more "Grenth."

Yay Nian! :: hugs :: Nian does such beautiful artwork, go see it if you haven't already. And she is always so nice! Congrats to all the winners and runners up, I can't wait to get hats this year! (okay so I can never really wait to get hats)

I realize in retrospect that my hat, a wreath of junni berries, is more fitting for Dwayna. *lol* Nice entries all.

Thanks to those who liked my attempt, it does make it worth the effort.

And Im happy I already have my Wintersday hat. (I don't have the guts to wear it in public, just in the backyard with the kids. They get a real kick out of it.)

Well I like all the entries, its a shame number 5 won't be in the game.

I'd love to see Crom with a globe on his bald head, call me Mr. Freeze

I like the winning hat, (I was gonna do an ice crown but I thought it was too Dwayna-ish) but I agree that ice is everywhere on winters's day. I think the reason so many people used bones & antlers is that ice doesn't say "Grenth". Personally, I'd rather have the winning crow for Dwayna & #4 for Grenth!
In any case, the winner makes me wanna make a female Ele, get the crystal gauntlets & the crown and freeze stuff@!

Nian's concept is fabulous. I really hope they find a way to not make you bald while wearing it, even if it requires a static male and female hair type. It would be even better if they make it so you can keep your hair.

However, if number 2 is a mask, like it appears to be, that would be an awesome look for characters.

As for the snowglobe, I'm not sure sure if i hate or love it, however i do find it funny.

Overall great concepts and really well done. And for the most part they are in the order i would rank them. Except for the maybe the reindeer one, which should be switched with fourth place.

Fourth place on a scale of detail and artistic rendering however IMO is tied with Nian's for overall winner.

The hats will be 10 times more popular if they have AL

All of them are beautiful, but number 3 and 5 have the best idea (IMHO), hope they are animated, blinking nose and snowflakes in the snow globe woot


at last no wings! :|

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MENTION.

I hope the crown doesn't make you bald, those hats always look awful on female characters...

The Ice Crown and the Snow Globe Hate are 100% win. The rest are good too, as long as I get one of these, I'm a happy camper.