Community Spotlight - Crofty Cosplay

The spotlight shines on marvellous Madame Olivia cosplayer Kyra, also known as Crofty Cosplay!

The weather may be getting colder and the days darker, but our trusty Community Spotlight is still kicking and ready to brighten the mood. The community member we focus on today has made a bit of a name for herself in the Sea of Thieves community through expertise in the craft that is cosplay - no easy feat given the amount of work, dedication and skill that goes into it!

The creative corsair we’re talking about is Kyra, known to many as Crofty Cosplay, who first gained attention through a magnificently moody Madame Olivia creation. We caught up with her to find out more about how she pulled it off, how her cosplay journey began and where she wants to take it next. Kyra, the floor is yours!

Spoilers: Kyra's creative capabilities don't stop at cosplay!

[Q]: Can you tell us a little bit about what got you into gaming?

[A]: I grew up on gaming. My brother and I had an original Nintendo (which rarely worked) and Super Nintendo, but we really got into it with the first PlayStation as well as Nintendo 64. My love for gaming really kicked in when my father picked up a copy of Tomb Raider (1996) for PC – he and I spent a whole holiday vacation playing through the game. From then on, Croft was my hero, and the reason why I use 'Crofty' as part of my gamertag (Corsair Crofty) and cosplay name (Crofty Cosplay).

[Q]: Were you a Rare fan before Sea of Thieves?

[A]: Yes, I played GoldenEye 007 like crazy! It was usually just my brother and I trying to kill each other, but still.

[Q]: Do you have any favourite Rare games?

[A]: My favorite has got to be Sea of Thieves so far. Without going on for a million paragraphs (because I probably could), it has everything you could ever want in a game. I've thoroughly enjoyed it, especially since you never know what to expect when you log in! On top of that, the community is amazing. I can't say enough good things about it.

[Q]: What other games are you currently playing? Any favourites?

[A]: I've been fluctuating between a few games these days when I'm not playing Sea of Thieves. Borderlands 3 recently came out, so my husband and I have been a little obsessed with that, but I've also started Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and have been in the middle of Assassin's Creed: Origins for a while. Left 4 Dead is always a fun one to go back to occasionally. A couple of my favorite games will always be the original Tomb Raider and Tekken 3. They were basically my childhood.

[Q]: What was it that first drew you towards Sea of Thieves and its community?

[A]: Besides pirates? My husband (Captn Buckshot) and I are always on the lookout for good co-op games, and my inner swashbuckler squealed with glee when we first saw Sea of Thieves. We hoped it was as good as it looked... and it exceeded expectations! But also, yes... PIRATES.

Kyra may have come for the pirates but has clearly stayed for the parrots. Who wouldn't?

[Q]: You've made a name for yourself within the community for your amazing cosplay. Can you tell us more about how you first got into the craft?

[A]: Honestly, I've been blown away by the community's reaction. I was so nervous about trying a cosplay from this game. I felt like I had to though, because it's too good not to have any cosplays representing it!

I can't quite remember how I started. I recall one day wanting to officially dress up as Lara Croft after playing the first reboot game a few years back, and I suppose it escalated from there. I've always been a crafter, so cosplay was fairly easy to jump into, and maybe I just wanted a reason to dress up throughout the year – not just on Halloween!

[Q]: Your Madame Olivia cosplay was incredible! Out of all the memorable characters in Sea of Thieves, what made you choose her specifically?

[A]: Thank you so much! It was when the Forsaken Shores trailer came out with her in it that I realized I had to cosplay her. I tend to gravitate towards strong, dark, gritty, and mysterious characters... and Olivia was the perfect blend of dark mystery and quirkiness that I love.

[Q]: You've also put together a multi-part tutorial series on how to make the costume. Seriously impressive stuff. What would you say were the most fun parts of putting it together, and the most challenging?

[A]: Again, thank you! I spent a lot of time on this cosplay, dealt with a lot of setbacks, trial and error, so I wanted to make sure to document whatever I could in case others felt like trying their hand at an Order of Souls cosplay (and they should, because it's the best Trading Company, in my opinion!).

The best part was seeing it all finally come together. I challenged myself a lot with this cosplay, trying techniques I had never done before. And with the cartoon-like style of the game, I wanted to be sure I was getting that across as much as possible while still maintaining some sort of realism.

[Q]: How do you decide which materials to use for the various elements of your cosplays?

[A]: I started my YouTube channel to share my ideas and techniques on how to create cosplays on a budget. Not everyone has the money to purchase their cosplays, so I wanted to share tutorials on how you can DIY your own with affordable supplies yet still make it look good. So I keep this in mind when choosing materials, and decide what would make the most sense. EVA foam has been my friend on many occasions.

[Q]: Any grand plans for where you want to go next with your cosplay craft?

[A]: I'm continuing to grow my channel and provide cosplay tutorials on my site. I've received messages from numerous people on how one or more of my tutorials were super-helpful to them. I love that, and it's why I share my processes.

As far as future cosplays are concerned, I've got some lined up... including an attempt at my own Sea of Thieves pirate! I love the Black Dog attire and would like to create some pieces of it.

#mood.

[Q]: Out of all the cosplays you've done in the past, which would you say is your favourite?

[A]: To be honest, Madame Olivia is definitely near the top. I put a lot of love and work into it, but the cosplay that probably tops that as my ultimate favorite so far is my survivor Lara Croft from the 2013 Tomb Raider game. It was my very first big cosplay (and what I'm most known for), and like Olivia, had so many different pieces and accessories to it.

[Q]: Thinking back, are there any standout moments for you in Sea of Thieves since you started playing?

[A]: Personally, I'm always in awe at the beauty of the game and I'm constantly taking screenshots (must be the photographer in me). Also, when the Kraken first emerged for me in-game, I thought it was awesome. Of course, that was once I stopped panicking!

[Q]: What are your favourite new additions to the game since the Anniversary Update launched?

[A]: Tall Tales, hands down. I thoroughly enjoy a good story, and I loved playing that part of Sea of Thieves. 'Stars of a Thief' was my favorite one. Oh, and pets!

[Q]: What is your greatest achievement in a game, Sea of Thieves or otherwise?

[A]: I have played and beaten every single Tomb Raider game to date.

[Q]: If you had to choose a pirate and ship name, what would they be?

[A]: I've always liked the name Mad Mags for a pirate persona, and my ship would be The Vengeful Siren. I'm thinking I need to find an all-female crew to sail with now. That'd be epic.

[Q]: What kind of other hobbies do you enjoy outside of gaming?

[A]: Anything creative. Besides cosplay, I love to share DIY crafting tutorials on my other channel, drawing, photography, and even writing.

[Q]: Share a fun fact about yourself. Anything is fair game!

[A]: My mother named me after Kira from The Dark Crystal but spelled it with a 'y'.


And there you have it, a masterclass in the craft of cosplay from Kyra. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, and we promise to wait patiently for the grand reveal of that Black Dog attire someday… no pressure!

More Community Spotlights await on the horizon, but until then, check out the previous Spotlights and keep yourself up to date on all things Sea of Thieves via our social channels and website.