Johannesburg – Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) through its gaming platform The Toyota Gaming Engine (TTGE), returns as official partner and headline sponsor of Comic Con Africa 2026, taking place from 24 to 27 September 2026 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.

TTGE continues to grow Toyota’s community of young brand enthusiasts through the value it brings to South Africa’s gaming and creator communities, providing access for casual players, competitive gamers and this year, the country’s cosplay community.

A first for cosplay

The centrepiece of Toyota’s 2026 presence is the TTGE Cosplay Competition, cosplay but for cars, the first vehicle-specific cosplay category the country has seen. Entrants are invited to design and build original cosplay inspired by any Toyota vehicle, interpreted in any style, from literal vehicle recreations to humanoid, futuristic or stylised designs.

Entries are open at ttge.co.za/comic-con-africa-2026 and will close on 25 September. Participation is open to individuals 18 years and older holding a valid Comic Con Africa ticket, entering individually or in teams of up to four. Every entrant receives a downloadable TTGE Cosplay Starter Pack containing official brand assets, colour references and build guidance.

Live judging takes place on the Comic Con Africa main stage from 15:00 to 15:30 on Saturday 26 September, with contestant check-in at the TTGE stand at 14:30. Contestants will be assessed by a panel comprising representatives from TTGE and Comic Con Africa including a professional cosplayer. Judging will be done across five equally weighted criteria: creativity and originality, Toyota interpretation, craftsmanship, innovation and resourcefulness, and stage presence.

The competition has been structured to reward imagination and craft rather than budget, with entrants encouraged to use DIY, recycled and accessible materials.

Prizes

The winner receives R10 000 in cash, a GAZOO Racing driving experience for two at Zwartkops Raceway, and Comic Con Africa 2027 weekend passes for themselves and two guests. Second place receives a R3 000 eGift24 voucher and third place a R1 500 eGift24 voucher, both including 2027 weekend passes. Additional daily prizes will be awarded across the TTGE stand throughout the four days.

An expanded stand experience

TTGE will also hold a 30-minute slot on the Comic Con Africa main stage each day, running its Load The Hilux game on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and the Cosplay Competition on Saturday.

The TTGE stand will again host free-to-play gaming across sim racing, console and mobile titles, including Gran Turismo 7 on full-motion racing rigs, Street Fighter, EA FC and Brawlhalla on console, and Clash Royale and Subway Surfers on mobile. Daily tournaments, leaderboards, Beat The Pro challenges and prize handovers will run from the stand's mini stage.

Toyota will also bring a physical version of “Load The Hilux”, a free daily mini-game on TTGE's Brake Time platform, to the event's food court area. Attendees will compete against the clock to load oversized cargo into a full-size Toyota Hilux, with daily prizes for the fastest recorded times.

A custom-built Hilux transformer will move through the show across the four days, serving as both a fan experience and a navigation point to the TTGE stand. Attendees who photograph the character and share the content tagging The Toyota Gaming Engine, or submit names for the character, will stand to win a share in R15 000 in eGift vouchers.

To bring the Toyota brand even closer to the Comic Con Africa audiences, a Drift X activation will be on display for all attendees to engage with. This features a precision drift driving experience with the Toyota GR vehicles around a gymkhana style course, demonstrating the agility of the GR models.

“Through The Toyota Gaming Engine we have spent years investing in South Africa’s gaming community, and this year we are extending that to its makers and builders,” says Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors. “Comic Con Africa is one of the few places in South Africa where gaming, creativity and fandom meet at scale and our role there has always been to open the door wider. A brand cosplay category has not been done here before. It is a genuine creative challenge, and we are looking forward to seeing what South Africans build.”

Full details are available at ttge.co.za/comic-con-africa-2026.