The comprehensive ACGN expo BilibiliWorld 2026, organized by Bilibili, has concluded. Data shows that over the three-day event, BW2026 attracted a total of 400,000 attendees from more than 30 countries and regions worldwide, with the geographical reach expanding further compared to 2025. This year's event featured participation from 170 global exhibitors, showcased nearly a thousand decorated 'itasha' cars on-site, and saw over 60,000 cosplayers engaging in interactive activities.
Exhibition Scale and International Reach
It is reported that BW2026 maintained the same exhibition scale and floor area as the previous year, covering eight halls of the Shanghai National Convention and Exhibition Center with a total exhibition area of 240,000 square meters, solidifying its status as Asia's largest comprehensive ACGN expo. Notably, this year marked the first time BW sold tickets to overseas users, leading to enthusiastic participation from global anime, comic, game, and novel fans. The proportion of attendees who purchased tickets using a passport reached 18%, setting a new historical record.
Major Announcements and Industry Showcase
BW serves as a crucial platform for the global ACGN industry to announce major news, showcase core products, and interact directly with key users. During this year's event, Marvel Studios promoted the upcoming film "Avengers: Doomsday" by transforming its BW booth into a themed space, recreating the movie's apocalyptic scenes and featuring a replica of the throne belonging to the villain, Doctor Doom.
Marvel Studios President and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige also appeared at the BW event. This marked his return to China after seven years and his first-ever attendance at a Chinese comic convention. Furthermore, Cambodian Princess Norodom Jenna, an ACGN enthusiast, visited BW for the first time. She experienced professional photo shoots at on-site studios and exchanged fan-made gifts and collected photo stamps with other attendees.
Top-Tier IPs and Interactive Experiences
Top-tier game developers from both China and abroad, representing IPs such as "Arknights," "Genshin Impact," and "Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2," created special themed booths and held exclusive events tailored to the BW atmosphere to engage closely with players. Following the early July launch of Version 8.0 for "Genshin Impact," the booth featured a massive installation of the popular character "Fage" from the update, attracting numerous players for photos. IPs like "Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Remastered" and "Delta Force" offered on-site gameplay trials, with long queues of players waiting to experience them. The core production team of "Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2" attended BW to host a creator meet-and-greet, sharing behind-the-scenes stories of game development and interacting with fans.
Economic Impact Beyond the ACGN Sphere
The influence of BW extends beyond the ACGN industry, directly stimulating commercial brands and urban economic activity. Data from travel platforms indicates that during the BW period, the number of overseas users booking flights to Shanghai increased by 35% year-on-year. Hotel bookings in Shanghai surged by 126% compared to the previous period, with bookings for hotels within a 5-kilometer radius of the National Convention and Exhibition Center skyrocketing by 600%.
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