That time I attended HoYo FEST 2026 for the first time

I have been a long-time Genshin Impact player since 2021, but this was the first time I attended this year’s HoYo FEST.

I had planned to attend the event every year, but unfortunately, I was still a broke student back then. I didn’t have a stable source of money except for school allowances, which goes to fund my school-related activities. As someone who lives outside Metro Manila, commuting was also a challenge. I also do not have a full-time job compared to now. As a student, I haven’t had the chance to attend the event until recently.

So, now that I have the chance to attend, I sought to see if HoYo FEST is worth the experience for a first time goer.

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**The Preparation **

As a first time HoYo FEST goer, I actually didn’t have any prior experience of how it works. I do admit that I have gone to local anime, and toy conventions. However, it’s still different if you attended a convention for the first time— let alone a big named convention like HoYo FEST that has been held annually in Metro Manila.

Thankfully, online forums and public groups in social media platforms have shed light to people like me who are attending the fest for the first time. A little background research would not hurt.

In the forums, fans have shared different tips for first timers like eating a light snack and bringing a lot of patience for long lines especially if you’re going on a weekend. They also added that ‘be as early as you can,’ if you’re someone who will line up for merchandise.

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**Facing the Challenge **

In the game, you have to prepare your artifacts, your team composition, and your timing, before engaging in combat whether in the open world or in the Spiral Abyss.

This goes the same in real life minus the fantastical elements in the game. Bringing yourself to wake up early in the morning is one of those tedious preparations that will truly start your day but as soon as I arrive inside the event venue, the real challenge has begun.

I was welcomed by the ‘infamous’ long queue as early as eight in the morning. There were fans before me who even lined up as early as 1:30 a.m before entering the event premises.

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While the organizers have done their job maintaining the event from start to finish, the anticipated long lines were one of the expected experiences for HoYo FEST.

Fans have shared sentiments that HoYo FEST has produced long lines, and drawn massive crowds ever since it started being held in larger venues. Previously, it was conducted in smaller venues like in cafes.

Adding to this, there is a wide difference from having a fast pass to a regular pass ticket hence why I have gotten to finish all the booths earlier than those who have a regular ticket. But even with a fast pass ticket, I will still have to wait for my turn on experiencing each booth.

But, even if long lines have become a part of the HoYo FEST experience, I hope fans won’t have to go through the same ‘Pila FEST’ every year. It’s not just a matter of arriving early at the venue to experience the booths lined up for fans. They do deserve an enjoyable experience beyond spending hours in long queues.

Tickets were bought to have a good time, not just waiting in line for more than an hour.

First Timer’s verdict

However, beyond long queues, my first HoYo FEST experience was enjoyable as you will meet fellow travelers who share the same interests— whether it was lining up early to conquer the booths or finding trinkets in the artist alley. Interacting with the fans and witnessing the creativity among cosplayers and artists within the fandom spaces have brought a memorable experience to my first time, highlighting that the journey is better when shared.

But as the days of the event have come to an end, a part of me wishes that it could have been better. The memories with other fans I interacted with were indeed great but I hope fans will never experience the long queue ever again.

But in the end, whether I attend next year’s HoYo FEST or not will still depend on how my schedule aligns.

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