8Bit/Digi

Everything I Saw During StocktonCon Winter 2026

After a week of cold weather and rainstorms, the sun was out while the temperature felt nice and toasty. This made it the perfect weekend to go out and spend time with friends and fellow cosplayers. What better place for a quick trip to the Central Valley than StocktonCon Winter 2026? It was a chance to go out, cosplay with friends, and meet others who shared the same interests.

StocktonCon Winter 2026 was a weekend event that saw the fandom community of Northern California congregate at the Adventist Health Arena. They were joined by special guests, leaders of the fandom community, along with artists and vendors for a festive event. After months of planning and waiting, these are the highlights of StocktonCon Winter 2026.

Dealers Hall  & Artist Ally

The dealer’s hall is where guests can find vendors like their local comic book shop or sellers of collectible merchandise. The artist’s alley is where one can meet comic book artists and creators, along with independent artists and self-published creators. Even if you have no shopping agenda, it’s still fun to look through all the cool stuff and meet the many artists and vendors.

Creative Gang is an independent publishing studio best known for creating the manga Samurai Security Guard. The story follows two intergalactic security guards who must work together to save the Space Mall, despite being polar opposites. The first volume is out now, while an animated adaptation is in the works. Its creators, Jerome Lottie and Akorede Fasuyi, were present to meet their fans while also sharing their work with the community.

Located next to the video game setups was War Torn Front, a retailer that sells video games and accessories. During the event, they had a variety of games for sale, ranging from retro titles for the PlayStation and Game Boy to more modern games for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Besides video games, they also sold Gundam models. If you missed them, they are active at game swap meets and fan conventions while having a physical store in Manteca.

Matt Abraham is an author based in the Stockton area, best known for his noir stories inspired by classic pulp novels. During the event, he promoted and sold two of his works. The first was Dane Curse (Black Cape Case Files, Book 1), which follows a supervillain turned detective investigating who murdered the city’s greatest hero. The second is Old Debts, it follows a private detective who stumbles into a sinister conspiracy in Stockton.

Yolle Mercury is a Bay Area artist known for their unique take on beloved anime characters. Besides prints, they were also selling stickers, tamagoachi themed badges, floppy disks, and cassette tapes.  

Creepysweets is an artist who blends creepy aesthetics with sweet, charming elements to create eye-catching pieces. Their work draws inspiration from horror anime, cartoons, and video games, resulting in a style that stands out immediately. Guests could stop by their booth whenever something grabbed their attention, whether it was the striking original artwork or the variety of memorabilia, including keychains and stickers.

Poncho Ponchoman designs and crafts ponchos featuring iconic anime characters. The designs either preserve each series’ original aesthetics or reimagine them through a Mesoamerican lens. If you liked their design, you could buy one on site or purchase one online.

Things to Do

The weekend was not just about panels and shopping but also about having fun with friends. From video game setups to meeting the guests, there was no shortage of activities. Here are some of the activities one could stumble upon:

Special Guests allow fans to meet their favorite performers or industry insiders at either a panel or autograph session. Among the guests were voice actors such as Pete Capella, Eric Vale, and Neil Kaplan, plus actors such as Laz Alonso, along with a number of WWE icons.

Cosplaying has always been a tradition at fan conventions and StocktwonCon Winter 2026 is no exception. Many work months to either create the best or most off-beat that will premier during this special weekend. Those who are dedicated will work to bring their favorite character to life.

While not organized by the StocktwonCon staff, there were random moments in which guests would gather for a game of Pokémon Go. With several gyms around the convention center, there were moments when guests would gather to participate in raids. Others would take a break and catch any Pokémon within their area.

My Haul

While I was not planning on it, there were a number of retro game vendors present during the weekend. Thus, I decided to pick up some titles that sparked my attention while keeping my budget uner $100. Here is a list of everything I bought and the price tag:

• GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (PS2) for $18
• NARC (PS2) for $10
• Rogue Ops (PS2) for $10
• White Knight Chronicles (PS4) for $15

Overall, I walked away with a few great classics that I missed out on or have not played in ages.

Did you get a chance to check out StocktonCon Winter 2026? If so, then share your story in the comment section below.

Disclaimer: StocktonCon provided me with a pass for the weekend

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.