One of the staples of San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), aside from the iconic panels that Marvel Studios throws, are the various off-sites that pop up at the convention every year. It’s a rotating selection of unique experiences that the world can only experience once—they’ll never exist again, at least in the form attendees see them in at SDCC.
From Lanterns to Widow’s Bay, San Diego Comic Con 2026’s offsite choices were just as good as they’ve ever been. The Direct was on-site to check out several of them, and our most notable experiences and standout moments are explored below.
The Inaugural Fandom Party at SDCC
With None Other Than Billie Joe Armstrong & The Coverups
One of the most sought-after tickets at the convention is always the Fandom party on the roof of the Hard Rock Hotel. Not only is there an open bar, but there are plenty of industry guests for attendees to mingle and party with.
Guests were also encouraged to check out the dedicated Halo-themed play zone, where they could get their hands on the PlayStation 5’s Halo: Campaign Evolved ahead of its launch. Z2 Comics was on hand as well, offering attendees exclusive merchandise celebrating their upcoming graphic novel and feature film And Out Comes the Wolf.
After mingling for a couple of hours, the crowd built up in front of the stage to see Billie Joe Armstrong (yes, the lead singer from Green Day) and his cover band, The Coverups. While some might be hesitant at the notion of a headlining cover band, it shouldn’t be any surprise that Billie and his crew blew away the party and captured the crazy, positive, and frantic energy of SDCC.
Widow’s Bay Brings a Cursed Town
While it might have been one of the smaller offsites of San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Apple TV’s Widow’s Baycertainly did leave an impression—and it was a good one. The show’s setup at SDCC provided an atmospheric walkthrough that transported attendees straight into the world of the critically acclaimed and fan-favorite show.
The offsite depicted the show’s town hall area, where walls were lined with props and memorabilia from the series. There was the infamous cannibalism-focused newspaper report, photos of Mayor Tom Loftis, and even glimpses of the show’s unsettling clown. The experience also featured a fun photo opportunity with Richard Warren, allowing visitors to step into the character’s shoes for the perfect keepsake. I couldn’t resist jumping in myself.
On your way out, guests were given an exclusive keychain cap and a collectible postcard (chosen from a selection of multiple options) to take home with them. My choice? An invitation to Patricia’s Sunset Cocktails at The Satly Whale, of course.
Choose Your Destiny With Percy Jackson
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians offsite at San Diego Comic-Con, celebrating the upcoming release of Season 3, put fans in the middle of their own mythological adventure with an interactive “choose your own quest” experience. Upon entering, attendees chose to align themselves with Percy, Annabeth, or Thalia by selecting a scroll from one of three furnaces. Each scroll outlined a unique mission to help defeat the Titans and came with a commemorative wristband before guests were led down their chosen path.
During the experience, I joined Percy’s quest, which took me through a cave where I had to harness the power of a waterfall to continue our journey. The experience culminated in a fun photo activation that let fans wield water just like Percy before receiving an exclusive collectible pin to commemorate the adventure. With its immersive storytelling, interactive challenges, and personalized paths, the offsite perfectly captured the spirit of the series.
Recite the Green Lantern Oath
Are You Afraid?
While SDCC 2025 brought Peacemaker Season 2 and Peacefest to the convention, this year is all about Lanterns for SDCC (and just a tiny bit of Clayface). For this year’s activation, DC Studios wanted attendees to undergo training to become Green Lanterns themselves.
Enter the Lanterns Training Headquarters, where recruits are split into four groups and sent through the wringer with their Guardian trainers. Attendees must sneak past guards, practice their aim at a firing range, try to fly, and find evidence as they work toward graduation.
At the end of the experience, fans get to choose their own Green Lantern rings and recite the oath with everyone in the room alongside the Guardians.
Crack the Code With Resident Evil
Find the Codes in Raccoon City
One of the surprise last-minute off-sites at SDCC 2026 was for Resident Evil, Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated film from Weapons‘ Zach Cregger, set in the world of the iconic video game franchise. The installation brought to life a small section of Raccoon City for fans to explore and discover cool set pieces and Easter eggs.
There were multiple photo ops, including one in the snow next to the Raccoon City sign and another at a desk with the iconic save game typewriter and green health box. In one of the back corners of the offsite, fans could also check out exclusive footage of the film.
The key draw for attendees was an elaborate scavenger hunt that required using a phone app to find QR codes hidden around the area. After collecting a certain number of them, various prices became available for you to claim, which were completely free, provided their limited stock hadn’t been claimed yet.
Nintendo Switch 2 Brings the Fun
Preview Splatoon Raiders & Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
Nintendo showed up to Comic-Con this year with not only a booth on the convention floor but an offsite showcasing two of its latest games: Splatoon Raiders (which released during the convention on July 23) and Nintendo Switch Sports Resort (coming out on October 22).
Nintendo had dozens of stations set up inside the Hilton Bayfront, allowing players to get a feel for the games with guidance from Nintendo staff members. Our team spent some time learning the ropes of Splatoon Raiders, a third-person shooter game where players splatter ink over the map, before engaging in some multiplayer raids where we all worked together to defeat enemies and then rushed to pick up the most shards.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort also didn’t disappoint, with the game serving as a revival of the classic Wii Sports Resort title and a sequel to 2022’s Nintendo Switch Sports.
Nintendolet us try a handful of the 12 sports available in Switch Sports Resort. We competed in 100-pin bowling, shot bullseyes in archery, and raced each other in the new power cruising minigame. The returning games felt incredibly nostalgic to play, while power cruising showcased some of the Switch 2’s new motion capabilities by using the Joy-Cons as handlebars.
Escape the Failing Silo
Enter a Silo of Endless Levels
Even from outside, Apple TV’s Silo activation stood out, a literal silo rising up across the street from the convention center that was hard to miss among the rows of off-sites. While promoting Season 3, the silo was one of the most jarring experiences you could have while visiting San Diego.
Once inside, the illusion held up. Clever use of mirrors made it feel as if we had been dropped into the middle of the show’s underground silo, with floors stretching endlessly both above and below.
A committed in-character performer added another layer of immersion, with frightening lighting and sinister sound cues doing the rest of the work. Luckily, we all survived, our eyes adjusted to the sun again, and we walked away with exclusive pins and a photo in front of the silo.
Funko Fundays Returns to SDCC
After taking San Diego Comic-Con off in 2025, the company returned in 2026 with a bang. This year’s theme was “Atlantis,”with the event’s official description teasing a “rave in the waves.”
All attendees were treated to food, drinks, and a gift bag containing a blind box filled with rare, Funko Fundays-exclusive versions of Freddy Funko (with the chance of finding Funko Pops of varying rarities). Those bags also contained a fortune cookie giving you a chance to win a prototype.
Throughout the event, audience members helped unlock even more free Funkos, which were given as a second gift bag waiting for everyone at the exit. The on-stage show also included future product reveals, oddball games for audience members to play, and celebrity guest interviews.
Thrilljoy Rocks the Block
Thrilljoy was back with its Rock the Block party at SDCC. Upon entering, fans were given special bags, each themed after a character representing a team, with each containing event-exclusive Thrilljoy Pix! figures. The press and VIPs were not given these specific bags, so I can only comment on what I saw while walking around. It’s akin to the Funko Funday exclusive Freddy Funkos, though not as themed around the company’s mascot, Bloo.
The event included food and drinks for attendees, along with other activities for fans to check out, each offering a prize for completing it. Some of the games included axe throwing and a prize wheel that you could spin for the chance to win a prototype figure.
For the back half of the party, Thrilljoy brought in Bowling for Soup to perform.
Grab a Comic With Stuart Fails to Save the Universe
Failing to Save the Universe Has Never Been More Fun
Walking into the Comic Center of Pasadena, HBO Max’s offsite built around Stuart Fails to Save the Universe felt less like touring an activation and more like stepping into an actual comic shop. The team greeted us (in character), folding right into the story before Stuart himself, appearing on a screen, was the catalyst to our journey.
Before going further, we were issued Comic Center membership cards, which turned out to be our key to the whole experience. The store was packed with detail, from comic book merchandise to movie posters and character busts, making it have a general sense of fun and whimsy.
The real gameplay happened in back: moving between a series of screens, tapping in with our membership cards, and answering prompts tied to the show’s multiverse-hopping plot. We had to “successfully fail to save the universe” three separate times before being allowed to advance.
It all built toward one final room, where our efforts culminated in activating the show’s central device, and it worked!
Party It Up With IGN and Prime Video
With a Special DJ to Boot.
IGN’s SDCC party this year was hosted by Prime Video, with a heavy emphasis on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerSeason 3. Not only were there multiple photo ops for the series, including fully garbed Nazgul roaming around, but Stranger Thingsstar Jamie Campbell Bower (who has a role in Rings of Power‘s third season) was the star DJ of the night.
As usual, attendees were given two drink tickets to use throughout the night as they socialized and partied with guests from across the industry.
We’d be remiss not to point out the frustrating challenge of entering the party this year. Attendees with tickets who lined up an hour or more in advance still had to wait upwards of two hours to get into the venue, and the majority of ticket holders outside of VIP didn’t get into the party at all before entry was closed off for the night.
Visit Ebeneezer Scrooge
The Direct also had the chance to experience Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol off-site, which proved to be one of Comic-Con’s biggest surprises.
Guests gathered outside a snow-covered “Scrooge & Marley” Victorian storefront in the Gaslamp District, expecting a simple activation, but after a long wait in the summer heat, the experience came to life in spectacular fashion. Artificial snow suddenly began falling over the crowd before a group of Victorian Christmas carolers emerged, filling the street with holiday cheer.
Moments later, the doors to Scrooge & Marley burst open as Johnny Depp, fully transformed into Ebenezer Scrooge, stepped outside in full costume and makeup. His appearance was met with cheers as he stayed in character, barking at the carolers, interacting with fans, and delivering a performance that felt like a scene lifted straight from the upcoming film. After a few entertaining exchanges, the carolers resumed singing, Scrooge grumbled his way back inside, and the snowfall came to an end, creating a brief but memorable first look at Depp’s return to the big screen.
Hulu Brings Animayhem to SDCC 2026
Celebrate Futurama & King of the Hill With Photo Ops
Hulu brought Animayhem back to SDCC, a yearly staple for the streamer. The key draws this year were Futurama and King of the Hill, with each show offering unique and colorful photo ops.
At Planet Espresso, you could get a fancy coffee and a chocolate donut. If you wanted something more substantial, you could visit the Robata Chane truck, which offered goodies such as Holstein beef yakitori or chicken yakitori with Baltic sea salt.
[Adult Swim] Takes Back the Green
Go on a Trip With Rick & Morty
Adult Swim once again hosted a party in the green (and an all-weekend offsite), celebrating its biggest current and upcoming shows, such as the Rick & Morty spinoff, President Curtis.
The biggest attraction was the Rambler, a spinning, carnival-esque ride set up under an inflatable dome, with its entrance being in the form of a giant Rick head. The outside is a good indicator of the craziness of what awaits inside. Inside the dome, the lights were off. But the moment the ride started, a projector lit up the ceiling with trippy Rick & Morty imagery and effects, giving riders a unique experience.
Smiling Friendsand Common Side Effectswere both represented at the offsite. Smiling Friends had its own bucking bull ride, while Common Side Effects had a fun little fishing carnival game and a well-crafted photo op. There was also a game themed around President Curtis where you had to slingshot beanbags at moving targets to get a prize.
Audible Expands Beyond the Sense of Hearing
Enter the World of Dungeon Crawler Carl or the Bobiverse
Audible’s Level Up Lounge served up a crowd-pleasing spread at Swing Social, from donuts topped with blue icing, a nod to Princess Donut from Dungeon Crawler Carl, to specialty martinis poured with the Audible logo artfully placed on top of the drink.
Scattered throughout the space were listening stations where guests could throw on headphones and drop into key moments from Audible favorites like Project Hail Mary and We Are Legion (We Are Bob).
But the real draws were the two headliner attractions, both of which had steady lines all day. The Bobiverse-inspired “BobNet” zone put fans directly inside the story, while the Dungeon Crawler Carl survival station let attendees record their own “Crawler Incident Report,” arguably the most exciting activity.
Nickelodeon Lets the Slime Flow
Celebrating major shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Nickelodeon’s “Fun Flows Here” offsite was held down the road from the convention, at the New Children’s Museum park.
Attendees were treated to photo opportunities with their favorite animated shows, live stage shows with character appearances, themed snacks and beverages, such as SpongeBob ice cream, and the main attraction: a chance to get slimed in Nickelodeon’s signature green goo, as seen on TV (ponchos were provided).
The Paramount+ Lodge once again proved why it’s one of San Diego Comic-Con’s most popular off-sites. This year’s activation felt even bigger than in previous years, transforming the venue into a mountain retreat packed with immersive experiences inspired by Paramount+’s biggest franchises.
From the moment you entered, you were greeted by impressive themed displays spanning Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Yellowstone, South Park, and UFC, making every corner feel like a new world to explore.
Highlights included the bustling Republic City Marketplace from Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, complete with themed iced teas, slushies, and the iconic cabbage cart photo op, while Star Trek: Strange New Worlds featured the U.S.S. Port Galley, themed cocktails, transporter photo ops, and an alien DJ spinning music throughout the day. Fans could also relax at the Dutton Ranch from Yellowstone, test their skills in the UFC reaction zone, snap photos with South Park characters, and customize exclusive swag like laser-engraved leather luggage tags and pennant flags to take home.
