DUBAI THE GLOBAL ESPORTS HUB
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, the inaugural Dubai Esports Festival (DEF) 2022 was held at the Expo City and included various events and activities. The festival had a B2B esports conference, the Initiate Summit, which brought together experts from the international and regional esports industry, where leading agencies, teams, tournament organizers, platforms, and publishers came together to showcase the future of the esports and gaming industry. One of the highlights of the festival was the PUBG Global Championship, which attracted some of the best players in the world to compete. The Festival was also host to a series of lifestyle and pop cultural activities for families and children.
Organized by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) in partnership with VSPN – a global leader in esports activities and solutions, the Dubai Esports Festival (DEF) 2022 was the first international leisure event to be held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo City Dubai following the hugely successful Expo 2020.
From the grassroots to the global arena, the 12-day Dubai Esports Festival ushered in the local esports talent into a new era with exciting regional mobile and console tournaments organized to give players a chance to test their mettle against the best.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s esports industry is experiencing tremendous growth, and Dubai is at the forefront of this expansion. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, the inaugural Dubai Esports Festival (DEF) 2022 hosted by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), featured the Initiate Summit, a groundbreaking B2B learning and networking platform for e-sports and gaming industry professionals, developers and creatives. The Department of Economy & Tourism (DET) in Dubai, Dubai Media City, a member of TECOM Group, the event’s Knowledge Partner, in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), launched the Initiate Summit, a crucial new business-to-business (B2B) event that will act as the ultimate platform for shaping the future of esports in MENA and aims to transform the gaming industry in the Middle East and strengthen Dubai’s status as an e-sports hub. The Initiate Summit provided a forum for sharing ideas and driving innovation in the region’s esports industry and served as a hub for stakeholders to connect, collaborate, and facilitate growth in the industry.
The Initiate Summit was the new event that aimed to showcase Dubai’s leadership in the creative industry, including e-sports. The summit offered a range of incentives to attract international talent and organizations to set up in the emirate. The event also covered various industry trends, including emerging technologies, mobile gaming, investment opportunities, consumer behavior, gamification, and tournament organization, among other current topics. The summit featured an impressive lineup of speakers, including gaming developers, publishers, e-sports organization founders, solution providers, marketers, and members of the gaming media. The Initiate Summit was an exciting event that brought together industry leaders to discuss the latest developments in e-sports and gaming.
Muna Al Falasi, Director, Festival Strategy & Planning, DFRE commented: “As part of the Festival’s overarching theme to develop Dubai’s e-sports and gaming scene, the Initiate Summit aims to be a corporate hotbed for the sector. Featuring industry movers and shakers from the region and across the world, the event aims to bring together business leaders and gaming professionals to drive synergy, investment opportunities and collaborative efforts to ensure a thriving gaming ecosystem.” “As a global ecosystem dedicated to media and content, Dubai Media City seeks to nurture an environment where businesses, entrepreneurs and creatives alike can experiment, collaborate and create original content that resonates with audiences. In an increasingly competitive and fast-growing industry, events like the Initiate Summit provide a platform for experts and innovators from across the sector to learn from one another, build partnerships and contribute to a global gaming ecosystem with their unique ideas and ambitions. With such foresight, we grow from being consumers of gaming content to world-class producers,” she said.
Apart from these events, the festival also hosted regional tournaments and a school tournament, providing a platform for amateur gamers to showcase their talent. The GameExpo & PopConME showcased the latest games and merchandise, providing fans with a chance to buy their favorite gaming products and offered live entertainment and fun activities for attendees. Overall, the festival offered a diverse range of events and activities for esports enthusiasts and industry experts alike.
The most anticipated events at the festival was the PUBG Global Championship, which featured some of the world’s best players competing for a huge prize pool. The Dubai Esports Festival combined competitive video games with exciting experiences to become a regular event in the international circuit. The festival was founded in 2022 and is focused on celebrating the love of gaming. The tagline “Play Beyond” suggests that the festival is looking to push the boundaries of what is possible in esports.
Dubai’s potential as a regional esports hub is undeniable, with the city’s dedication to innovation, technology, and infrastructure has created an environment that is conducive to esports development. Dubai offers state-of-the-art gaming facilities, including the Dubai Game Hub, which offers gamers access to the latest consoles and games. The city hosted a number of esports tournaments and events, attracting both local and international players. With its diverse and welcoming community, Dubai is poised to become the Middle East and North Africa’s leading esports hub.
The B2B learning and networking summit held in Dubai was a prime platform for essential discussions on emerging trends, unexplored opportunities, and the growth of the esports sector in the MENA region. The event drew investors, game developers, and industry partners, who engaged in insightful conversations on the latest developments in the esports ecosystem. Attendees had the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and gain valuable knowledge on the business side of esports. Overall, the summit provided a significant boost to the region’s burgeoning esports industry.
The event was a one-of-a-kind experience for all attendees, with over 60 industry thought leaders giving talks on a variety of topics. The industry gathering hosted prominent speakers including Maxime Durand, World-Design Director at Ubisoft Montreal; Rocco Scandizzo, Head of Unreal Engine EMEA at Epic Games; Matthew Pickering, CEO at Power League Gaming (PLG); Sam Mathews, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Fnatic; John Lacey, Head of MENA at Tencent and Country Manager of Level Infinite; and many more.
The talks provided valuable insights and inspiration to all those looking to develop their skills and knowledge in the field. In addition, workshops by experts were held for attendees to further enhance their skills. Over 200 high-profile persons attended, and the event offered a unique opportunity to network with peers and expert industry leaders. Furthermore, the event showcased the latest in game development through exciting activations and exhibitions, providing a glimpse into the future of this dynamic industry.
“We are thrilled to host the Dubai Esports Festival (DEF) at the state-of-the-art Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC). Dubai has an ambitious vision to build a digitally-enabled future, and we are committed to reinforcing the Emirate’s position as a global hub for events, tourism, and innovation by providing unmatched infrastructure, facilities, and services. Having welcomed the world through a series of unique events at DEC during Expo 2020, we are looking forward to welcoming DEF’s participants and guests from across the globe for this much-anticipated festival,” said Mahir Abdulkarim Julfar, Executive Vice President of Venue Services Management, Dubai World Trade Centre.
DEF 2022, the Dubai Expo for Gaming and Esports, is set to become a hub for gamers, industry professionals, and enthusiasts from all over the world. The festival will cater to a wide range of audiences, including families, friends, art and music lovers, and esports experts. With its inaugural edition, DEF 2022 aims to create a platform that fosters the growth and development of the gaming and esports communities in Dubai and the region. Alongside the festival, the communities will work towards promoting awareness and understanding of the value of video games, while also inspiring the next generation to consider gaming and esports as a profession. DEF 2022 is set to be an exciting event that celebrates the world of gaming and esports like never before.
Majed Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Media City, a member of TECOM Group PJSC, stated: “The gaming culture is growing in the Middle East, as the region continues to be at the forefront of global trends in the sector. Opportunities are rich in this field, and this is an opportune time for companies to cater to the demand for innovative gaming experiences. By supporting events such as Dubai Esports Festival as a Knowledge Partner for the Initiate Summit, we aim to continue nurturing this growing community and attract creative talent to develop content that speaks directly to MENA’s diverse market.
Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre said: “The international leaders, innovators and regulators gathered at Initiate Summit will not only be showcasing the huge advancements and future potential for the e-sports industry in Dubai and MENA, they will also be discussing the ethical enablement and social benefits of one of the fastest growing entertainment verticals in the region. Alongside tech innovation, market trends and commercial best practice, planning around the creation, regulation and governance of safe and diverse digital spaces must be a key component of the e-sports conversation. Initiate Summit is the essential new B2B platform to assist regional governments and industry stakeholders in shaping dynamic, secure and world leading e-sports ecosystems.”
“As a global ecosystem dedicated to media and content, Dubai Media City seeks to nurture an environment where businesses, entrepreneurs and creatives alike can experiment, collaborate and create original content that resonates with audiences. In an increasingly competitive and fast-growing industry, events like the Initiate Summit provide a platform for experts and innovators from across the sector to learn from one another, build partnerships and contribute to a global gaming ecosystem with their unique ideas and ambitions. With such foresight, we grow from being consumers of gaming content to world-class producers.”
The championship round of the inaugural PUBG Global Championship 2022 Grand Finals, saw Team Natus Vincere crowned winners and Team 17 emerging runners-up. The PUBG Global Championship 2022 kicked off on 1 November and saw 32 teams from across four regions compete for a share of more than $2 million.
GameExpo and PopConME were two major attractions of the festival, organized in collaboration with DWTC and Alanza Trading. The events featured some of the biggest Hollywood celebrities, including Kit Harington (Jon Snow, Game of Thrones), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), and Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen, Green Arrow), among others. The events also hosted special meet-and-greet sessions, exclusive workshops, movie screenings, international artists and creators, artist alley, cosplay competition offering a prize of Dh75,000 to the winner, gaming competitions, and E-sports tournaments. The events were a huge success, drawing in crowds of fans who were eager to meet their favorite stars and participate in the various activities and competitions. GameExpo and PopConME were truly a celebration of all things gaming and entertainment, and they lived up to their reputation as two of the festival’s key attractions.
The inaugural Festival concluded with an electrifying live performance by Wegz, a popular and established 19-year-old Egyptian rap artist. Wegz is known for creating trap music since 2017 and rising to fame at a young age. The Alexandrian rap artist put on an exciting show for fans and gaming enthusiasts to celebrate the conclusion of the successful inaugural DEF 2022. Wegz’s rise to fame has been meteoric, growing in recognition in a short space of time, and blossoming out of a highly competitive grassroots-led trap movement. The live concert was a fitting end to the festival, leaving the audience with a sense of excitement and anticipation for the future of music and entertainment.
The DMCC Gaming Centre was launched during the Dubai Esports Festival and represents DMCC’s commitment to the gaming and esports industry. The Gaming Centre aims to create a supportive environment in which all gaming and esports companies can thrive. DMCC is currently home to over 50 gaming companies, from game developers and producers to esports teams and tournament organizers. The launch of the Gaming Centre comes as the global and regional video games industry continues to grow, with revenues expected to hit USD 5 billion by 2025 in the MENA region alone. As the world’s flagship free zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise, DMCC’s Gaming Centre is an exciting development that is sure to attract even more gaming and esports companies to the region.
“Gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, with nearly 3.2 billion people playing and spending a combined total of USD 196.8 billion in 2022. The size and growth of the industry today is staggering compared to when video games first appeared in the 1970s,” said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC. “These passionate communities are constantly looking for greater immersion and storytelling in their chosen form of entertainment. As our roster of gaming companies expands rapidly and as we see more of our DMCC Crypto Centre members enter the blockchain gaming space, there is no better time to formalise our efforts by opening the DMCC Gaming Centre. Through this facility, we will solidify Dubai’s position as a global hub for all forms of gaming and esports.”
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