DUBAI: 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 is set to take place from November 9-20.
The Festival will feature an exciting set of live events and activities across two weeks that will bring together leading gamers and E-sports thought leaders from across the world.
Organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) in partnership with VSPN — a global leader in E-sports activities and solutions — the Dubai Esports Festival (DEF) 2022 will be the first international leisure event to be held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo City Dubai, following the hugely successful Expo 2020.
DEF 2022 is set to be the most exciting E-sports and gaming event in the Middle East, in line with Dubai’s position as a hub for innovation. The Festival will feature two weeks of live events and activities including the highly anticipated PUBG Global Championship 2022, GameExpo, PopconME, Initiate Summit, a live concert, regional tournaments and a school tournament as well as retail promotions taking place across the city showcasing the latest games and merchandise.
The event will bring together the world’s greatest gamers, developers, creatives and artists, allowing E-sports fans to meet and engage with global gaming celebrities and industry leaders.
Muna Al Falasi, Director, Festival Strategy & Planning, DFRE commented: “We very much look forward to a dynamic and stimulating event which will enrich the thriving gaming and E-sports scene in Dubai. The event will attract talented and enthusiastic gaming individuals from around the world, allowing gaming communities to connect and interact with top-tier E-sports professionals and create a space for the sector to expand and thrive. During the Festival, the series of exhilarating events will create spaces and platforms for key thought leaders to share industry updates and inspire all individuals in attendance to engage with this exciting sector.”
“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.
Sholto Douglas Home, Chief Sales & Marcomms Officer, Expo City Dubai said: “Continuing Expo 2020 Dubai’s legacy of driving innovation through collaboration, Expo City Dubai is leading the way in creative pursuits, smart solutions and new technologies, and we are excited to host an event of this scale and popularity. The incredible set-up at Dubai Exhibition Centre will bring together local and global gamers and E-sports fans in an exhilarating event that will showcase this fast-growing international phenomenon.”
The Dubai Esports Festival will create a platform for global gamers, investors, entrepreneurs and international players to engage in a vibrant environment during the Festival. The Festival will also be host to a series of lifestyle and pop cultural activities for families and children.
Key dates and details of events across the Festival include:
PUBG Global Championship
Taking place from November 1-20, the PUBG Global Championship (PGC) will pit 32 teams from across four regions against each other for a share of more than $2 million and the coveted PGC Champions title. Doors to the Grand Finals stage will be open to the public from November 17-20 at DEC’s North Hall. The entire tournament will be livestreamed for fans all over the world on twitch.tv/pubg_battlegrounds.
Initiate Summit
Geared towards gaming industry professionals, developers and creatives with the aim of enhancing the E-sports ecosystem in Dubai and the MENA region, the Initiate Summit is a B2B platform that will be held from November 9-11. The event features a two-day agenda of talks with over 40 industry leaders and high-level networking opportunities, in addition to engaging deep-dive workshops on the third day. The showcase, which offers more than 200 attendees insights into the latest global E-sports trends and investment opportunities, will provide a strong boost to the region’s gaming ecosystem and support the development of global talent and innovation. The industry gathering will host 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.
GameExpo
With four immersive zones hosting brands, publishers and gaming experts, GameExpo is a platform for fans to interact with all things gaming and E-sports taking place on November 10-13. Fans can watch exciting live E-sports tournaments as well as meet and compete against their gaming idols at the Dubai Gaming Zone. A Retro Games zone will offer fans a nostalgic blast from the past with unique and rare vintage gaming entertainment and casual competitions and tournaments open to all fans. Fans will be able to enjoy the latest quirky indie games as well as get a first look at the latest BETA games from independent gaming developers at The Discovery Zone. A dedicated Streamer Hub allows gaming streamers and social media personalities to livestream content and updates while at the Festival.
PopConME
A celebration of all elements of world-class pop culture, from superheroes, comics, gaming, art, movies, TV, anime and more, PopConME will take place from November 10-13. Featuring a variety of immersive and entertaining experiences, fans are encouraged to dress up in their favourite cosplay outfits, meet with their favourite cosplay celebrities, as well as take a deep dive into Japanese anime culture through live performances, movie screenings, workshops and art.
Regional Tournaments
As part of the Festival’s aim to empower and inspire grassroots E-sports communities, the MENA region’s best gamers will get the chance to battle it out on stage in a mobile game tournament to be held from November 12-13 and a console tournament to be held from November 19-20. Open to gamers of all ages in the region, players qualify online on their chosen platform and finalists will perform live on stage.
School Tournament
Working with a select number of Dubai-based schools, the Festival’s school tournament will take place on November 10. Young gamers will challenge each other live on stage during the event.
Concert
A soon-to-be-announced on-stage performance will take place on November 19 ahead of the last day of the Festival. More details will be revealed closer to the Festival and visitors can stay up to date on DEF’s social media pages.
DEF 2022 caters to gamers, families, friends, art and music lovers, industry professionals and E-sports experts as part of its first edition, with the aim of uniting and developing the gaming and E-sports communities in Dubai and the region. Alongside the Festival, these communities will drive awareness and understanding of the value of video games as well as encourage the next generation to consider E-sports and gaming as a profession.
With the city growing as a global technology and event hub, several active E-sports institutions, entities and communities are emerging throughout Dubai. Entrepreneurs in the industry can engage within the dynamic E-sports ecosystem which enables innovators and thought leaders to thrive, particularly with the recent announcement of The Dubai Creative Economy Strategy, which aims to support Dubai-based creative entrepreneurship.
Apart from promoting the growth of the E-sports community in Dubai and beyond, DEF 2022 will be an integral part of the events and gaming sector in the city. The Festival will aid the growth of the industry year on year, particularly as Dubai cements its position as a global hub for technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and events.
For more information or to purchase tickets for events taking place during DEF 2022, please visit www.dubaiesportsfestival.com. More information on tickets for the action-packed event will be announced this month.
