The inaugural Dubai Esports Festival 2022 is set to feature a number of exciting tournaments, talks, and other events that will surely appeal to all esports lovers. The festival is scheduled to be held later this year in November. The organizers intend to bring together “leading gamers, esports thought leaders, and pop culture enthusiasts from across the world” for the occasion.
The Dubai Esports Festival 2022 is being organized by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) in partnership with VSPN. The festival will mark the first international leisure event to be held at the Dubai Exhibition Center in Expo City, Dubai.
When will Dubai Esports Festival 2022 be held? Featured events and more
Dubai Esports Festival 2022 is scheduled to be held from November 9 to November 20, and will be an exciting time for esports enthusiasts. According to the press release, the occasion will feature several live events and fun activities over the duration of two weeks.
This includes “the highly anticipated PUBG Global Championship 2022, GameExpo, PopconME, Initiate Summit, a live concert, regional tournaments, a school tournament as well as retail promotions taking place across the city showcasing the latest games and merchandise.”
The organizers stated that their aim will be to gather together the world’s greatest gamers, developers, and artists, allowing fans to meet and engage with them. There will also be a “series of lifestyle and pop cultural activities” at the festival.
Muna Al Falasi, Director of Festival Strategy & Planning for the DFRE, stated:
“We very much look forward to a dynamic and stimulating event which will enrich the thriving gaming and esports scene in Dubai. The event will attract talented and keen gaming individuals from around the world, allowing gaming communities to connect and interact with top-tier esports 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 engaging within this exciting sector.”
Mahir Abdulkarim Julfar, Executive Vice President of Venue Services Management at the Dubai World Trade Center, commented on the occasion:
“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.”
Sholto Douglas-Home, Chief Sales and Marcomms Officer of Expo City Dubai, also 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 esports fans in an exhilarating event that will showcase this fast-growing international phenomenon.”
PUBG Global Championship, Initiate Summit, GameExpo, tournaments, and more
The highly anticipated PUBG Global Championship will take place at the Dubai Esports Festival 2022 from November 1 to 20. This tournament will see 32 teams from four regions duke it out to grab the PGC Champions title and a share of more than $2 million. The tournament will also be livestreamed on Twitch.
The Initiate Summit will take place from November 9 to 11 and facilitate talks between industry leaders, professionals, and developers to enhance the esports ecosystem in Dubai and the MENA region. The attending speakers include Maxime Durand, World-Design Director at Ubisoft Montreal, and Rocco Scandizzo, Head of Unreal Engine EMEA at Epic Games.
The GameExpo is set to take place between November 10 and 13. There will be plenty of entertainment for esports enthusiasts, from watching live tournaments, meeting with esports personalities to encountering rare vintage gaming experiences at the Retro Games Zone.
Taking place from November 10 to 13, PopConME will be a celebration of everything pop culture, including superheroes, comics, gaming, art, anime, and more. The press release encourages fans to dress up “in their favorite cosplay outfits” for the occasion and meet their favorite cosplay celebrities.
The upcoming Dubai Esports Festival 2022 will also feature regional and school tournaments. The former will see the MENA region’s best gamers participate in a mobile game tournament on November 12 and 13 and a console tournament on November 19 and 20.
The latter will see young gamers from select Dubai-based schools who qualify for the event challenging each other on stage on November 10. Additionally, there’s also a concert that will take place on November 19. The organizers will reveal details regarding the same closer to the festival.
To learn more about the Dubai Esports Festival 2022, esports enthusiasts can visit here.