Dubai esports and games festival starts on June 23; what to expect from the 3-day event

The game is on! Talented gamers from around the world are gathering in Dubai for the second edition of the Dubai eSports and Games Festival starting on Friday, June 23.

Happening until Sunday at Expo City Dubai, there will be "non-stop gaming action where innovation meets excitement in the Middle East's most thrilling gaming event," Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), the organisers of the gaming expo, said.

"The Festival is set to consolidate Dubai's rise as a global hub for the gaming industry and a focal point for the convergence of innovation in the media, gaming, esports, technology and entertainment sectors," DFRE added.

DFRE also assured that there's something for everyone as visitors will be treated to various games, from the retro ones to the cutting-edge metaverse. Big prizes are also expected to be given away as participating local, regional and global players compete at the highest level.

Here’s what to expect at the gaming expo:

Play beyond

This is the latest addition to the festival – Play Beyond pits teams of regional and international influencers against each other in the ultimate gaming showdown, featuring games of multiple genres. The gamer influencers compete for the ultimate bragging rights and the public will witness them live in jaw-dropping action.

Minecraft education challenge

This is an exciting programme that teaches students computer programming. The winning UAE school team will compete in the grand final against an invited regional team to determine the overall tournament champion who display exceptional creativity skills.

Gameplan metaverse

The future of mobile gaming is here and it looks pretty good. Gameplan, the first-ever sports metaverse, will bring gamers to an expansive open-world game overflowing with fun sports mini-games, thriving online communities, and interactive hubs where they can meet other players and talk to their favourite athletes.

Drone championship league

Gamers will experience drone flight simulator as they navigate through desert-themed virtual race tracks and execute insane manoeuvres and crazy hairpin turns to snatch first place. A word of advice though from game creators who say “it will take more than fancy flying to conquer the treacherous desert skies. Pilots will need grit and guts to master the drone and claim the ultimate DCL championship.”

Retro zone

Any gaming expo will is not complete without paying homage to old-school gaming arcades. The Retro Zone will take games travel back in time to enjoy the all-time classics and greatest hits of video game history. From the pixelated 8-bit charm to the hardcore difficulty of retro games, they will enjoy 55 games across 200+ computers, consoles and arcade machines.

Emirati-made survival game

Replete with Arabic-inspired puzzles, enigmas and riddles, Darkness Road is an Emirati-made survival game that will be making its debut at the gaming expo. Hussain Ahmad Darwish, co-founder, producer and managing director of Foxrito Studios, creator and developer of Darkness Road, told Khaleej Times that Darkness Road also features a GCC-inspired soundtrack and characters portray the regional and local dialects.

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