Esports is big money these days, really big money. The UAE esports industry alone is estimated at around US $3 billion, hoping to generate US $1.5 billion in revenues by 2020. Dubai is also looking into creating the first esports-focused stadium.
Insomnia Gaming Festival in Dubai is pretty exciting, it stands as the UK’s longest running gaming event and a big name in the realm of gaming expos – up there with the likes of TwitchCon and dedicated esports tournaments like Evo.
Running from October 17-19 at the Meydan Grandstand, it will be the 66th fest and the first in Dubai. It is a three day event made for gamers, with gaming setups of both modern games like Overwatch and League of Legends and classic setups with things like the original Mario Bros and Legend of Zelda.
The event will also host a Virtual Reality section, a cosplay section, a drone racing section and various outlets for merchandise. As gaming inherently has people interacting online, events like these work as hubs to unite people in person, things like the ‘After Party’ and LAN parties are incredibly crucial to strengthening the community in gaming.
The event is setting the scene up as one of the largest competitive gaming events in Middle Eastern history. There are 12 games which will be played on the main stage in a compeitive sense. These games include Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Tekken 7, Fortnite and CS:GO. With the prize pool in these four games alone adding up to US $25,000.
If high-level play is a bit too stressful for you, you can take part in boardgames, quizzes, or even enjoy a live performance of the Original Pokemon theme singer Jason Paige. There’s also JustDance competitions, Chillout zones, and a lot more ways to unwind with your gaming buddies.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), commented:
“Dubai is continuously evolving its entertainment landscape year after year, catering to all interests and cementing the city’s reputation as a leading events destination to global audiences. We are delighted to support the debut of the Insomnia Gaming Festival in Dubai, a welcome addition to the city’s year-round and diverse calendar of events. Given the growing popularity of the gaming scene regionally, we anticipate a huge number of enthusiasts to visit Insomnia Dubai, what will be the emirate’s biggest gaming extravaganza, as they enjoy immersive one-of-a-kind experiences.”
Dubai has said in the past it wants to be the world capital for hosting esports events, it’s a US $150+ billion industry, of which the UAE only has a small slice of right now. Nailing events like this is fundamental to getting a sturdy foothold in the industry, something Dubai is obviously serious about with its talk of an esports stadium.
H.E. Mona Ghanem Al Marri, director general of Dubai Media Office said:
“We are living in a world where digital culture is reshaping all aspects of life, including sports,” This has led us to develop the concept of Dubai X-Stadium, which will consolidate Dubai’s status as a key digital economy hub. The idea aims at attracting millions of eSports gamers, spectators and enthusiasts from around the world and offering them unique online and in-person experiences.”
Have a look at the official announcement video here:
For more information on Insomnia Dubai, including ticket purchases, visit http://www.insomniadubai.com/
