Games of the Future 2025: Abu Dhabi to host next-generation gaming competition in December

Combining physical and digital competitions, the tournament is the first of its kind in the region

Games of the Future 2025 will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from December 18 to 23. Photo: Phygital International

Abu Dhabi is set to host a new kind of sporting event when the Games of the Future 2025 take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from December 18 to 23.

The tournament brings together traditional athletic challenges and competitive gaming in a format that organisers describe as the next step in how people play and watch sport.

The Games of the Future, organised by Phygital International, blend physical skill and digital gameplay in a single event. Athletes compete in video games before moving to real world challenges that mirror or complement the virtual rounds.

“This is a great opportunity to incentivise our young audience, girls and boys, wherever they are in the world,” Nis Hatt, chief executive of Phygital International, told The National. “We know that there are hundreds of millions, if not billions, of young people gaming every day in every country around the world.”

The tournament features 11 disciplines that span esports, augmented reality and physical sports. Counter-Strike 2 leads the Phygital Shooter competition, testing players’ precision and teamwork under pressure before they move to real-world challenges. Dota 2 headlines the Moba PC competition, pushing teams to combine strategy with real-world execution. Fortnite will feature in the Battle Royale discipline where only one team can emerge victorious.

At Games of the Future, teams play both digital and physical versions of the same sport or game. Photo: Phygital International

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves takes centre stage in the Phygital Fighting discipline, blending digital reflexes with live physical contests. UFL, a next-generation football title, will form the basis of the Phygital Football discipline, while 3on3 FreeStyle will headline the Basketball competition, combining virtual matches with live court action.

The event is not limited to traditional esports titles. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, one of the world’s most popular mobile games, will feature in the Moba Mobile discipline. Just Dance, the long-running rhythm and dance series, will be central to the Phygital Dancing competition, where athletes perform on screen and replicate those movements in front of a live audience. Hado, an augmented reality sport, allows players to move, dodge and launch attacks physically, with no controllers, in visually immersive battles.

The games are designed to be inclusive. Athletes do not represent countries in the traditional sense and participation is open to all.

“We don’t focus on nationalities or genders or religious beliefs,” Hatt said. “Everybody is welcome no matter what. Open for all is open for all, for sure, men, women, boys, girls.”

While the event may draw comparisons with the Olympics, Hatt emphasises that it is not aiming to compete with it directly. “Obviously, if the Olympics one day were to approach us and say, 'Hey, we would like you to be part of it,' then who knows? We are always open to conversations. But at this point in time, we have our own concept, we have our own business plan and we strongly believe that we have a very strong and very competitive product.”

Teams from all around the world will arrive in Abu Dhabi to compete in different disciplines. Photo: Phygital International

Coverage of the competition is global. Sportworld will stream the tournament to more than 200 countries through its Smart TV platform. In Asia, Chinese platform Huya and South Korean service Soop will broadcast live matches, highlights and locally produced coverage. Across Africa, StarTimes and TV Brics will stream live contests and feature programmes in English and Arabic, ensuring audiences around the world can enjoy the event.

Although most disciplines begin on December 18, the Dota 2 Moba PC tournament starts on December 14. Visitors to Adnec can also explore interactive zones, VR demonstrations, technology exhibits and find out first-hand how phygital sport works.

Looking ahead, Hatt says Phygital International hopes to expand the platform further. “We want to set up a Phygital University, which also operates as a games factory where new games are conceptualised, tested for viability and eventually added to the Games of the Future schedule,” he said.

Tickets for the Games of the Future 2025 are available at gotfabudhabi.com