Two hundred gamers will battle it out for a top prize of $3 million (Dh11m) this weekend in New York at the first Fortnite World Cup, the richest tournament yet in the burgeoning eSports market.
The best players from around the globe, mostly teenage boys, are gathering in the Big Apple to determine who is top dog at the shoot-'em-up survival game, which has become an international phenomenon since launching in 2017.
Every competitor is guaranteed to leave Arthur Ashe Stadium – more used to hosting US Open tennis – with $50,000, making them the envy of the school classroom when they return home. Saturday and Sunday's finals have a total prize fund of $30 million.
Last gamer standing
"There's a lot of money to be made [compared to other games] and it's open to everyone," 15-year-old Evan Depauw from Belgium told AFP.
"Often, in games, there are really very few players who can make a lot of money and be really well known," added Depauw, who plays the video game for up to four hours a day.
Epic Games – Fortnite's creators – have spent a whopping $100 million on the inaugural event, including staging 10 weeks of qualifying culminating in this weekend's tournament.
The winner will bank almost as much as the $3.85 million that the singles champions of this year's US Open will pick up, highlighting the growth of professional gaming. They will also get a shiny trophy.
Competitors will play the "Battle Royale" format of Fortnite, where they will fight each other in different worlds until there is just one survivor left standing.
Users are dropped onto an island where they must search for weapons and other resources while eliminating other players – all while trying to stay alive. There is two divisions – solo and duo.
Fortnite, which is free to play, has 250 million users worldwide and thousands of keen gamers are expected to pack into the stands to watch the participants tap away frantically on their controllers and keyboards.
The showpiece is an attempt by Fortnite to grab a greater share of the global gaming market, which is expected to be a $300 billion industry by 2025, according to a recent report by analytics firm GlobalData.
Market growth
"These high-value tournaments are trying to drive engagement and interest in the game," said Michael Pachter, a gaming and media analyst at Wedbush Securities.
"They'll return a big chunk of their profit to gamers and keep people watching and caring about the outcome," he told AFP.
Fortnite generated revenues up to $300 million in some months of last year, dropping off to around $200 million a month currently, according to Pachter.
"There's half a billion people playing mobile games and another billion that play PC or console games that haven't tried Fortnite yet," he said. "So there's plenty of room for them to replace the players that quit and keep their revenue at a steady level," Pachter added.
Fortnite has been instrumental in transforming the video gaming industry as users move from consoles and desktops to playing on smartphones.
The game has also pioneered the "freemium" model, meaning it costs nothing to play – but users can purchase cosmetic upgrades that don't improve their ability to defeat opponents. Gamers enjoy that egalitarian aspect.
"It has become the dominant economic model," said Jeremy Jackson, an analyst at gaming research firm Newzoo.
Finals are 'wide open'
The finals are set to be wide open after Fortnite superstar Ninja, who has 22 million followers on YouTube, failed to qualify.
American Turner Tenney, known as "Tfue", is seen as one of the favourites to lift the solo trophy on Sunday.
Austrians Klaus Konstanzer, aka "Stompy", and Thomas Horak, nicknamed "Tschinken", are tipped to go far in the duo competition on Saturday.
Whether Depauw, the 15-year-old from Belgium who is also known as "DRG", picks up a check or not, he has no plans to ditch school for a life as a professional gamer.
"If I do not have the level [of ability] anymore or I just get tired of it, at least I'll have my studies," he told AFP.
Controversial studies
Fortnite's popularity is undeniable, however this has caused public figures to speak out about the irresponsibility of its creation, warning of its propensity to destroy families.
Countries such as Iraq have considered banning the game, amid fears the violence portrayed in their storylines cause a threat to the country's stability, and Britain's Prince Harry spoke out about the addictive nature of games and the damage they can do to one's mental health.
"[Fortnite] shouldn't even be allowed," the British royal said at an event at London's YMCA. "What is the benefit of having that game in your household, no matter what age you are? It's created as an addiction to keep you in front of a computer as long as possible."
With additional reporting from Katy Gillett
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
Naga
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How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
'Nope'
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