Abu Dhabi: The capital is hosting its first gaming festival next week.
The Middle East Games Con event, to be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) from November 23 to 25 will feature cosplays, e-sports, table top games, competitions and much more. Gaming enthusiasts can also preview yet-to-be- released 2018 games and get a chance to meet and greet some celebrity YouTubers and voice artists who are visiting Abu Dhabi for the first time.
According to Araafat Ali Khan of event organiser Informa Exhibitions, the Middle East Games Con festival could not have been held at a better time. “The gaming industry in the Middle East is massive with over 30 million users who spent over Dh12 billion on gaming last year,” said Khan.
Here’s what you can expect at the exhibition:
Celebrity YouTubers
Get set to meet YouTubers Ali A, Claire Siobhan, Vikkstar and Zerkaa who will be battling it out on stage on games like Mario Kart Deluxe 8, Pokken Tournament and Forza Motorsport 7. YouTube legend King Madness will also show off his gaming prowess.
Renowned voice actors
Renowned voice actors – Chloe Hollings of Overwatch and Widowmaker; D.C. Douglas of Resident Evil/One Piece/Star Trek Enterprise and Brina Palencia of Mad Moxxi will meet and greet fans.
Celebrated gamers
Internationally renowned gamers Klasu, Otterpanda, Saaed, Dizzyy and Moeleley – all from Yalla eSports - will be present. They will be joined by other competitive players from Nasr eSports and will interact with fans.
Previews
Games like Final Fantasy and Dynasty Warriors will have their global release at the Middle East Games Con. Gaming enthusiasts will also have a chance to preview other unreleased titles of 2018 and try a hand at games like Dragon Ball FighterZ, Dissidia NT, Ni Nu Kuni 2, Attack on Titan 2 and Gravel among others.
Tournaments
There are plenty of prizes, ranging from Dh15,000 to Dh73,000, to be won at the exhibition. Also lined up is the Power League Gaming with Injustice 2 and Tekken 7 tournament and the Multiplayer shooter Pavlov VR (Counter Strike VR). If you like traditional board games, there is a series of Table Top tournaments like Settlers of Catan, Splendor, Star Wars Destiny, Code Name and Ticket to Ride.
Workshops
A key attraction at the Games Con are its workshops, intended to expose youngsters to the gaming world. The workshops will be free for all ticket holders.
Cosplay
No Games Con festival is complete without a dedicated cosplay contest.
Visitors can bring their favourite characters to life by dressing the part and making an attempt to bag the trophy for best dressed.
Gaming hardware
PlayStation, MSI, Dell - Alienware, HP Omen and HTC Vive are showcasing their latest desktops, laptops and hardware to run any triple A game. So if you are mad about your PC and console gaming, the festival has you covered. Ticket price
Tickets
One day: Dh75
Three days: Dh200
VIP Pass: Dh500
Super VIP: Dh2,500.
On the door
One day: Dh100
Three days: Dh250
VIP: Dh500
Super VIP: Dh2,500
Tickets can be purchased at www.me-gamescon.com
