Dubai Esports Festival 2025 Sets New Records and Growth
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Dubai's gaming economy took a major step forward with the Dubai Esports and Games Festival (DEF) 2025. Organisers announced that the event was the biggest edition yet, showcasing innovation, talent, and investment opportunities across the city. The fourth season of the region's largest esports festival concluded with record-breaking attendance and strong industry impact.
DEF 2025 welcomed over 45,000 fans, families, and professionals. The festival spanned 17 days and featured 12 major events. It combined family-friendly activities with strategic programming aimed at growing the gaming sector.
Organisers reported that the flagship GameExpo event attracted more than 34,800 attendees. It offered interactive zones, tournaments, cosplay competitions, and exclusive giveaways. Live streams on TikTok MENA highlighted key moments from popular games like Valorant, Fortnite, and Tekken 8.
The festival featured 3.8 million gamers competing in over 90 tournaments. Popular titles included EA FC 25, Yalla Ludo, and Fortnite. In total, DEF showcased more than 130 games, including over 10 new releases.
Furthermore, DEF 2025 hosted 2,000 industry professionals from 70 countries in two B2B events. The festival spotlighted 260 SMEs from gaming and tech sectors. These companies gained access to investor networks and collaboration opportunities.
Youth engagement was a key focus. The DEF Education Programme involved more than 16,000 students and educators from 250 schools across the UAE. It included gaming tournaments, workshops, career advice, and a mobile game truck visiting schools.
The event aligned with Dubai's Economic Agenda D33 and the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033. The CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, Ahmed Al Khaja, revealed that DEF supports Dubai's goal to become a global hub for gaming and digital innovation.
Highlights included: The Dubai Cosplay Championship with a prize pool of AED 30,000.
An all-female Valorant faceoff supported by Benefit.
The GameExpo Summit, which gathered over 1,700 professionals to discuss AI, Web3, and investment.
Retail promotions were also reported. More than 2,500 outlets offered deals during the festival. Selected Rove Hotels provided exclusive discounts to attendees.
The Dubai Esports and Games Festival 2025 was supported by key partners such as Amazon, du, Dubai Police, Emirates NBD, Red Bull, and Virgin Radio.
This year's event confirmed Dubai's expanding role in the global esports landscape and its commitment to nurturing the gaming ecosystem for entertainment, education, and economic growth.
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