AD Gaming formed to further gaming sector in Abu Dhabi

Twofour54 in Abu Dhabi has launched a new initiative bringing together various organisations to build a gaming and esports ecosystem in the emirate.

Dubbed Abu Dhabi Gaming (AD Gaming), the project is supported by Unity Technologies, Flash Entertainment, UAE Pro League, Emirates Esports Association and the Media Zone Authority.

AD Gaming hopes to provide a support system for game developers, players, consumers, and businesses in Abu Dhabi. The initiative will work to grow regional gaming and esports talent and bring gaming events to Abu Dhabi.

As Abu Dhabi’s premier media and entertainment hub, twofour54 will provide space within the free zone for all businesses that make use of the Media Zone Authority’s gaming, esports and virtual reality (VR) licenses, as well as subsidies for new partner companies. Flash Entertainment, UAE Pro League and Emirates Esports Association on the other hand will provide the necessary infrastructure to grow the esports community and businesses in the region.

AD Gaming has also announced that 15 new gaming and esports businesses will be joining Yas Creative Hub when it opens in Q4 2021, including the Emirates Esports Association, Boss Bunny, Kashkool Games, Khousouf Games and RobocomVR amongst others.

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Yas Creative Hub will include a purpose-built facility, called Gaming Hub, operated in partnership with industry giant Unity Technologies, which will provide a physical home for the gaming companies. On-the-ground support will be provided to start-ups and aspiring professionals through a range of talent development and business support programmes.

Unity Technologies will lead a ‘train-the-trainer’ development programme, working with several educational institutions across the UAE, including Abu Dhabi University, NYU Abu Dhabi, Higher Colleges of Technology and University of Sharjah. Unity will train professors and teachers who can in turn train their students on AI, virtual reality, game development and coding skills. AD Gaming says it will support students by linking them with gaming and esports partners to gain industry experience.

Meanwhile, Flash Entertainment has announced it will be holding four esports tournaments throughout 2021.

“The global gaming industry has been growing at an increasing rate over the last few years, and this growth has been accelerated by the pandemic to the extent that global revenues are expected to surpass $200bn by 2023,” said Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of twofour54. “AD Gaming will bring the emirate’s existing gaming industry together under one strategic brand, and will invest in attracting a significant share of the emerging regional’s industry to form an ecosystem that fosters creativity and sustainable growth.”

AD Gaming will also launch a website for the gaming community that will list an esports events calendar, a directory for game studios and companies that are based in Abu Dhabi. AD Gaming will also have a dedicated twitch channel featuring Abu Dhabi’s gamers.