Dubai is set to host the world’s largest girl gaming festival – ‘GirlGamerEsports Festival’ this year. More than 20 million people expected to watch the live stream globally.
The game includes prize pools of more than $100,000 and 45 players from nine teams.
The event will be in held from December 12 to December 14 at an upcoming gaming facility in Meydan One.
There will be two different games, CounterStrike Go and League of Legends.
“This won’t only boost the e-gaming industry in the region but will also bolster the tourism industry and push for gender balance in gaming,” Fernando Pereira, a global organiser of the GirlGamerEsports Festival, told to Khaleej Times.
“What we want to push for is gender balance. There are a lot of studies showing that if girls start to take an interest in video games from an early age, they are 30 per cent more likely to follow science studies, meaning engineering, mathematics, which are professions that still have more men than women.”
The event aims to provide a platform to local talent so they can pursue their career from here, Paul Roy, CEO of Galaxy Racer said.
Girls of 16 years of age will compete in small local tournaments, with prize pools of thousands of dirhams.
The UAE has topped the gaming market in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), according to recent figures.
Gaming revenues in the UAE estimated to have reached Dh1.2 billion in 2018.
Last time the world finals of the GirlGamer Festival held in Portugal and Macau, with prize pools of $30,000.
Participants of this event are currently competing in regional tournaments and the winners will qualify for the finale in Dubai.
