THE LOWDOWN ON GAMES CON
The inaugural edition of Games Con Middle East, the latest offering from the team that runs the successful annual Middle East Film & Comic Con, is the latest regional testament to the strength and pull of the international gaming industry. This year, an estimated 2.2 billion gamers across the globe are expected to generate US$108.9 billion (Dh400bn) in revenues, according to a Newzoo Global Games Market Report released in April.
Until Saturday, among the YouTube stars who will be on hand to meet fans and play each other live on stage, are two members of a group called the Sidemen: Vikram Barn, also known as Vikkstar123, and Joshua Bradley, or Zerkaa. They will join fellow British star Alastair Aiken and his partner,
Clare Siobhan, who has become a gaming celebrity in her own right. The couple like to make videos while they play Pokémon Go with their dog Eevee, and they will also host their fan meet-and-greets in Abu Dhabi together.
Popular voice actors, including Chloé Hollings (Overwatch,
Widowmaker), D C Douglas (Resident Evil/One Piece/
Star Trek Enterprise) and Brina Palencia (Mad Moxxi), will not only meet fans, but also sell them personalised voice recordings.
There will also be a Cosplay Contest Friday from 6.15pm to 7.30pm for best portrayal of gaming characters, with prize money of up to Dh7,000 for individuals and Dh10,000 for groups. Gamers will have the chance to test as-yet unreleased 2018 titles including Monster
Hunter: World and Dissidia Final
Fantasy NT. There will be a strong educational aspect to the event, with visitors getting the chance to learn more about the regional scene in gaming development. There will be free game-design and development workshops on offer throughout the entire weekend. Games Con runs from today until Saturday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Some of the content is only available for those who are 18 and older. A one-day standard ticket is Dh75 and threeday standard pass is Dh200. Super VIP passes are sold out, but there are select Dh500 VIP three-day passes left. For tickets and more information, go to www.megamescon.com