Beirut, April 20 2017 – Marking its 5th year anniversary, PLG – Power League Gaming, in association with Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas and PlayStation is introducing the PLG Nationals, an all-new set of competitive gaming and eSports leagues for PS4 fans across VOX Cinemas screens in Middle East and North Africa.
Taking the competitive spirit to a whole new level and offering unique opportunities for amateur gamers to develop their skills and move up the professional ranks, the eSports leagues will create more dynamic and interactive gaming experiences for contestants and audiences in the region.
Inviting hundreds of the region’s gamers to compete, the PLG Nationals will be broadcast live to wider audiences, giving them front row seats to the gaming and eSports tournaments. Debut competitions held on the PS4 at VOX Cinemas will include the hugely popular Call of Duty franchise, Overwatch and the hotly anticipated iconic superhero game Injustice 2, born out of DC Comics and synonymous with upcoming movie releases worldwide. 6 winners per country will each be awarded a PS4 Pro, the world’s most powerful gaming console.
“We have seen the potential for these National competitions for some time, with our eSports and publishing partners, platforms, leading brands and venues we wish to unify an ecosystem for fresh talent to get a taste for what a professional gaming career can bring. We have talented contestants in the region that remain fantastic ambassadors for the Arab world. Sayed Hashem from Bahrain finished runner up in EVO in 2016 in Las Vegas narrowly losing to unbeaten American Sonic Fox, followed by Saif Haddadin from Jordan qualifying for the FIFA 17 – Regional FUT Championship Series Qualifier in Sydney, Mohammed Shiddo from Sudan representing his country in New York at the FIWC FIFA Interactive World Cup, and Mahmoud Osama Ahmed almost snatching the title in Red Bull Player One in Brazil, along with many others who are beginning to emerge in the global scene.” stated John Paul Lacey, Founder and Managing Director of PLG.
He continued: “We have supported these players on a case by case basis and we now need an infrastructure complimenting the industry leaders and partners to solidify the amateur eSports scene, providing a strong base to encourage the correct development of professional eSports. You cannot just throw money at gaming and hope you will create what has evolved in other parts of the world in well over a decade, all the pieces need to evolve together to create a healthy environment for competition.”
With two seasons running every year, the competitions will lead to higher levels of professional events including the PLG Grand Slam and more in the pipeline, operated by PLG alongside regional and international partners.
Cameron Mitchell, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas – VOX Cinemas, said: “Competitive gaming and eSports is currently worth over $1 billion in the Middle East alone while the entire industry is on the rise with a captive global audience of more than 300 million people. As the fastest growing and most innovative cinema chain in the Middle East we are constantly looking to add alternative content to our screens and what better way than to be associated with eSports. We believe that with strategic partners such as PlayStation and PLG, we will be able to seize the many growth opportunities that exist in the market and further strengthen our association with gaming as a cinema exhibitor.
Robert Fisser, VP and General Manager, PlayStation (Middle East, Africa, Turkey, India) said, “PlayStation is synchronous with incredible experiences…be it by making game worlds come alive through fantastic games on platforms such as PS4 and PS VR or by offering the best movie and TV content with partners like Netflix, StarzPlay and icFlix. We are pleased to partner with VOX and PLG to induce gamers to compete with each other locally on the big screen. Via PlayStation Plus, we have seen how passionate gamers in our region are about competing online against family/friends and other gamers across the world. Such events only reinforce our commitment to delivering the best experiences to them at every level.”
With the capacity to host hundreds of gamers in state-of-the-art environments paired with the highest screen and sound technologies, VOX Cinemas will truly push the boundaries of gaming within the entertainment space. Fully immersing contestants within the games, VOX Cinemas’ world-class innovative theatres will elevate the interactive adrenaline-filled competition experience for gamers across the region while audiences cheer on.
VOX Cinemas League Schedule:
Saturday 29th April – Mirdif City Center (Call of Duty Infinite Warfare / Overwatch)
Saturday 13th May – Mall of Egypt (Call of Duty Infinite Warfare / Overwatch)
Saturday 20th May – Mall of the Emirates (Call of Duty Infinite Warfare / Overwatch / Injustice 2)
Saturday 27th May – Beirut City Center (Call of Duty Infinite Warfare / Overwatch / Injustice 2)
For more information on the PLG Nationals, please visit the dedicated site over at http://nationals.powerleaguegaming.com available in both English and Arabic languages.