- The three-year partnership has brought the world’s best esports teams to Abu Dhabi for this weekend’s BLAST Premier World Final, the first time the event will be held in the UAE.
The video interview can be downloaded here.
Abu Dhabi, 15th December 2022: BLAST and AD Gaming – a pioneering gaming and esports initiative, have reaffirmed the importance of their partnership and how the BLAST Premier World Final 2022 in Abu Dhabi will help support the growth of the gaming and esports landscape in Abu Dhabi and the Middle East.
Yas Island’s Etihad Arena will open its doors to the public this weekend on 17th and 18th December for the most high-profile global esports tournament to be staged in the UAE capital following a three-year partnership between BLAST and AD Gaming.
The event which began on Wednesday features eight of the world’s best esports organisations in action in the Counter-Strike tournament, which will have a prize pool of USD $1 million.
In a video ahead of this weekend’s action, Sultan Al Riyami, Head of Esports and Gaming at AD Gaming and Charlotte Kenny, Managing Director of BLAST Premier spoke about the popularity of gaming and esports and their shared ambition to help the industry grow in the UAE and Middle East region.
Sultan Al Riyami, said: “One of the things that we have recognised here in Abu Dhabi was to partner with the right stakeholder to help make the gaming development part and the esports part of the industry really thrive.
“We’re thrilled to have BLAST as a partner because something that they have successfully done time and time again is put on incredible esports productions. Be it in Copenhagen or in Portugal and now in Abu Dhabi. We are really excited to see this come to fruition and we have a really exciting few days of Counter-Strike ahead.”
Charlotte Kenny said: “The Middle East and the GCC has been growing its esports scene rapidly and we’re really focused on developing the communities and building on this great partnership and the great work that AD Gaming has been doing. There’s such as thriving community in Abu Dhabi and can’t wait to be showcasing our world event at the Etihad Arena.”
Tickets are still available to the event which will also include a BLAST Gaming Zone with plenty of activities lined up for all fans to enjoy.
Kenny added: “I am super excited and delighted with what we’ve got planned for this weekend. People describe it as a rock concert. It’s everything. You can expect fireworks, you can expect education, you can expect gaming zones. This is one event not to be missed.”
Tickets for 17th and 18th December cost as low as AED 50 for Students and AED 115. Tickets can be purchased by visiting https://www.etihadarena.ae/en/event-booking/blast-premier-world-final-2022.
About BLAST
We’re on a mission to take esports to the next level of global entertainment. We excite and invite billions of fans to join the esports revolution. We create live and digital experiences – from tournaments that pack out major arenas around the world to
great content that’s guaranteed to blow your socks off.
We work with some of the world’s best game publishers and brands to elevate their properties into amazing esports experiences – having delivered tournaments, content and shows in a variety of games, including: Counter-Strike, DOTA 2, VALORANT, Apex Legends, FIFA 2022 and Fortnite.
Over the last year, we’ve been working with Fortnite to develop industry leading, year-round, calendar of exciting and competitive esports events. Following last year’s FNCS All-Star Showdown and FNCS Grand Royale tournaments, we’re now operating the entire FNCS Chapter 3 broadcast schedule during each Fortnite Season for 2022.
BLAST Premier is a worldwide Counter-Strike tournament series where the best teams and biggest superstars fight it out for glory and a multi-million dollar prize pool. Famous for its unparalleled production quality and game changing fan-first moments. Attracting tens-of-thousands of fans to our crazy-big-adrenaline-pumped live events in big arenas from London and Copenhagen to Miami and Sao Paulo, with millions more watching at home on our broadcast tuning in from more than 154 territories and in 25 different languages.
About AD Gaming
Abu Dhabi Gaming is a collaborative initiative that aggregates the broad efforts throughout
Abu Dhabi to drive and build a self-sustaining gaming and esports ecosystem.
Its role is to facilitate, empower and create an industry that is essential for the future of Abu
Dhabi’s media and entertainment industry.
Fostering an environment of growth and knowledge, AD Gaming will provide a support
system for the next generation of game developers and players, consumers and businesses
alike.
Abu Dhabi Gaming is powered by the collaboration of multiple Abu Dhabi based
governmental and commercial organisations, as well as content creators and gamers, with
the collective focus to build this creative sector.