Abu Dhabi’s Esports Island: A New Era for Competitive Gaming

• The developers of the ‘True Gamers’ project have decided to invest over $280 million to build the world’s first ‘eSports Island’ in Abu Dhabi to include a world-class hotel, professional training facilities, and a cutting-edge arena.
• The project seeks to make Abu Dhabi a global hub for eSports, in harmony with the Vision 2030 of the UAE in the direction of diversifying the economy through innovation and digital entertainment.

True Gamers is developing the world’s first esports island in Abu Dhabi, which will combine luxury, innovation, and competitive gaming. True Gamers, an international network of esports teams, is leading this huge project, which has a development budget of approximately $280 million (£225 million). The project is expected to cost $1 billion in total.

A New Frontier in Esports

The esports island, which is strategically positioned near Al Raha, adjacent to Zayed International Airport and Yas Island’s famed tourist attractions, wants to establish Abu Dhabi as a vital hub for the global gaming community. This development is consistent with the UAE’s larger strategy to diversify its economy beyond oil, with an emphasis on knowledge-based businesses and digital innovation.​

“Our vision is to empower gamers to pursue their dreams, ignite passion for eSports in future generations, and shape tomorrow’s competitive landscape,” said Anton Vasilenko, CEO and co-founder of True Gamers.​

Cutting-Edge Facilities

The island will have two towers, one holding a luxury resort hotel and the other dedicated to digital innovation spaces. The main attractions include:​

• GG Resort: A 200-room luxury hotel outfitted with high-performance gaming computers, providing visitors with an immersive gaming experience.​
• GG Bootcamp: Professional training facilities for esports teams, including cutting-edge gaming rigs, coaching resources, and wellness programs.​
• TG Arena: A cutting-edge venue built to accommodate international esports events, digital exhibitions, and large-scale conferences.​
• Content Creation Spaces: Set aside locations for influencers and game developers to create and distribute content.​

Adding a novel twist, guests will be able to check into the hotel by parachute leap, inspired by the famous game PUBG, for an unrivalled immersive experience.

Economic Impact & Prospects

The economic contribution of the esports island is expected to exceed $1 billion upon completion, underlining the fast growth of esports in the Middle East and North Africa to $2 billion in 2023. True Gamers expect to break even within 10 years, and discussions are still ongoing with key investors to secure additional funding.

This signifies not only Abu Dhabi’s intention to be a world leader in digital entertainment but also the broader strategic shift of the region toward the encouragement of innovation and support for young industries.