Event will feature e-sports, comics, and YouTubers in March.
The inaugural edition of POPC Live! in Dubai will be held over five days in March 2022 and is touted as the Middle East’s biggest e-sports, comics, and YouTubers’ pop culture festival featuring a host of experiences and activities.
The festival is supported by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), as part of its vision to transform Dubai into a creative space and showcase the city as a leading destination for culture, innovation, and talent.
Highlights of the event will include PUBG Mobile, League of Legends, and DOTA2 tournaments hosted at the festival’s massive e-sports Zone. Top international teams will compete at the tournaments to win millions of dirhams in prize money. The Zone will also host the GIRLGAMER World Finals as well as several community tournaments hosted by Galaxy Racer that will be open to the public.
Fans of comics will also be treated to an all-embracing community event.
The festival’s exhibitor zone will feature some of the biggest gaming publishers, comic book houses, toy companies, and film & TV brands. The main stage will also see a line-up of regional and international music acts combined with a number of interactive performances.
Nehal Badri, Director of Brand Dubai, said, "The hosting of POPC Live! for the first time in the region in Dubai not only reinforces the city’s status as a leading destination for digital content development but also highlights its role as a leader in creating exciting new opportunities for youth in the region. The partnership between Waverider and Galaxy Racer supports our efforts to encourage talent, creativity, and entrepreneurship. The event will also contribute to further positioning Dubai as a major global venue for entertainment and sporting events."
Arafaat Ali Khan, CEO of Waverider, said, "I am thrilled to once again get the opportunity to develop the biggest pop culture event in the region. Featuring prominent celebrities and brands from around the world, the festival is focused on creativity, a true sense of community, and the best content. At Waverider, our focus is on new content and IP from the region to the region. POPC Live! will be one of many exciting content events planned in the coming months."
Paul Roy, CEO of Galaxy Racer, said, "We are excited to be partnering with Waverider, one of the pioneers in pop culture events in the region, to organize POPC Live! in Dubai. This experience, coupled with our gaming and e-sports expertise, content creators, and relationship with the global GIRLGAMER E-sports Festival, means this event will be the biggest celebration of pop culture, gaming, and e-sports the region has ever seen."
