Esports in the country and region is set for a major boost following Dubai Sports Council's partnership with Gamefinder Esports to create a series of online tournaments under the title, ‘Call of Duty – Modern Warfare'. The first of these tournaments, which will be organized in collaboration with the Emirates Esports Association, will take place from May 20-22, and 16 teams are expected to compete for cash prizes and vouchers. Registration is free and participants can join through the https://esports.gamefinder.ae website, with the option to create their own team or join an already created one. Going forward, there are plans to organize a number of simultaneous tournaments based on different game modes, age groups and team profiles, all with dedicated prize pools. There are also plans to organize a unique league that will feature advanced player profiles, and all tournaments will be live streamed, managed and operated by Gamefinder. Dubai Sports Council's partnership with Gamefinder is the latest in a number of initiatives that the Council has announced under its newly-created Virtual Events segment. With traditional sports and outdoor activity coming to a standstill around the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dubai Sports Council has been encouraging sports event organizers in the Emirate to innovate and embrace the world of virtual sports and Esports, and to support them, the Council added a special segment for registering Virtual Events on their official website, www.dubaisc.ae, last month. The main focus of the partnership between Dubai Sports Council and Gamefinder is to give a boost to the Esports sector in the country, and give a taste of international competition to the region's amateur and new talents by embracing international gaming standards through online tournaments, and facilitate their journey into the world of professional Esports from the comfort of their homes. The partnership is seeking to provide an unrivalled platform on Gamefinder Esports for casual and professional gamers alike, and with hopes to power the future of Esports in the region and its related industries by nurturing the local Esports biosphere, economy and business development. There are plans to launch a talent incubation program as well, and the vision of the two parties — DSC and Gamefinder — goes beyond the current COVID-19 crisis, with plans to create innovative Esports event platforms for tournaments in the post-Coronavirus world, in a bid to enhance the region's position as a key active location on the international talent map. —SG
