WN Conference coming to Abu Dhabi on February 11-12, with talks from Google, Ubisoft, Sandsoft, and more
WN Media Group has announced its new games industry conference. The company will be holding a major event in the United Arab Emirates next month, featuring speakers from Ubisoft, MY.GAMES, Sandsoft Games, Razer, Google, Holodeck Ventures, and more.
Why the UAE?
The United Arab Emirates is part of the MENA-3 region, which also includes Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Niko Partners forecasted this market to reach $2.1 billion in revenue in 2024, up 8.2% year-over-year. Analysts also expect the MENA-3 video game market to grow at a 5-year CAGR of 8.3%, making it one of the fastest-growing regions in the world.
Abu Dhabi is at the forefront of this growth, with the local government actively investing in the area. In 2021, it launched the Abu Dhabi Gaming (AD Gaming) program, along with several other initiatives, aimed at turning the UAE into a major gaming and esports hub.
AD Gaming supports dozens of local games industry events annually, including WN Conference, and helps game companies find partnerships with local investors.
WN Conference Abu Dhabi’25: venue and program
WN Conference Abu Dhabi’25 will take place on February 11-12 at the Yas Marina Circuit venue, located near the Formula One track, as well as Warner Bros. World park and the Ferrari World complex.
Yas Marina is also home to various hotels, including Radisson, Hilton, Rotana, and Crowne Plaza, making it easier for international attendees to get to the venue.
The conference’s official program will be announced later. It will feature keynotes and talks from games industry experts representing companies such as Ubisoft, AD Gaming, Mundfish, Razer, and more.
There will also be the Developers Showcase offering game studios an opportunity to present their project and connect with potential partners. This part of the event will be sponsored by GEM Capital.
Developers wishing to participate in the showcase can apply until February 5 via this link. They will also get a free ticket to the conference.
Another activity for game developers is the WN Game Finder Contest, with the chance to win prizes and gain exposure to industry leaders. Its jury will include experts from companies like Krafton, Saber Interactive, MGVC, and Mundfish.
In addition, an on-site expo zone will feature booths from various companies and the event’s sponsors, such as Malpa, Strategy Park, Brightika, HardBit, Infinite Art Solutions, and RoasUp.
Tickets
Tickets start at €259 for indie studios of up to seven people. A standard pass, which also provides access to the networking pre-party on February 10, is $499 for developers and publishers, and $749 for service providers.
Premium tickets ($699 for devs and publishers, and $1,049 for service providers) will also allow participants to attend the main party at the end of the conference’s first day.
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The upcoming conference will be WN Media Group’s second event in Abu Dhabi. Last year, the company held WN Conference Abu Dhabi’24, bringing together over 500 games industry professionals from studios like Riot Games, Ubisoft, Unity, and Google.