Global Games Show brings Web3 gaming to Abu Dhabi

The Global Games Show is coming to Abu Dhabi in 2025, and this year program makes one thing clear: blockchain is not just adjacent to gaming anymore – it is becoming core infrastructure.

Organized by VAP Group, the two-day conference expects over 5,000 attendees, 200+ speakers, and a lineup that features many of the most influential figures in Web3 gaming. Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Chairman of Animoca Brands, will deliver a keynote on the evolution of digital ownership and player-driven economies. Sébastien Borget, Co-Founder of The Sandbox, joins panel discussions exploring how decentralized platforms are reshaping game design and monetization.

The event runs parallel to the Global Blockchain Show, bringing gaming studios, blockchain developers, and investors into the same room for gaming studios, blockchain developers, and institutional investors looking to understand how tokenomics, NFTs, and decentralized governance are being embedded into major releases.

What’s on the agenda

Sessions cover practical implementation: how studios are integrating blockchain without alienating traditional players, lessons learned from early Play-to-Earn models, and where regulatory frameworks are heading as governments take Web3 gaming more seriously.

Expect deep dives on:

• AI-assisted game design meeting blockchain-based asset ownership
• Web3 infrastructure – what’s required to scale decentralized games beyond niche audiences
• Tokenomics and IP investment – how game economies are being structured for long-term sustainability
• Cross-platform play and interoperability across blockchain ecosystems

Live demos will showcase how tools like Unreal Engine 6 are being adapted for blockchain integration, and how AR/VR environments are experimenting with NFT-based worlds.

Why Abu Dhabi is hosting

The UAE has been aggressively positioning itself as a Web3 hub, offering regulatory clarity that’s still murky in other major markets. Abu Dhabi’s gaming ecosystem has grown fast over the past two years, attracting both indie developers and major publishers testing blockchain-first models in a friendlier environment.

The Global Games Show leverages that momentum, offering a neutral ground where Eastern and Western studios can collaborate without the compliance headaches that come with events in more restrictive jurisdictions.

Networking, not just panels

Beyond the mainstage, the event is structured around practical engagement: investor mixers, developer workshops, and direct access to decision-makers from studios actively hiring, funding, or partnering on Web3 projects.

For studios exploring blockchain integration, or investors trying to separate real opportunities from short-term hype in gaming tokens, the concentration of expertise in one location makes this a valuable opportunity.

The Global Games Show runs alongside the Global Blockchain Show, and joint passes allow attendees to move between both events – a setup designed to facilitate crossover between gaming creatives and blockchain infrastructure teams.

If you’re building in Web3 gaming, or trying to understand where the industry is actually headed beyond the hype cycles, Abu Dhabi in 2025 is likely to attract anyone tracking the future of Web3 gaming.

Event details:

• Dates: December 10-11, 2025
• Location: Space42 Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Registration: globalgamesshow.com/abu-dhabi