The Games of the Future

What The Games of the Future does

The Games of the Future (GOTF), operated by Phygital International DMCC, is an international phygital sports tournament series that organizes competitions combining digital gaming with physical athletic performance. Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Dubai's DMCC free zone, the company runs annual multi-discipline events featuring a hybrid format where athletes compete in both virtual and real-world arenas, with final results combining performance across both stages. The flagship tournament covers between 8 and 11 disciplines including phygital sports (Football via UFL, Basketball 3on3 Freestyle, Dancing via Just Dance, Shooter via CS2 with laser tag physical rounds, Fighting via FATAL FURY), pure esports (Battle Royale via PUBG/Fortnite, MOBA PC via Dota 2, MOBA Mobile via MLBB), and tech sports (Drone Racing, Battle of Robots, VR via HADO). The company runs a global qualification ecosystem through the World Phygital Community (119 members across 115 countries) and Phygital Contenders qualifying tournaments that feed into the main annual event.

Underlying technology consists of the proprietary phygital competition format layered over third-party commercial game engines, laser tag systems for the Phygital Shooter physical round, and motion-tracking already built into the Just Dance platform for objective dance judging. Supporting platforms include Phygital+ (OTT streaming at tv.gofuture.games and phygital-plus.com) for global broadcast and on-demand content, and the GOTF Results Platform (results.gofuture.games) for live scoring. Major venues include ADNEC in Abu Dhabi for the 2025 edition and four venues in Astana for the 2026 edition, headlined by the 12,000-seat Barys Arena.

The business model combines four revenue streams: event ticketing (GOTF 2025 day passes AED 50-100, roughly USD 14-27), event sponsorships (ADNOC as title sponsor of GOTF 2025; Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund as title sponsor of GOTF 2026; broad general and official sponsor lineups across Kazakh financial, telecom, mining, mobility, and travel brands), media rights and streaming distributed through the proprietary Phygital+ platform and broadcast partners BIGG TV (50M households across 100+ countries) and Ei Nerd (Brazil), and venue/hospitality operations. Customer segments include professional athletes and esports competitors, sports clubs and esports organizations, host countries and cities (UAE for 2025, Kazakhstan for 2026), and global spectators/viewers. Three tournament cycles have been held or announced: GOTF 2024 (inaugural, 2,000 athletes), GOTF 2025 Abu Dhabi (December 2025, 11 disciplines, $5 million prize pool), and GOTF 2026 Astana (July-August 2026, 8 disciplines, $4 million+ prize pool, 800+ participants from 50+ countries).

Name

The Games of the Future

Legal name

Phygital International DMCC

Website

https://gofuture.games

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Games of the Future, operated by Phygital International DMCC, organizes annual international phygital sports tournaments combining digital gaming with physical athletic competition across multiple disciplines. Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Dubai, it serves professional athletes, esports clubs, host-country governments, and global spectators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Sports Events

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Fantasy Contests, Leagues & Tournament Organizers (MPAEAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fantasy-to-Sportsbook Convergence (DFS Sportsbook Hybrids) (MPAEACAM)

Keywords

• Phygital sports tournaments
• Esports event organization
• Hybrid sports competitions
• Sports broadcast streaming
• International sports events

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Ticketing: Direct spectator ticket sales for tournament events. GOTF 2025 Abu Dhabi offered Day Passes (AED 50 adults, AED 25 children) and Finals/Closing Day tickets (AED 50-100). Tickets sold via Ticketmaster and onsite box offices at ADNEC.
2. Event Sponsorships: Title sponsors (Samruk-Kazyna for GOTF 2026), General Sponsors (Halyk Fund, BCC, Alatau City Bank, Kazzinc, Freedom, Yandex GO), and Official Sponsors (Lancelot Group, Beeline, BI Group, Kazakhtelecom, Air Astana). GOTF 2025 powered by ADNOC.
3. Media Rights and Streaming: Broadcast and streaming rights sold to media partners. Phygital+ is the proprietary OTT streaming platform. International broadcast partners include Ei Nerd (Brazil) and BIGG TV (100+ countries, 50M households).
4. Venue and Hospitality: Venue partnerships with ADNEC (Abu Dhabi) and Kazakh venues (Barys Arena, Qazaqstan Athletics Sports Complex, Beeline Arena, Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace). Food, beverage, and hospitality services at venues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Games of the Future (GOTF) operates an annual international phygital sports tournament series where elite athletes and esports players compete across combined digital and physical disciplines, including Phygital Football, Basketball, Dancing, Shooter, Fighting, MOBA, Battle Royale, Drone Racing, Battle of Robots, and VR-game formats. The organization also operates the proprietary Phygital+ OTT streaming platform (tv.gofuture.games) and the GOTF Results Platform for live scoring, and runs the World Phygital Community governing body plus Phygital Contenders qualifying tournaments that feed into the main annual event.

Product overview

The Games of the Future (GOTF) is a global international phygital sports tournament organized by Phygital International. The offering consists of the flagship GOTF tournament featuring multiple competition categories: phygital sports (Phygital Football UFL, Phygital Basketball 3on3 Freestyle, Phygital Dancing Just Dance, Phygital Shooter CS2, Phygital Fighting FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves), esports disciplines (Battle Royale PUBG, MOBA PC Dota 2, MOBA Mobile MLBB), and tech sports (Phygital Drone Racing, Battle of Robots, VR-game HADO). Supporting platforms include Phygital+ streaming platform for live and on-demand content, and GOTF Results Platform for live scoring. Qualification events (Phygital Contenders) feed into the main annual tournament. Past events held in Abu Dhabi (2025) and upcoming in Astana (2026).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Games of the Future Tournament Flagship annual international phygital sports tournament combining digital gaming with physical athletic competition across 8-11 disciplines (Phygital Football UFL, Phygital Basketball 3on3 FreeStyle, Phygital Dancing Just Dance, Phygital Shooter CS2, Phygital Fighting FATAL FURY, Battle Royale, MOBA PC, MOBA Mobile, Drone Racing, Battle of Robots, VR). Events offer multi-million dollar prize pools and global broadcast reach to 50M+ households across 100+ countries.
• Phygital Contenders Qualifying Tournament Series Series of qualifying tournaments providing the final pathway for clubs and athletes to earn spots at the main Games of the Future finals. Features disciplines including Phygital Football, Basketball, and Dancing across multiple WPC member countries. Phygital Contenders Astana 2026 (June 10-14, 2026) hosted 200+ participants from 20+ WPC members.
• Phygital+ Streaming Platform Proprietary OTT streaming platform available at tv.gofuture.games and phygital-plus.com, providing live broadcasts, replays, highlights, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content for all GOTF disciplines and events. Accessible globally to consumers as the central digital hub for live competition viewing.
• GOTF Results Platform Official results platform at results.gofuture.games providing live scoring, tournament schedules, brackets, and event results across all phygital disciplines.
• World Phygital Community Governing body and global community network for phygital sport spanning 119 member organizations from 115 countries. Provides athlete qualification pathways, rankings system, club participation framework, and community development infrastructure for the international phygital sports movement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000 athletes participated in inaugural 2024 event
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of KazakhstancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment organizer of GOTF 2026 Astana. Provides governmental support, regulatory approval, and institutional backing for hosting international phygital sports event.
• Akimat of AstanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government organizer of GOTF 2026. Provides municipal support, venue coordination, and local logistics for hosting in Kazakhstan's capital.
• World Phygital CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizer and governance body for phygital sport. Provides athlete qualification pathways, rankings system, and community network spanning 119 members from 115 countries.
• Phygital InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary organizing entity behind Games of the Future. DMCC-registered company in Dubai, UAE that owns and operates the GOTF tournament series.
• ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue host and partner for GOTF 2025. Largest exhibition centre in Middle East, transformed into high-tech phygital sports arena. Has 6,000+ parking spaces and hosts world-class events.
• ASPIREmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting partner for GOTF 2025 Abu Dhabi. UAE-based technology innovation organization.
• EtharamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting partner for GOTF 2025 Abu Dhabi. Entertainment and venue management organization.
• BIGG TVmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedia partner for GOTF 2025, delivering front-row access to 50 million households across more than 100 countries.
• Ei NerdmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedia partner for GOTF 2025 Brazil coverage, bringing all the action to millions of fans in Brazil.
• World Phygital Community MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of 119 member organizations from 115 countries participating in phygital sport ecosystem. Provides athlete qualification, club participation, and community development.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BLAST Premier: Global CS2 tournament organizer running major international events with premium production, broadcast distribution, and brand sponsorships. Comparable as a global tournament series with media-rights monetization, though single-discipline rather than multi-discipline.
• Esports World Cup Foundation: Saudi Arabia-backed multi-game esports tournament held annually in Riyadh with multi-million dollar prize pools across games including CS2, Dota 2, and MLBB - the same titles used by GOTF. It is the closest scale-and-format analog as a global multi-discipline tournament with sovereign sponsorship.
• PGL (Professional Gamers League): Global esports tournament production company running CS2, Dota 2, and other major international events with TV-grade broadcast production. Comparable as a third-party international tournament operator serving publishers and sponsors with similar revenue model mix.
• EVO (fighting game tournament): The leading global fighting game tournament series and a direct parallel to GOTF's Phygital Fighting FATAL FURY discipline. It is a long-running community-driven championship with international edition rotation, analogous to GOTF's global multi-discipline rotation.

Broad incumbents

• DreamHack (ESL FACEIT Group): Festival-format esports and gaming event organizer holding massive live LANs with spectators, tournaments, and expo components. Comparable to GOTF's live, festival-style event production and physical attendance model.
• Olympic Council of Asia (Asian Games esports): The Asian Games began including official esports medals in 2023 (Hangzhou) with another slate in 2026 Aichi-Nagoya. As a multi-discipline international multi-sport event with esports now embedded, it competes for the same Olympic-style positioning GOTF targets.
• ESL FACEIT Group (ESL / EFG): One of the largest esports tournament organizers globally, running Intel Extreme Masters, ESL Pro League, and other flagship CS2/Dota events. It is a long-tenured incumbent in the same global tournament vertical, though focused purely on digital esports rather than phygital competition.

Others

• Red Bull (event-driven sports marketing): Long-running operator of proprietary extreme-sport and high-energy competition events (e.g., Red Bull Flugtag, Rampage) with the same proprietary-IP event model. Useful comparable on event marketing and IP-driven competition series economics.

Emerging players

• Olympic Esports Games (IOC): The International Olympic Committee's Olympic Esports initiative launched in 2023 and held its first Olympic Esports Games in Singapore in 2025. It is the most direct institutional rival to GOTF's positioning of an international multi-discipline hybrid competition with global broadcast and IOC-level brand recognition.

Regional players

• Saudia Esports Federation initiatives: National federation-backed program organizing Saudi esports leagues and international tournaments under state-investment capital. Comparable as another state-backed international esports/hybrid tournament build, though focused on a single national agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/officialgotf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@gamesofthefutureofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/gamesofthefutureofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gamesofthefutureofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/gamesofthefutureofficial
• TikToktiktok.com/@gotfofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Games of the Future