Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026: Dates, Tickets and Speakers
Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026 is a big gathering for people who make video games. It happens on 23 and 24 November 2026 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. A company called VAP Group runs the show. Another company called Times of Games helps run it too. You can visit the official Global Games Show Abu Dhabi page to see the newest facts. More than 5,000 people, 150 speakers, and 100 exhibitors are expected. This news comes from the real website.
Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026 At A Glance
Here are the main facts about the show:
- Name: Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026
- Tagline: "The room where games get made"
- Dates: 23 to 24 November 2026
- City and country: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Venue: ADNEC Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Format: In-person business gathering with talks and booths
- Language: English
- Organiser: VAP Group
- Powered by: Times of Games
- Website: Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026
- Passes: You can book a pass on the ticket page to join
Key Numbers
These numbers come straight from the real website:
- More than 5,000 people are expected to come
- More than 150 speakers will talk
- More than 100 sponsors and exhibitors will have booths
- More than 500 meetings will be planned ahead of time
- Around 100 to 150 media groups will help share the news
- People from more than 40 countries will come
- About 70 out of 100 people are top bosses, founders, or directors
- About 44 out of 100 people work at a game studio
When And Where: Dates, Venue And Format
The Dates
The show happens on 23 and 24 November 2026. This date comes from the real website. If you see a different date on another site, do not trust it. Always check the real website first.
The Venue
The show happens at the ADNEC Centre in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This is now confirmed on the website. Last year, in 2025, the gathering was at a different place called Space42 Arena. This year, in 2026, it moved to ADNEC Centre.
The Format
This show is about the whole journey of making a video game. It is split into six parts, called zones. The zones are: Fund and Found, Build, Test and Polish, Launch, Grow, and Operate. Each zone helps people at a different step of making a game, from a first idea to a finished game.
Who Should Attend? Audience Breakdown
The website shares who comes to the show. Most people who come are important leaders. About 70 out of 100 people are top bosses, founders, or directors. About 44 out of 100 people work at a game studio, big or small. This number comes from the real website.
Game Developers And Studios
Game makers can meet other game makers, show new games, and find partners. There is a place called Demo Alley where 30 to 50 new games can be played before they come out. The show's app helps people plan meetings ahead of time.
Investors And Publishers
Money givers, called investors, can join over 500 short meetings with game makers. This is called the Pitch Arena. There is also a quiet room just for investors, called the Investor Lounge. If you enjoy meeting investors, you can also browse crypto conferences to find more such events. Publishers help games get sold and shared with players around the world.
Government And Ecosystem Partners
Groups like AD Gaming, twofour54, Hub71, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office help new game companies set up in Abu Dhabi. They help with rules, money, and other support for studios.
Media Houses
Reporters and content creators can get a pass to cover the show. You can reach out to the media team to ask about this pass.
C-Suite Executives And Founders
Top bosses get a VIP pass. This pass gives extra comfort, like a special lounge, a fast check-in desk, and a reserved seat at every talk. The app helps them plan meetings with other important people.
Talent And Job Seekers
There is a special area called the Careers and Talent Hub. It helps people find jobs in gaming. There is also a contest called the 48-Hour Game Jam, where people build a game in two days.
Speakers Announced: Who Is Taking The Stage
Top Speakers
The website shows many speakers. Here are four of the biggest names shown on the main page, and many of them also appear at other crypto summits around the world. You can also see the full speaker lineup for more names.
- Yat Siu — Co-Founder and Chairman, Animoca Brands
- Mohammed Yaseen — Founder, Esports and Gaming Association UAE
- Johnson Yeh — Founder and CEO, Ambrus Studio
- Dirk Lueth — Ph.D, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Uplandme, Inc
More Confirmed Speakers
- Boris Kalmykov — CEO and Co-Founder, Hypemasters
- Joseph van Heeswijk — CEO, 2Game Esports
- Rashed Alawar — Founder, CEO and Game Programmer, Old Chair Games / Dubai Police HQ
- Abdulrazaq Salem — Chief Operation Officer, Diwan Videos
- Teemu Koski — Chief Business Officer, NODWIN Gaming
- Sébastien Borget — Co-Founder, The Sandbox
- Marcos Muller-Habig — Sector Enablement Director, Abu Dhabi Gaming
- Shawn Layden — Managing Partner, The Odysseus Partnership; former Chairman, PlayStation
- Anna Rozwandowicz — Founder and CEO, The Story Mob
- Hicham Chahine — Co-Founder and Co-CEO, NIP Group
- Cathy Hackl — Tech and Gaming Executive and CEO, Future Dynamics
- George Zhuravskiy — Founder and Director, Racecraft Limited
- Daniel Wang — Co-Founder and CEO, Aethir
- Muna Al Falasi — Director Esports and Games Strategy, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
- Noor Ul Ain Fatima — Co-Founder and Chief Gaming Officer, Bleeding Edge Studio
- Brittany Kaiser — CEO, AlphaTON Capital
- Denise K. Záles — Managing Partner, The London Fund
- Tess Hau — Founder, Tess Ventures
- Omar Ghanem — Founder and CEO, GAM3S.GG
- Elie Honain — CEO, NES
- Vikas Goel — Founder and CEO, EsportsXO
- Kanessa Muluneh — Founder and CEO, Rise of Fearless
- Kristina Frolova Lasenko — Managing Partner and CEO, Global Gaming Hub
- Daniel Reis-Faria — CEO/Founder, ZeroStack (FLGC) / Erebor Capital
- David Palmer — Co-founder, CPO, Vodafone's Digital Asset Broker (DAB) Platform
- Georg Broxtermann — Founder and CEO, GameInfluencer GmbH
- Hussam Hammo — CEO and Founder, Tamatem Games
- Vishal Gondal — Founder and CEO, GOQii
- Mohammad Majali — CEO, FATE Esports
- Reine Abbas — Founder and CEO, Spica Tech
- Nour Khrais — Founder and CEO, Maysalward
- Benjamin Charbit — Co-Founder and CEO, Darewise Entertainment
- Tung Nguyen-Khac — Co-Founder, VIZTA Digital
- Michail Katkoff — Founder, Deconstructor of Fun
- Jonathan Bouzanquet — Founder and CSO, PLAYA3ULL Games
- Osman Masud — Founder and CEO, The Game Company
- Vlad Belyanin — Co-Founder, CPO, True Gamers
- Kishan Deepak Palija — Chief Executive Officer, Geekay Group
- Mario Pérez Guerreira — CEO MENA, GGTECH Entertainment
- Saad Hameed — CEO and Co-Founder, Game District
- Mustafa Sweidan — Chief Operating Officer / Head of Studio, Chickmania Games
- Omar Rahim — Founder, Arena Two
- Shervin Farigam — Chief Executive Officer, Coin Factory AG
- Motasem Migdadi — Chief Executive Officer, Innoverse Group
- Julia Upiterskaya — Founder, Juls
- David Lolaev — Founder, Sal'Ad Labs
- Dr Dariia Vasylieva — Founder and Chief Executive Officer, RaiseTalks/GETVISION
- Nagham Hassan — Founder, Bintcoin
- Ashesh Shah — Chief Commercial Officer, VERO Labs, Inc. and Board Member at Bit Reactor
- Basma Nourani — Chairman, PBN Investments
- Baz Nijjar — Vice President of Education Technology and Digital Innovation, GEMS Education
- Dylan Yarbrough — Head of Research and Operations, Beam Ventures
- Sultan Al Riyami — Outreach Section Head, AD Gaming
- Jasper Hu — Principal Solutions Architect, PingCAP
- Sara Essa — Presenter/Broadcaster and Founder, Women in Sport MENA and Padel Collective
Note: this list is shown on the site's "past speakers" page, so it is not fully clear which names are locked in for the November 2026 dates specifically. If you need certainty, email the speaker team using the contact link near the bottom of this page.
How To Get Tickets: Pass Tiers, Pricing And What Each Includes
Ticket Prices
The website now shows real prices. Prices may go up as the date gets closer.
- Standard Ticket: $29 now, or $69 later. This is for developers, students, and workers in gaming.
- Business Ticket: $199 now, or $399 later. This is for company workers and brands.
- VIP Ticket: $399 now, or $699 later. This is for top bosses and investors, with extra comfort.
What Each Ticket Gives You
- Standard: Two days of talks, two days of exhibits, and the show's app.
- Business: Everything in Standard, plus free lunch and a networking area.
- VIP: Everything in Business, plus a VIP lounge, a fast check-in desk, and reserved seats.
Bundles And Refunds
You can buy tickets in packs of 2, 3, or 4 for a lower price per ticket. This is good for teams going together. Nobody knows yet if you can get your money back if you cancel. You should write to the ticketing desk to ask about this.
Sponsors, Exhibitors And Who To Meet On The Floor
More than 100 companies will have booths at the show. Some companies already confirmed are Alibaba Cloud, Playa3ull Games, Cobox, and Epic Games Store, many of whom also join other blockchain events worldwide. If your company wants a booth, you can apply to exhibit on the official page or write to the sponsorship desk.
Who To Look For At The Booths
- Game development studios, for team-up deals
- Publishers and platform partners, for selling games
- Investors and money givers, for funding
- Game engine and AI tool makers, for new tech
- Government helpers like AD Gaming, for setting up a business in Abu Dhabi
What's On: Featured Programming
Here are the fun and useful things happening at the show. You can also check the full agenda online for a session-by-session look.
- Pitch Arena: Short meetings where game makers show ideas to investors.
- Rapid Connect: Quick meetings to help people network fast.
- Demo Alley: A place to play new games before they come out.
- Hosted Buyer Lounge: A quiet space for buyers and sellers to talk.
- Launch Clinic: Help for game makers on how to launch a game well.
- 48-Hour Game Jam: A contest where people build a game in two days.
- Games in the Making Awards: Prizes for the best new, unfinished games.
Premium Experiences: VIP Lounges And Meeting Pre-Booking
Everyone with a paid ticket can use the app. This app helps you plan meetings and find people to talk to before the show starts, and if you like planning ahead, check the crypto events calendar for more shows to attend.
- VIP Lounge with reserved seats — for VIP ticket holders
- Fast VIP check-in desk — for VIP ticket holders
- Investor Lounge — for Pitch Arena guests and VIP ticket holders
- Meeting planning in the app — for anyone with a paid ticket
Contact And Official Channels
Here is who to reach if you have a question. You can also explore the visitor guide before you plan your trip, and if you run your own show, you can submit crypto event to reach more people.
- General questions: write to the general enquiry desk
- Ticket help: contact the ticketing team
- Sponsor help: contact the sponsorship team
- Speaker questions: contact the speaker team
- Media and news: contact the media team
Glossary
Here are some words used in this article, explained simply:
- B2B Conference: A meeting where businesses talk to other businesses, not regular shoppers.
- Pitch Arena: A place where people show their game idea to investors for a short time.
- VIP Lounge: A special quiet room only for top-level guests.
- Demo Alley: A row of booths where you can try new games before they come out.
- Lifecycle Zone: One of six areas that match a step in making a game.
- Media Accreditation: A pass that lets reporters and creators cover the show.
- Exhibitor Booth: A table or stand where a company shows off its product.
- Show App: A phone app that helps you plan your visit and meetings.
- Destination Partner: A city or group that supports the show as its host.
Conclusion
Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026 is a big gathering for people who make, sell, and invest in video games. It happens on 23 and 24 November 2026 at the ADNEC Centre in Abu Dhabi. More than 5,000 people, 150 speakers, and 100 exhibitors are expected. If you want to explore more crypto events in UAE, this show is a great place to start. There are talks, booths, and many chances to meet new people.
Before you go, check the real website for the newest news about talks, tickets, and speakers. Things like prices and speakers can change, so always look at the real website before you book a trip or buy a ticket.
Important Notice
This article is only to give you information. It is not advice about money, law, or business. Things like dates, prices, and speakers can change at any time. Always check the real website before you book a ticket or plane trip. Going to the show does not promise you money, deals, or fame. This article was checked on 21 August 2026, but things may have changed since then.
