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Reinforcing the momentum of the latest evolution in gaming, Phygital International (PI), the exclusive rights holder and custodian of the Games of the Future (GOTF), announced the blockbuster titles that will be part of the Games of the Future 2025 in Abu Dhabi, 18-23 December.

Merging the speed and power of traditional sport with the skill and drama of esports, the Games of the Future 2025 will showcase the pinnacle of phygital competition. Athletes and fans will experience a unique format that blends real-world challenges with some of the world’s most iconic video games across 11 disciplines.

Counter-Strike 2 , the legendary tactical shooter, will anchor the Phygital Shooter competition, where players’ precision, strategy, and teamwork will be tested under intense pressure. A global icon of competitive gaming, Counter-Strike 2 will ignite the tournament’s digital stage with its signature intensity and legacy of fast-paced action. Alongside it, Dota 2, the iconic multiplayer online battle arena, will challenge teams in the MOBAPC competition, to demonstrate tactical mastery and resilience showcasing why it remains one of the most enduring and respected esports titles of all time.

The global sensation, Fortnite, with its vast global community and culture-defining impact, will headline the Battle Royale discipline. Its dynamic blend of survival and high-intensity action ensures that Battle Royale will deliver edge-of-the-seat drama, where only one club will be left standing taking the crown. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, one of the most storied franchises in fighting game history, will add a different kind of spectacle, combining precision, reflexes, and tactical prowess to determine the ultimate champion during the digital phase of the Phygital Fighting competition.

Alongside these flagship titles, this year’s Phygital Football competition at the Games of the Future, will feature the high-intensity, next-generation football title of UFL. Adding to the excitement, 3on3 Freestyle will headline the Phygital Basketball discipline, bringing its trademark street-style flair and fast-paced play to the tournament. Together, these dynamic disciplines will fuse virtual gameplay with real-world action, as athletes transition seamlessly between digital matches and on-field challenges, delivering a fast-paced showcase of skill, strategy, and teamwork that redefines competition in for a phygital era.

“Having these iconic titles at the Games of the Future 2025 marks a defining moment for both gaming and sport. This is where elite athleticism meets the creativity and energy of competitive gaming to create something truly extraordinary, demonstrating that phygital sport isn’t just the next chapter, it’s the future of global competition,” said Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International.

By combining some of the most iconic and globally recognized video games with the energy of live athletic challenges, GOTF 2025 will deliver an unparalleled sporting spectacle. Taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 18-23 December, the world’s leading phygital sports tournament will unite the world’s top phygital athletes for six days of competition, innovation, and entertainment. Alongside the tournaments, fans can expect immersive VR experiences, cutting-edge sports technology, cultural showcases, and interactive fan zones designed to celebrate the fusion of physical and digital worlds and create an unmissable experience.

The post Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Fortnite, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, UFL and More to Headline at the Games of the Future 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Massive wins, standout talent and a showdown wrapped up five months of fierce competition across the country.

After months of qualifiers and regional heats at eight Hyprop malls across South Africa, the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience reached its electrifying conclusion at Canal Walk Shopping Centre. With hundreds of spectators and players packing the gaming arena, the national finals brought the heat and crowned South Africa’s best in EAFC 25, Beat Saber, Call of Duty and more.

In the EAFC National Final, Hamza Moosa (17) from Sandton, proved why he’s one of the country’s most exciting young talents. A professional esports player for Goliath Gaming, Moosa outplayed the competition to take top honours. A familiar name on the international stage, he recently represented South Africa at the Esports World Cup qualifier in Saudi Arabia. Hamza left the MTN SHIFT Gaming national finals with prize money of R25000.

Beat Saber fans saw a fast-paced, high-score battle won by Michael Prange (17) from Pretoria and Garsfontein High School. Ranked #2 nationally, Prange is also a two-time Beat Saber World Cup competitor and has helped shape South Africa’s competitive VR rhythm community through coaching, mentorship, and global participation. As the 2025 MTN SHIFT Gaming Beat Saber national champion, Michael won a Gaming PC valued at R50000.

In the schools division, Ridhaa April, 15, from Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, took the EAFC title. A prodigious talent who’s been competing since the age of 12, Ridhaa plays professionally for Goliath Gaming and already holds multiple top finishes, including 1st place at the 2025 ASL.

In the Rocket League school tournament, Curro took top spot, followed by Edgemead High in second place.

Meanwhile, Call of Duty Mobile closed out the finals with serious intensity as returning champions Nixuh held onto their title. The dominant team of Magicz (Raees Ismail), Adnaan (Adnaan Bhamjee), Raz (Rahil Bux) and Enigma (Jameen Essa) walked away with a R30 000 cash prize.

“The atmosphere at this year’s finals was absolutely electric,” said Vanessa Herbst, Marketing Manager at Canal Walk Shopping Centre. “The level of skill on display was unreal, and the crowd brought their energy every day. The bar has been set very high for the 2026 edition.”

The MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is South Africa’s biggest mall-based gaming tournament, played over five months across Gauteng and the Western Cape. Regional heats were hosted at Rosebank Mall, Clearwater Mall, The Glen, Woodlands, Table Bay Mall, Somerset Mall and Capegate Shopping Centre, with the final week of competition culminating at Canal Walk. The tournament drew thousands of players across all skill levels, offering more than R250 000 in prizes and a platform to compete in front of live audiences.

“The SHIFT Gaming Experience is about bringing high-level competition into public spaces and giving players of all ages the opportunity to compete, connect and grow,” said Christie Stanbridge, Brand and Campaigns Marketing Manager at Hyprop. “From pros representing South Africa on global stages to young players discovering their potential, far more than being entertaining, this year highlighted gaming as a space for learning, discipline and community.”

With the 2025 tournament wrapped, planning is already underway for an even bigger return in 2026.

The post South Africa’s Top Gamers Crowned at 2025 MTN SHIFT Gaming Grand Finals at Canal Walk appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Award-winning TaDa has taken a favourite joke and transformed it into an immersive and humorous crash release. Simple mechanics, personalised risk management controls and a max win of 20,659.1x are enhanced with slick graphics and a fearless chicken.

And with an expanding bonus bag that fell off the back of a lorry, it’s easy to see why this chicken is so determined to get to the other side.

Players begin by setting their preferred gameplay parameters. Three levels of Easy, Normal and Hard will dictate the level length or number of tiles the bird has to cross and the level max multiplier value.

Strong clear colours and polished visuals set the scene for the determined chicken to make it across the motorway. Beginning on the grass verge, players click to send the bird across the lanes one multiplier tile at a time against the oncoming traffic.

Each safe step will see a safety barrier land to protect the chicken but one false move and it’s game over and back to the grass verge.

Keeping players on high alert, the Chicken Dash feature can randomly trigger multiple times in a game. The appearance and squawking of the rooster starts the bonus feature which protects the chicken from traffic throughout and allows it to pass over two or three tiles in one go.

A Bonus Bag feature can also randomly trigger. Players must land the chicken on the tile where the bag dropped to collect the prize. And the higher the risk level, the higher the prize.

A clear UI and straightforward gameplay mean players can focus on getting the chicken across the road in one piece – and hopefully with the bonus prize – while enjoying Chicken Dash’s crisp graphics and sly details in this high volatility and amusing game.

Sean Liu, Director of Product Management at TaDa Gaming, said: “Chicken Dash is a hugely entertaining crash game that will have players laughing out loud. The cartoon graphics add to the experiential play and we promise no chickens were hurt in making of this game.”

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