The Dubai Esports & Games Festival (DEF) will return from 9 to 25 April 2027, with its sixth edition combining entertainment, family-friendly interactive activities, gaming and technology experiences across the city.
Organized by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), the 17-day festival will feature an expanded citywide program offering more ways to play, compete, learn and connect.
The organizers said DEF 2027 will build on the festival’s growing role in bringing together gaming communities, industry, talent and education.
Among the new additions is Dubai Games Week, which joins enhanced education, esports and industry-focused experiences.
The program is designed to give players, fans, students, talent and industry professionals more opportunities to engage with one another.
The festival will end with its flagship event, GameExpo, running from 23 to 25 April 2027 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
The three-day event will bring together gaming and esports, featuring high-energy competitions, community experiences, immersive entertainment and industry engagement.
Dates of the event were announced following the 2026 edition, which welcomed more than 43,000 visitors. Prizes worth AED 1 million were awarded across the festival’s gaming, esports and cosplay competitions.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, said the festival has established itself as an important platform for the emirate’s growing gaming and esports ecosystem.
“Its return from 9 to 25 April 2027 gives us another opportunity to showcase how gaming connects entertainment, education and economic opportunity across the city,” he said.
He added that DEF 2027 will further expand opportunities for players, fans, students, talent and industry professionals to engage, in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and efforts to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for gaming, esports and digital innovation.
