These are just some of the super fun activities on offer at Gamers8
Create magical memories at the Aramco SIM Arena, Challenge, Downtown, Falcon HQ, Japamura, Kids Dome, and POWR Villa…
‘Gamers8: The Land of Heroes’ – featuring elite esports tournaments, live concerts, and more than 1,000 activities and attractions – is a summer season that has entertainment for absolutely everyone. Running throughout July and August at Boulevard Riyadh City, the festival offers an incredible variety of activities and attractions as part of its ‘Amuse’ pillar.
Here are some of the biggest highlights that you can enjoy at the festival.
Aramco SIM Arena
Race Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso at the incredibly realistic Aramco SIM Arena. The venue features SIM racing, enabling you to feel the thrill of an actual F1 car, a history of motorsport section with some of the coolest cars from over the decades, a VR component, and a gaming area with Gran Turismo.
Venue ticket price: Free. Karting track 1 price: SAR65 & Karting track 2 price: SAR80
Challenge Zone
There’s also the Challenge zone for gamers to enjoy, too. The area entails multiple activities that include community tournaments, regional and global tournaments that are hosted on stage, local esports club activations, daily engaging activities, a free-to-play gaming lounge, and more.
Downtown
The Downtown music area features a huge stage and ultra-modern dance equipment.
Falcons HQ
Meet and play with your favourite content creators from the Falcons team. Gamers8 has an entire venue where visitors will get the chance to engage, interact and learn from Team Falcon members. Revel in Banderita’s World, a star at the Team Falcons powered by stc play gaming area, or get a taste of renowned Saudi chef Abu Omar’s kitchen and enjoy the mouthwatering noodles at Toga Rashi. At Falcons HQ, visitors will also have access to exclusive game launches and a variety of globally renowned game titles like “Mortal Kombat”. Other attractions include The Dojo where you can experience a variety of anime-centred activities such as anime trivia, karaoke, and anime music, as well as a horror-themed escape room where you can uncover hints, unravel puzzles, and complete objectives to escape and win.
Ticket price: SAR45 (weekdays) & SAR70 (weekends)
Game Development Zone
For those who want to get into the world of game development, there’s a list of workshops for you to choose from – from beginners to those looking to enhance their skills. Other attractions in this zone include the interactive Gaming Museum, where you will discover the evolution of gaming consoles, technologies, and iconic game titles.
Ticket price: Free.
Japamura
With a full floor dedicated to cosplay, traditional drum shows, and the opportunity to decorate Uchiwa fans, the Japamura is a fascinating place to learn more about Japan and Japanese culture. Wear traditional Japanese dress at the Yukata experience, try the Matcha tasting ceremony, relax at Tea Corner, or enjoy the most delicious ramen and sushi at the Yumakuramen kitchen. You can also partake in a Shodo class, the art of traditional Japanese calligraphy, or an origami lesson to learn the exquisite arts at the Japamura Academy featuring expert instructors flown in from Japan. Anime caricature artists, karaoke, board games, kid-friendly activations, cherry blossom decorations, a maze, and a merchandise store are also on offer. For something unique, visit the Samurai Dojo, where you can dress up in the outfits of the legendary Japanese warriors and battle it out with wooden swords.
Ticket price: SAR45 (weekdays) & SAR70 (weekends)
Kids Dome
‘Gamers8: The Land of Heroes’ is specially designed to cater for everyone – regardless of age. Enter the Kids Dome, which features well-known international kids’ IPs and performances dedicated to children and families. Here, you can design your own Barbie doll, knock out the Angry Birds and prove your worth as a renowned swordsman at the VR activation Fruit Ninja. Other activities at the Kids Dome include a life-size maze with a six-metre tall Pacman arcade machine with all your favourite games, a Transformers activity corner, and lots of interactive experiences, live shows and performances.
Ticket price: SAR25 (weekdays) & SAR35 (weekends)
POWR Villa
Want to meet, engage and learn from your gaming heroes? Get a hands-on experience with a variety of exclusive, globally renowned game titles such as “Tekken 8” and “Resident Evil”. Gamers will also love the PlayStation zone at POWR Villa, partnered by KFC, and the chance to play against their favourite POWR heroes at the POWR Stadium. Truly a gamer’s paradise. Other attractions at POWR Villa include the Fearful Horror House where you try to evade the ultra-scary, real-life creatures, and classic tabletop games from chess to carrom and Baloot.
Ticket price: SAR45 (weekdays) & SAR70 (weekends)
Coming soon: Peaky Blinders
Running only for the month of August, ‘Gamers8: The Land of Heroes’ will be hosting an exclusive immersive experience Peaky Blinders: The Rise! Come and join boss Tommy Shelby as he personally invites you to his family’s Camden warehouse to share an expansion plan that could prove lucrative for everyone. Whether you’re Team Poly, Team Arthur, or Team Mick, choose your storyline for an incredible Peaky Blinders experience. And remember: Don’t mess with the Peaky Blinders…
Ahmed Albishri, deputy CEO at the Saudi Esports Federation and Season Lead at ‘Gamers8: The Land of Heroes’, commented on the incredible variety of activities and attractions offered by the ‘Amuse’ pillar. “Months and months of ideas and planning have been spent ensuring that the millions of visitors coming to Boulevard Riyadh City during July and August leave with memories to last a lifetime,” he shared.
The extensive ‘Amuse’ pillar runs throughout the duration of ‘Gamers8: The Land of Heroes’ at Boulevard Riyadh City until the end of August and is open daily from 5pm until 1am. Admission is free of charge to Boulevard Riyadh City for the festival; however, some ‘Amuse’ attractions may charge a small fee for entrance or participation.
Visit: Gamers8.gg
Images: Provided