Russia to host First International Phygital sports tournament with a $25mln prize pool

Russia will host host the first International Phygital sports tournament with a $25mln prize pool. On April 29, 2023 Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister and the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, marked the countdown to the opening of next year’s Games of the Future with unveiling of the 300-day countdown timer in the two cities of Moscow and Kazan simultaneously.

The unique 300-day countdown show with elements of virtual reality and exciting online quests was starring famous Russian athletes. With the help of new technologies, spectators together with the guests of the ceremony kicked off the countdown to the Games of the Future.

The grandiose unveiling event was also co-hosted by AI voice assistant Marusya from VK Group, and addressed by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin via a video message, highlighting the importance of the brand-new phygital sports event born in Russia.

What are the 2024 Games of the Future?

With a huge prize pool of $25 million, Games of the Future is a large-scale tournament which will be held for the first time ever and will have the status of international competition. The tournament will run for nine days, from February 23 to March 2, 2024 in Kazan and will feature 16 hybrid disciplines. 2,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will take part in Games of the Future.

Sports Disciplines

The upcoming international tournament will run a series of 16 hybrid disciplines, set in both physical and cyber worlds. This means that phygital athletes are expected to excel in two dimensions. The new phygital activities are called «challenges»; currently there are five: Sports, Speedrun, Tactical, Technical and Strategic

The competition

There will be five types of challenges: The sport challenge, an innovative double-event where athletes first compete in a videogame, then in its physical analogue. The tactical challenge combines several disciplines where a laser tag is coupled with videogames of the genres shooter and Battle Royale. In a combat challenge, athletes must prove their mettle in videogames of the genre MOBA, аnd the winners will meet in a Phygital Super Final. A technical challenge includes two disciplines – drone racing and robot fights. A challenge of game passage consists of two parts: first, the players play speed games and then participate in a Super Final – in the show-game.

 The Participants

Another novelty of the Games of the Future is its unique approach towards sports — the competition places no restrictions for its participants and welcomes everyone, regardless of their age, gender and nationality.

How to join Games of the Future movement now?

In preparation for the Games of the Future, Kazan is hosting Phygital Games – a series of competitions meant to showcase phygital sports. The upcoming events include phygital football in May 15-19, 2023, as well as tactical combat games and phygital hockey competitions in June. Every Phygital Games tournament has its own prize pool. Application forms are available here.