From the office of Nis Hatt, CEO – Phygital International
Dear Dota Community,
Dear Phygital Community,
I want to personally address recent discussions and speculation regarding the funding and delivery of the Games of the Future. Our athlete and Dota communities are known for passion, scrutiny, and commitment to transparency, and it is therefore important we meet that standard and provide clear, factual information to dispel any inaccuracies.
The phygital movement is truly global, represented and nurtured by an international collective of host cities, sports bodies, members, clubs and fans while being unencumbered by ties to any government.
Each Games of the Future iteration sees a new host city take temporary ownership of the tournament, under the watchful eye of Phygital International, its custodian and rights-holder.
Phygital International itself is headquartered in the UAE and is an independent commercially focused organization entirely funded by acting as the licensor of The Games of the Future to host cities. As the custodian and rights holder for the annual Games of the Future, it appoints the host city and collaborates with them to deliver a sporting spectacular unlike any other.
Because the Dota and collective community play such a valued role in our ecosystem, we want to directly address any misunderstanding about how the Games of the Future is financed and delivered. To be clear:
- The Games of the Future is an international event, organized by an international team, attended by participants and an audience from all over the world. It is a truly global tournament, travelling to a new host city with each iteration. Each temporary host ensures the delivery of a single tournament before passing the mantle on to the next.
- By its very nature no one country can ever lay claim to the Games of the Future, and each edition is entirely funded locally through revenue streams overseen by the host city and its organizing committee. These include sponsorships, and commercial partnerships. No government funds nor directs the event’s global operations.
This model ensures financial independence and allows the event to move, unencumbered by the influence of any nation, across different countries and regions as the ecosystem grows.
We understand how assumptions can arise, however the hosting of any phygital tournament past, present, or future does not imply ownership.
For additional context; before the Games of the Future was launched globally, a testing phase was required to validate what was a completely novel category of sport. Over the course of the last decade 19 cities/nations were considered to host this, and Kazan, Russia offered the most suitable environment to conduct a one-off pilot edition. This was a decision and plan forged years ago, and were it not undertaken the phygital movement may never have reached the place it is today – with thousands of athletes and millions of fans around the world. This testing phase allowed us to refine rules, formats, and operations — but it did not in any way confer ownership, influence, or long-term control over the movement.
We recognize the importance of clarity for participants, teams, fans, and partners, and that is why we are committed to transparent communication about event organization, and openness about funding and partnerships. The Games of the Future 2025 will be held in Abu Dhabi, organized in collaboration with Aspire, Ethara, Abu Dhabi Sports Council and a diverse range of global sponsors, all of whom are publicized on websites and in materials associated with the tournament.
I want to personally thank all in the Dota and greater community for your passion, your questions, and your continued support of the phygital movement.
We look forward to welcoming you all to the Games of the Future.
Sincerely,
Nis Hatt
CEO, Phygital International
