TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS
MINECRAFT EDUCATION CHALLENGE
This challenge was open to all UAE schools. Students from Years 3-6, Grades 2-5, and Cycle 2 were invited to join a thrilling Minecraft-based competition that tested teamwork and strategy. With teams of 3, students were tasked to find hidden falcon eggs scattered around a futuristic Dubai-based Pirate Cove map and return them to their nests as fast as possible.
The top 4 teams advanced to the final stage where they were joined by a guest team from a school outside of the UAE. These 5 teams battled for the championship trophy live on stage with amazing prizes on the line during DEF 2023, on 22nd June.
DEF - BATTLE OF DUBAI
Open to all families, the Battle of Dubai was the ultimate test of coordination and composure. Set in a futuristic Dubai-based Pirate Cove map, the challenge objective was to find 20 hidden falcon eggs scattered across the map and return them to their nest within 20 minutes.
Speed was vital because the fastest family team won the challenge and was awarded epic prizes like LEGO vouchers and Minecraft goodie bags! Every team needed 3 members, 1 of whom must be under the age of 16, to qualify.
MICROSOFT MAKECODE COMPETITION
The Microsoft MakeCode Competition challenged all students, aged 11-15, to show off their ingenuity and coding prowess by designing arcade games based on any 1 of 4 sustainability themes: recycling, waste management, energy production, and food production. These young coders had to use Microsoft's MakeCode Arcade platform to code their game to life and submit their work!
A panel of judges handpicked 5 games and invited talented teams to an award ceremony at GameExpo on 21 June. Here they crowned the best team as winners of the competition and commended all finalists for their wonderful efforts. MakeCode specialists guided students throughout the competition and held weekly workshops to help them out.
BRAWLHALLA ESPORTS SCHOOLS CLASH
The Brawlhalla Esports Schools Clash was an epic tournament, open to students aged 11 and above from schools within Dubai. Each school chose a player from their students to be their Brawlhalla champion and fight for them in this tournament.
All school champions were invited to compete live on stage at the GameExpo on 21 June, where the toughest brawler was crowned the supreme champion of Brawlhalla Esports Schools Clash and claimed incredible prizes.
DEF CAREER TALKS - LEVEL UP
To cultivate next-gen talents, industry professionals and leading experts visited schools all over the UAE and talked about esports and gaming as viable career paths. This exciting educational programme was an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about the industry.
The speakers engaged in career talks with students aged 11 and above and advised them about the potential of the gaming industry. These talks were 45-minute interactive sessions with explanations, anecdotes, and Q&As, which proved to be a valuable learning experience for the students.
SCHOOL TRIPS
All pre-registered schools and universities were invited to Expo City Dubai to attend DEF 2023 on 21 - 22 June, completely free of charge. These two days of education enlightenment became an exciting journey for countless students.
These school trips to DEF 2023 allowed students to explore the history of gaming, test out brand-new game releases, support their peers on stage at the grand finals and meet their favourite gaming influencers through Play the Pro activities. They also got to listen to industry experts talk about their careers and learn more about gaming and esports, as well as explore the many game zones of GameExpo for thrilling gaming adventures.
