During the Digital Creative Weekend, scheduled for May 31–June 3, 2024, Azerbaijan will host the world finals of the large-scale games festival "Gamesummit 2024," supported by the Ministry of Culture and ICESCO's "A-Hub Acceleration Program" (2023).
The Gamesummit, which kicks off with a concert by world-famous pop star John Newman at the Baku Crystal Hall on May 31, will feature three main sections: a festival, a performance, and a games conference. The festival will bring together more than 3,500 game enthusiasts, developers, companies, communities, IT start-ups, and representatives of various government agencies.
An international business conference with leading foreign and local experts will be organized as part of the event, along with a competition for the best computer game from local companies. It is also planned to set up "Yaradıcı" branded pavilions to showcase digital art, animation and other exhibits.
In addition to the conference, visitors can enjoy interactive entertainment such as arcade machines, a VR zone, and game demonstrations by independent local developers. The summit will feature competitions in categories such as "e-sports," "cosplay" (where enthusiasts portray and display unique characters), and "K-pop" (Korean pop music) dancing, as well as musical performances and presentations of unreleased games by "AzDimension" studio.
The Gamesummit will provide a platform for showcasing the latest advances in game technology, showcasing the talents of independent game developers, and promoting interaction between industry professionals and gamers.
The World Final of ICESCO's "A-Hub Acceleration Program" for 2023 is scheduled for June 2 at the Baku Crystal Hall, followed by the award ceremony in Shusha on June 3. Launched in 2021, the "A-Hub Acceleration Program" is implemented in ICESCO member countries to support initiatives in the field of innovative development, raise the interest of business players and young people in this field, and connect private creative entrepreneurs with the cultural field.
On June 3, Shusha will host the "International Forum of Entrepreneurs," which will consist of three panel discussions. Topics for discussion at the forum include "The Importance of Startups and Upcoming Inclusive Technologies" and "Empowering Women in Entrepreneurship: Trends and Challenges."
The events are being held to support the establishment of the cultural and creative field as an industry, as well as to support the efforts of market participants, as stipulated in the relevant paragraph of the Action Plan under the "Socio-Economic Development Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022–22," approved by the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Link to follow: www.gamesummit.ai