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Qiddiya Gaming at PAX East
QIDDIYA CITY will be home to the world’s first mixed-use gaming and esports district that will attract gamers from across the globe, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The vibrant district will be home to 4 dedicated esports districts that will host some of the biggest esports events, with a capacity of 73,000 and expectations to attract up to 10 million visits a year.
As an Art Director & Designer contracted by MAS Event + Design, I was tasked with bringing the lore of Qiddiya City to life at the gaming convention PAX East in Boston, with over 100,000+ gamers present over the week. Starting from moodboards and moving into multiple rounds of 3D explorations, renders, and graphics, I brought the creative vision to life through a massive activation alongside an incredible team of designers, producers, and fabricators.
Attendees meet a Lore Guide at our eye-catching polished chrome entrance portal and get the lowdown of the experience and reward opportunities. After signing up for Qiddiya’s Discord, they are then handed an amulet that they’ll leverage during their exploration. With their amulet in hand, they are encouraged to explore around our 12 foot tall digital medallions and see which one they are drawn to. Each one represents one of the 4 zones of Qiddiya: High Fantasy, Alternate History, Cyberpunk, and Space. Finding their favorite, attendees tap their amulet at the monolith of their choice to power it up, triggering a reaction on the digital surface of the medallion. In the center is a large, mysterious monolith clock that counts down to a prize drop.
As they explore our booth and talk with our Lore Guides to learn more about Qiddiya and its districts, a Twitch streamer will livestream from a custom raised booth, adding constant gaming excitement for our guests. Every day a new streamer will be featured, with opportunities for winners to participate in a meet and greet at the end of the day.
Before attendees exit the booth, they pass a massive digital screen with a content collage of Qiddiya Esports and Gaming. A Lore Guide reminds them to come back at in the afternoon to tap their amulet once more at our Hero monolith for a chance to win a prize.
As the drop clock hits zero, it’s time to reveal who the chosen ones are. Guests enter and tap their amulets at a totem at the center of our space to see if they are the chosen winner. When a winning amulet is tapped, an exciting audio and visual reaction in the booth and on all medallions congratulates our winner. Each day, four lucky attendees won tricked-out prizes, like top-of-line headsets and gaming chairs.
