Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and gaming company Wild Unlimited have announced a custom Fortnite experience placing Dubai’s landmarks inside one of the world’s most-played games. The experience, called Dubai Developed in Fortnite 2033 (DDIF2033), opens to global players on November 11.
Built by Wild Unlimited using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Epic Games’ platform for custom in-game experiences, the project drops players into an open-world recreation of Dubai featuring Al Fahidi Fort, Almas Tower, Uptown Dubai, Skydive Dubai, Deep Dive Dubai, Kite Beach, Dubai Harbour and X-Dubai, among others. The American University in Dubai campus also appears in the game after students recreated it during a UEFN masterclass earlier this year.
A public launch event and Wild Game Fest will take place at SALT, Kite Beach on November 11. Separately, a campaign called Dubai Drop, which launched on November 1, is running until the event, inviting Dubai residents to collect augmented reality loot boxes and compete for prizes from partner brands.
“Dubai’s next phase of gaming growth will be defined by what we create here and take to the world. When we established the DMCC Gaming Centre, our conviction was that this region had the talent and ambition to build games for global audiences. Today, the Centre is home to over 170 gaming companies, and our focus is on helping them turn creative ideas into successful international businesses Dubai Developed in Fortnite 2033 brings that ambition to life. Almas Tower and Uptown Dubai, where our gaming community works, will become destinations that players around the world can explore together. Students at the American University in Dubai have also helped recreate their campus for the experience, taking their work from the classroom to a platform where players around the world can discover it. Our collaboration with Wild Unlimited shows what Dubai’s landmarks, creative talent, and digital capabilities can achieve together in support of the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033. Our ambition is clear: games made in Dubai, by talent developed in Dubai, played by the world,” Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC said in a statement.
“Dubai has always been a city that turns ambitious ideas into reality. With Dubai Developed in Fortnite 2033 (DDIF2033), we are bringing that same spirit of innovation into one of the world’s most influential gaming platforms. Our vision goes beyond building a game. We want to create a digital destination where millions of players around the world can discover Dubai, experience its iconic landmarks, explore its culture, and connect with the city through gaming. DDIF2033 is a celebration of Dubai’s ambition, creativity, and the power of collaboration between government, businesses, and the gaming community. We are proud to be building this experience in Dubai, for the world, and contributing to the emirate’s vision of becoming a global gaming hub,” Sam Shami, Founder & CEO, Wild Unlimited added.
Partners on the project include Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Culture, SALT and Shamal Holding. The initiative sits within the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, launched under Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which aims to build out the emirate’s gaming industry as part of its broader economic diversification push.
DMCC and Wild Unlimited say this first edition is the start of an ongoing project, with additional locations, gameplay features and commercial partnership opportunities planned for future releases. The experience is an independently created Fortnite island and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by Epic Games.
