Shotlist Abu Dhabi, UAE - Dec 17-18, 2025 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 1. Various of opening ceremony of Games of the Future 2025 in progress, attendees 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE: "What we see is a necessity to bring the young generations to also get out of the room and the screen and be on the ground. And what the Games of the Future does is that it blends together the ability to play on a console and to play on the pitch." 3. Various of visitors, robot dog, humanoid robot 4. Various of competition in progress, participants conducting pre-match warm up 5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wu Changmao, Chinese competitor (ending with shot 6): "We should rely on our flexibility and strategic thinking while kicking a ball, employing different tactical approaches to compete against the opposing team. We are very confident, both as individuals and as a team." 6. Competition in progress 7. Various of banners, board showing relevant information of Games of the Future 2025 8. Various of visitors experiencing competition events Storyline The Games of the Future 2025 kicked off Thursday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), featuring the fusion of traditional sports with digital technology. Under this innovative model, many events follow a "dual competition" format, where competitors first participate in e-sports on a virtual platform through simulators, and then advance to the physical arena for real-world competitions. Ultimately, their overall scores and rankings are determined based on the combined results of both segments. "What we see is a necessity to bring the young generations to also get out of the room and the screen and be on the ground. And what Games of the Future does is that it blends together the ability to play on a console and to play on the pitch," said Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE, the business development and program management arm of Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Center. This year's event features a total of 11 competition projects, including a new AR sport, HADO digital dodgeball. The seven-day event has attracted over 850 competitors from 65 countries and regions. China has sent seven teams to compete in various events, including HADO, where they will face off against strong teams from around the world. "We should rely on our flexibility and strategic thinking while kicking a ball, employing different tactical approaches to compete against the opposing team. We are very confident, both as individuals and as a team," said Wu Changmao, a Chinese competitor. The first Games of the Future were held in Kazan, Russia, in February 2024.