The HADO World Championship was held in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi hosts the world championship in augmented reality energy ball throwing

The capital of the United Arab Emirates hosted the world championship in phygital sports as part of the Games of the Future Abu Dhabi 2025. One of the most striking disciplines of the tournament was the VR game HADO, a competition that is often compared to dodgeball, but in the augmented reality format.

During the matches, athletes enter a special arena wearing AR helmets and use their body movements to launch virtual «energy balls», block attacks with digital shields, and work in team tactics.

Format and technology

HADO combines physical activity with a real-time digital environment. Players see virtual objects through AR headsets, and all actions are recorded by sensors and software.

This format is part of the concept of phygital sports, a trend that combines classic sports elements with esports mechanics.

Participants and results

Six teams from different countries took part in the HADO competition, including Japan, where the sport was created. The prize pool of the discipline amounted to $50 thousand.

The winner of the tournament was the team from South Korea, which demonstrated the best coordination, speed of reaction and teamwork.

Context.

The Games of the Future 2025 lasted five days and also included phygital football, basketball, drone racing, MOBA and fighting games. The event is positioned as the world's largest tournament dedicated to the development of hybrid sports formats at the intersection of physical and digital technologies.