What went down: Gather to Game in Riyadh

A few nights ago in Riyadh, gaming stepped out of the digital and into the room. When Dazed MENA and American Eagle brought Gather to Game to the city, the result was a live collision of fashion, fandom and online culture — built as much around its headline names as its installations.

At the centre of it were Omar Al Somah and Meshael, whose presence anchored the night. Rather than appearing as distant talent, both moved fluidly through the space, engaging with guests, stepping into the gaming energy and reinforcing the idea that today’s cultural figures operate across platforms — sport, streaming, style, community — without hierarchy.

Around them, the venue unfolded as an interactive landscape. American Eagle clothing stations gave guests room to engage with the brand beyond static display, while installations encouraged movement and experimentation. An AI avatar station allowed attendees to generate digital versions of themselves, collapsing gamer identity and personal style into one rendered form. Custom keychains circulated as tactile souvenirs, small reminders that this was about participation, not passive attendance.

Omar Al Somah and Meshael’s perspectives added weight to the conversation. Speaking from lived experience, they reflected on how digital culture has redefined audience connection, allowing personalities to build communities that feel immediate and reciprocal. The through-line was clear: gaming today is as much about shared identity as it is about competition, and brands that understand that dynamic can meaningfully plug into the culture.

What followed was a release of energy rather than a transition. The live gaming session turned the room electric, with Omar Al Somah and Meshael stepping directly into play, drawing the audience in close and collapsing the distance between stage and floor. Crucially, the experience extended past the venue itself, with the entire session streamed live on Twitch, collapsing the distance between physical attendance and digital spectatorship. Viewers online became part of the atmosphere, reinforcing the idea that gaming culture today is built as much on shared access as it is on competition.

As a collaboration between Dazed MENA and American Eagle, Gather to Game framed gaming not as a niche interest but as a social language, one that moves fluidly between clothing, conversation, avatars and live play. In Riyadh, the message landed clearly. Gaming is not just watched here. It is lived, worn, streamed and shared.