October 22, 2025
DreamHack, the world’s leading gaming lifestyle festival and part of ESL FACEIT Group, will return to Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center from Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2025, marking more DreamHack festivals in Atlanta than any other U.S. city. This 2025 edition will be the biggest DreamHack Atlanta yet, bringing America’s largest Halloween costume contest with $20K in prizes; more than 20 esports tournaments, including 7 world championship titles; over 1000 guests include more than 30 voice actors and hololive VTuber Group; a special Student Friday; as well as concerts, cosplay competition, indie games, LAN parties, and all-ages entertainment, all under one roof.
DreamHack Atlanta closes the annual Games Week Georgia (Oct. 29-31), which celebrates the video game and esports industry in Georgia. The event brings together gaming leaders and experts from around the world for a week of business, networking and professional development events, culminating with DreamHack Atlanta. Atlanta’s role in the gaming industry continues to surge, supported by a thriving creator economy, esports organizations, game studios, and fan communities.
“Atlanta has become the beating heart of DreamHack in the United States — a city with a gaming community as vibrant, diverse, and passionate as the festival itself,” said Shahin Zarrabi, VP, Festivals, ESL FACEIT Group. “DreamHack shattered global records in 2024, and Atlanta has been central to that growth. We’re thrilled to return to Atlanta — a place where every gamer, fan, and creator can truly belong.”
DreamHack Atlanta is part of ESL FACEIT Group’s 2025 global festival tour spanning three continents, closing the year alongside DreamHack Stockholm and DreamHack Hyderabad.
AMERICA’S LARGEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST
From the largest Halloween Costume Carnival Contest in the U.S. to on-site trick-or-treating, quests, wicked activations, and creator surprises, the festival floor becomes a haunted playground. Come to compete, show off your costumes, or just soak up the atmosphere.
- America’s largest Halloween Costume Contest — $20,000 prize pool on the main stage, judged by celebrity guests. Open to anyone!
- GeoGuessr Halloween Showdown — Pros Radu and zi8gzag face off at the Main Stage in a high-stakes map showdown that’s equal parts spooky, strategic, and unpredictable.
- Trick-or-Treat around the festival — find candy stations and collect goodies.
$6.6 MILLION IN ESPORTS COMPETITIONS*
DreamHack Atlanta will host more than 20 esports tournaments, including 7 world championship titles, with a nearly $6.6 million prize pool across competitions including:
- SNK World Championship ($4.1 million in prizing)
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves ($2.5 million)
- King of Fighters XV ($1 million)
- Samurai Shodown ($500k)
- Art of Fighting 3 ($100k)
- MARVEL RIVALS: Ignite Grand Finals ($1 million in prizing)
- Clash of Clans World Championship Finals ($700k in prizing)
- Clash Royale League World Finals ($500k in prizing)
- EA Sports FC 26: FC Pro Open ($152K in prizing)
- DreamHack Fighting Games ($28K in prizing)
- EA Sports College Football 26: CFB26 DreamHack Challenge ($25,000 prizing)
- Rainbow 6 Siege X Atlanta ($10,000 prizing)
- DreamHack Knockout (Winner qualifies to ESL Pro League Season 23; $10,000 split among the top four placements)
- Collegiate DreamHack Invitational ($1,000 in prizing)
*See all esports competition details HERE.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES
In addition to esports and Halloween events, DreamHack Atlanta will also feature:
- Creator Hub + Main Stage experiences with over 1000 special guests, including more than 30 voice actors.
- hololive English brings a weekend of live chaos and fun when Takanashi Kiara, Koseki Bijou, Gigi Murin, Mori Calliope, and Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame take the Main Stage for special Halloween gaming and D&D moments.
- Student Friday — Student Friday is an all-access entry into the world of gaming, esports, creators, and energy — all for a student-only discounted price (educators are free). The day includes:
- DreamHack Collegiate Invitational — Rocket League and Valorant teams from schools across the country battle for glory.
- SIEGE College Fair — Explore college programs in game design, esports, animation, and tech. Meet schools, talk to advisors, and find your next step in gaming and education.
- Student Panels — Learn from pros and industry voices. Careers in esports, content creation, game dev, streaming — real conversations designed for students like you.
- Cosplay Competition — including the DreamHack Cosplay Championship.
- The largest Artist Alley in DreamHack history.
- Massive Indie Playground for new and upcoming gaming titles.
- Freeplay— Stacked with games across arcade, console, and PC, this area is all set up and ready for attendees to jump in and play casually or explore something new, including:
- 2XKO First Impact
- $30K+ in prizing for FGC tournaments
- $5K Wildcard Release Tournament
- $10K DreamHack Knock Out – CS2
Partners play a crucial role in shaping the on-site experience through hosting tournaments, offering activities, and showcasing the newest products. Highlights at DreamHack Atlanta include:
- DHL, Official Partner: Visitors can snap photos with the beloved robot mascot, CARGO, at the DHL photo booth, play the new EffiBOT mobile game for a chance to win $2,300, and explore global career opportunities at DHL.
- KICK, Official Partner: Attendees can connect with their favorite creators IRL including one of the world’s most-watched streamers xQc, attend industry Q&A panels presented by KICK staff, access limited-edition merch, and more at the KICK Stage.
- Zenni, Official Partner: As the official eyewear partner of DreamHack, attendees can explore the latest ESL and DreamHack eyewear collections from Zenni Optical at the DreamHack merch store, as well as on display throughout the show floor. Attendees can also complete their DreamHack Quest for a chance to win prizes!
- Walmart Delivers Lo-fi Play: Attendees can dive into the Walmart Delivers Lo-fi Play experience, play iconic retro video and board games, climb a live leaderboard, snap an 8-bit-style photo, and walk away with a free assortment of Walmart-sold gamer swag.
