■ First-Ever Dual-Discipline Cumulative Points System reshapes the Global HADO Competitive Landscape
■ Korea’s ROCK Claims Overall Grand Champion
■ IDOL PRODUCER Impresses with Dominant Performance
■ MISTA Finishes Third, Sparking Discussion
■ SYNERGY and IDK along with powerful emerging forces – ATROTOS, commanded significant attention and strongly impacted the global competitive landscape of HADO.

The moment when Korea’s ROCK team lifted the Grand Champion trophy high into the air became a powerful symbol of a true champion’s birth.

 

On December 23, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the world’s top HADO teams gathered at The Games of the Future 2025 (GOTF 2025), delivering a landmark international competition.
One particularly notable highlight was that the opening ceremony was held in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.

Opening Ceremony of GOTF Abu Dhabi 2025

 

For the first time in HADO history, results from two disciplines—HADO and HADO WORLD—were combined using a cumulative points system to determine the final overall rankings and the Grand Champion.

This format overturned the traditional idea that “winning a single discipline equals the highest honor,” evolving the competitive dimension into something far more comprehensive.

Teams were required not only to prove their strength in individual events but also to demonstrate stability across different tactical systems, match tempos, and competitive structures. The new format is widely recognized as a significant milestone toward a more mature, multi-dimensional competitive HADO ecosystem, greatly enhancing both the sporting value and spectator appeal of this GOTF tournament.

 

Final Results

After fierce battles, the final standings were as follows:

• Grand Champion (Overall 1st): Team ROCK – Korea
  HADO Champion + HADO WORLD Runner-up
  Total Points: 18
• Overall Runner-Up (2nd): Team IDOL PRODUCER – China
  HADO WORLD Champion + 4th Place in HADO
  Total Points: 14
• 3rd Place Overall: Team MISTA – Japan
  Demonstrated consistently stable performance across both disciplines
  Total Points: 12

Following teams:
• UK – SYNERGY (10 pts)
• USA – IDK (6 pts)
• Greece – ATROTOS (2 pts)

In the single-discipline HADO competition, Korea’s ROCK captured the title with overwhelming tempo control and exceptional tactical execution.

In HADO WORLD, China’s IDOL PRODUCER claimed the championship through deep tactical understanding and adaptive, intelligent decision-making.

IDOL PRODUCER Crowned Again in HADO WORLD

Through the Dual-Discipline Cumulative Points System, the tournament comprehensively tested not only speed, skill, and physical ability, but also adaptability and dominance across different competitive frameworks.

 

Japan’s MISTA Finishing Third Sparks Debate

Japan has long symbolized the “highest performance benchmark” in HADO competition.
However, the Japanese team MISTA’s third-place finish this time drew considerable attention and discussion. Many analyses pointed out that, unlike its previous fixed lineup structure, the team competed with a new member configuration in this tournament, which may have influenced overall team chemistry and tactical maturity.

 

From Challenger to Champion: Korea’s ROCK Surges Forward

Korea’s ROCK emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest rising forces.
With the structural development of the Korean domestic HADO league, competitive environments, training systems, and tactical comprehension have evolved significantly.

From 4th place in the 2023 World Championship, to runner-up in HADO WORLD CUP 2025, to now winning HADO plus securing the top cumulative score to become Grand Champion—this achievement is widely regarded as the “harvest of long-term growth.”

Although Korea entered HADO WORLD later than China, its strong foundational abilities created tremendous competitive impact. They defeated China in the group stage and continued to apply pressure even in the finals.

In the final round, ROCK nearly beat IDOL PRODUCER, missing victory by just one point.

 

China’s IDOL PRODUCER Rises Strongly, UK’s SYNERGY Shows European Power

In the HADO group stage, China’s IDOL PRODUCER delivered dramatic performances—Narrow victories against the UK’s SYNERGY and the USA’s IDK in the first two matches, followed by a convincing win against Japan’s MISTA to advance impressively to the Knockout Stage.

During the group-stage match against IDK, IDOL PRODUCER’s player X stunned the crowd in overtime with an incredible 45 seconds of high-pressure dodging.

Compared to seven months ago at HADO WORLD CUP 2025, when China still faced issues with pressure management and rhythm-building, the team has now grown into a power capable of directly dueling—and even dominating—the world’s strongest teams. IDOL PRODUCER was widely regarded as the most improved and most talked-about team in this tournament.

Meanwhile, the UK’s SYNERGY demonstrated European resilience and execution strength. Although they lost to China in the group stage, they maintained consistent performance, advanced as 3rd place from the group, and faced China again in one of the most intense and dramatic matches of the tournament.

Ultimately, SYNERGY capitalized on key moments, narrowly defeated China in the Knockout Stage, advanced to the finals, and secured HADO runner-up—firmly establishing themselves as a top European powerhouse.

The U.S. team IDK and the Greek team ATROTOS also delivered powerful and compelling performances, firmly establishing their presence on the international stage.

Although the USA’s IDK did not fully meet external expectations in terms of results, their fundamental capabilities remain highly rated. Young roster, fast tempo, excellent physical attributes, reflex speed, and stamina give them tremendous future potential—especially once tactical precision and stability improve.

 

The Greek team ATROTOS demonstrated a strong presence through their performance beyond just the results, and their resilience in numerous close matches left a powerful impression of their high potential. With the continued development of their domestic league and the accumulation of international experience, there are high expectations for their growth going forward.

 

Media Presentation and Spectator Experience Significantly Upgraded

This tournament introduced a dedicated “Media Day,” where all players participated in professional profile video production, greatly enhancing team identity and narrative appeal, thereby enriching the spectator experience.

Additionally, all teams took part in official media interviews, sharing tactics, philosophies, and visions of future sports. This drew global attention and emotional engagement even before the competition began, creating a dynamic and immersive tournament atmosphere.

 

Accelerating Evolution of the Global Competitive Structure

In HADO, the performance gap among China, Japan, Korea, and the UK has rapidly narrowed, intensifying competition.
In HADO WORLD, China and Korea are leading the race while other nations are accelerating pursuit.
As national leagues expand and player populations grow, competitive levels are expected to climb further—creating more spectacular global showdowns.

 

Looking Toward 2026 — Next Stop: Astana, Kazakhstan

Games of the Future 2026 will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan
July 18 – August 1, 2026
Featuring 13 hybrid disciplines and a total prize pool of 10 million USD.

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan

The 2026 edition will also debut the “Games of the Future City”, an interactive fan metropolis combining technology exhibitions, immersive entertainment, and futuristic interactive experiences—offering richer, more advanced exposure to future sports culture.

The world now eagerly awaits 2026—
A bigger, stronger, and even more emotionally powerful celebration of future sports, as more countries rise to deliver new breakthroughs and unforgettable moments.

 

HADO Emerging as a Core Model of Future Sports

As one of the most important technology-driven sports disciplines at GOTF, HADO is built upon the philosophy of Phygital (physical + digital fusion) sports, integrating AR technology, real athletic performance, and real-time tactical combat. This has delivered intense competitive tension and deeply immersive viewing experiences to audiences worldwide—earning high praise from international media and participating teams.

HADO is evolving into a symbolic global future-sports discipline with mature rule systems, strong international event operation capability, and powerful entertainment value—representing a key direction for future sports development.

With the successful conclusion of GOTF 2025, the HADO Global Invitation not only set a new standard for international competition, but also further expanded the global footprint of future sports. Moving forward, HADO will continue strengthening international cooperation, enhancing competitive structures, advancing professional leagues, promoting youth development and public participation, and enabling more countries and regions to join this new era of sport.

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