{
  "id": 8877896,
  "title": "At Tokyo Game Show, two Abu Dhabi gamers find fame as Street Fighter stars",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/at-tokyo-game-show-two-abu-dhabi-gamers-find-fame-as-street-fighter-8877896",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-21T07:45:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2026/09/21/at-tokyo-game-show-two-abu-dhabi-gamers-find-fame-as-street-fighter-stars/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two Abu Dhabi gamers, Adel \"Big Bird\" Anouche and Amjad \"AngryBird\" Al Shalabi, found fame at Tokyo Game Show 2026 as Street Fighter stars. The recognition they received at the event mirrored the attention they have become accustomed to when traveling to Japan. Both players compete for Red Dunes Esports, a studio based in Abu Dhabi. Anouche expressed surprise at the number of people who responded to the last-minute meet-and-greet announcement, while Al Shalabi noted that Japanese fans often closely follow his career, treating the players as professionals. The Birds developed their skills in Abu Dhabi before making a name for themselves on the international fighting game circuit. Their 2026 season took different paths. Anouche entered Capcom Cup as a favorite but struggled against veteran Fuudo in the top 16. Al Shalabi, meanwhile, had to overcome personal issues before returning to Japan to regain his confidence and form. Red Dunes Esports finished second in SFL EMEA 2026, qualifying for the playoffs, and Al Shalabi reached the top three at Ultimate Fighting Arena in France. Both players acknowledged the rising standard of competition, with the player base expanding, particularly in Japan, and the average skill level improving. Anouche emphasized that the competition has become more challenging due to the presence of mid-level and high-level players. Al Shalabi pointed out the changing composition of the top eight in major tournaments as evidence of this depth. The situation in the Middle East varied. Anouche saw increased interest in esports in Saudi Arabia, but Al Shalabi was more skeptical about the progress in the UAE fighting game community. Red Dunes Esports is now exploring ways to support the next generation of players who face a different environment than they did when they started. For Anouche, being at TGS felt like a dream come true, as Street Fighter remains a dominant game in the region.",
  "summary": "A police officer once stopped Adel “Big Bird” Anouche in Japan, but not because Anouche had done anything wrong; the officer had simply recognised him. Amjad “AngryBird” Al Shalabi has become used to similar encounters. On trips to Japan, strangers have stopped him in metro stations to talk about matches he played years earlier. That recognition was apparent again at Tokyo Game Show 2026 , where…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "At Tokyo Game Show, two Abu Dhabi gamers find fame as Street Fighter stars",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/at-tokyo-game-show-two-abu-dhabi-gamers-find-fame-as-street-fighter",
        "published": "2026-09-21T07:45:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}