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THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS TO THE TRAILBLAZING GAMES OF THE FUTURE 2025

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DUBAI, UAE, Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Phygital International today announces that the Games of the Future 2025, hosted in the UAE will kick off on 21st November.

The action-packed, multi-day tournament promises to be the undisputed highlight of next year’s global sporting calendar. The glittering spectacle will bring together nations from all over the world, all with their sights firmly set on the ultimate goal: being crowned champions at the Games of the Future 2025.

Phygital clubs from around the world will also be delighted to hear that the first four phygital disciplines for the Games have been officially revealed as Phygital Football, Phygital Basketball, Phygital Shooter, and Phygital Dancing – with a wide range of further exciting disciplines to be announced over the coming months.

Marrying perfectly the physical and digital sporting worlds, the Games of the Future is a groundbreaking concept that redefines conventions by incorporating advanced technologies into competitive disciplines. Players compete in their chosen discipline across two rounds: the first focuses on physical sporting performance, followed by a second round where players look to showcase their digital gaming prowess.

Qualifying for a hotly contested place at the undeniable pinnacle event in the phygital sporting calendar is well underway. World Phygital Community (WPC) members have already held GOTF Minors, which featured rival phygital athletes from specific parts of their country competing against each other in their chosen disciplines. The winners from the GOTF Minors have progressed to the GOTF Majors, where they will face GOTF Minor winners from their country.

The next step on the path to the Games of the Future is for the GOTF Major winners from around the world to compete in the GOTF 2025 Qualifiers, where only the top performing clubs will secure a coveted spot at the 2025 in November.

Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, shared his enthusiasm for the journey ahead: “We are excited to lead the charge in shaping the future of sports as we set the stage for a landmark event at the Games of the Future 2025 in the UAE.

“This is more than just a competition – it’s a convergence of global talent and innovation, where the world’s best will come together in an unprecedented arena. Through phygital sports, a cutting-edge blend of physical and digital competition, we’re redefining the possibilities in athletics and unveiling a transformative new chapter in the world of sports. We can’t wait to witness these future champions thrive and inspire.”

The UAE’s selection as host, officially announced during the inaugural World Phygital Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 2024, further solidifies its position as a global leader in cutting-edge sports and esports events. The event will highlight the Emirates’ world-class capabilities in hosting global sporting tournaments and align with the UAE’s broader vision to be a gaming and technological advancement hub. The UAE’s commitment to fostering a dynamic gaming ecosystem, supported by its cutting-edge infrastructure and government-backed initiatives, will undoubtedly create a perfect environment for this sporting spectacle.

The Games of the Future is open to all, welcoming participants and spectators from all backgrounds. Stay tuned, further details will be unveiled as this event draws closer.

To find out more about how to get involved, the latest news, and updates on further exciting phygital disciplines to feature in the 2025 tournament visit: https://phygitalinternational.com.

Notes to Editors    

About Phygital International
Phygital International is the global leader in promoting and innovating phygital sports, seamlessly blending the physical sports and digital gaming realms in competitive events. As the official custodian and operator of the global annual Games of the Future, Phygital International is redefining the sports experience for a new era. Through its role as a tournament organizer and host-nation bid overseer, Phygital International unites athletes, gamers, and communities in a unique hybrid environment, pushing the boundaries of both traditional sports and gaming worldwide.  

For more information, please visit https://phygitalinternational.com/ 

About The Games of the Future (GOTF)  
The Games of the Future is an annual, international and transformative event that fuses the worlds of physical sports and digital gaming, as the pinnacle of phygital sport and an unparalleled sporting experience. The tournament brings together the next generation of athletes and gamers, as well as spectators and communities from all over the world to compete in a diverse range of phygital disciplines and challenges. The Games of the Future embraces equality, diversity and inclusion and places no restrictions on participants by welcoming everyone. The 2025 and 2026 Games of the Future will be held in UAE and Kazakhstan respectively. Prior to the main event, clubs compete in GOTF Minor and Major tournaments, organized by World Phygital Community (WPC) members, for a chance to compete at the GOTF Qualifiers and then ultimately, the GOTF global tournament.  

For more information, please visit https://gofuture.games/ 

About the World Phygital Community (WPC)
The World Phygital Community (WPC) is a non-profit, international organization which aims to promote phygital sport worldwide by uniting physical and digital communities globally. The non-commercial organization aims to build a community of global partners, members, and followers. It is responsible for providing guardianship of the rules and regulations of phygital sport and the qualifying mechanism for the Games of the Future. 

For more information please visit: https://worldphygital.org/

 

 

SOURCE Phygital International

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“Jacksepticeye” Announces Thankmas in partnership with Make-A-Wish® to Grant Life-Changing Wishes for Children with Critical Illnesses

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Beloved creator-led fundraising initiative returns with Make-A-Wish as beneficiary and an expanded community campaign leading up to December’s Thankmas livestream

PHOENIX, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Creator Seán “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin today announced that Make-A-Wish will be the beneficiary of Thankmas 2026, the annual fundraising initiative that unites creators, brands and online communities to support charitable causes.

This year, Thankmas also includes Wishmas, a six-month season of giving that gives creators and fans more time to make an impact for children with critical illnesses. Through fundraising, livestreaming and digital content, communities can come together throughout the summer and fall before culminating at the annual Thankmas livestream in December.

The campaign is hosted on Tiltify, the creator fundraising platform that powers Thankmas, giving creators and communities the tools to start a fundraiser in minutes and turn any type of content into wish-granting impact. Supporters can learn more, donate or start a fundraiser at thankmas.tiltify.com.

For children facing a critical illness, a wish can provide hope, strength and a sense of normalcy. Research shows that wishes can build the emotional and physical strength needed to help children fight their illness and improve quality of life. But for every wish Make-A-Wish grants, two more children are still waiting for a wish.

“A wish is more than a moment. It creates lasting memories, brings families together and reminds them that joy is possible even in life’s most difficult moments,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. ” Wishmas is what happens when the incredible energy of the Thankmas community is focused on granting wishes. Every fundraiser, every livestream and every donation helps bring hope and joy to more children and families.”

A longtime supporter of Make-A-Wish, Seán has helped grant more than 30 wishes and has championed wish granting through his content and charitable fundraising efforts.

For wish alum Billy, meeting Seán was life-changing. Living with a critical illness that requires more than three hours of daily medical care, Billy said Seán’s videos helped distract him from the pain and gave him something to look forward to. During his wish, Billy and Seán bonded over comics, space, movies and gaming, and Seán encouraged Billy’s dream of becoming a creator. When Billy’s mother said the experience had “made his year,” Billy quietly added, “It made my life!”

“Every time that I’ve had the honor of being a ‘wish granter,’ I’ve witnessed firsthand the one-of-a-kind impact that Make-A-Wish has on the kids and families who need it,” said McLoughlin. “The Thankmas community has shown time and again that creators and our audiences can make a real difference in the world, so as we come back this year with Wishmas, we’re bringing that same energy to help grant wishes for children facing critical illnesses. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish as a global force for good.”

Since launching in 2017, Thankmas has united creators and their communities to raise millions of dollars for charitable causes around the world. Following a pause in 2025, Thankmas returns this year with Make-A-Wish as its beneficiary and an expanded six-month fundraising effort, known as Wishmas, designed to give creators and supporters more time to participate and drive impact.

“Creators have changed what fundraising looks like. When someone a fan trusts asks them to be part of something, they show up, and they bring their friends with them,” said Michael Wasserman, CEO and co-founder of Tiltify. “Thankmas has proven that year after year, and extending it into a six-month Wishmas season means more creators of every size can rally their communities to grant wishes for kids who are waiting on one.”

Participants can contribute through livestreams, fundraising events and digital content, helping Make-A-Wish move closer to its vision of granting the wish of every eligible child.

The campaign will culminate in December when audiences can tune in to Seán’s YouTube channel on December 5, 2026 for a special Thankmas livestream event. Previous participants include Jack Black, Markiplier and Bella Poarch, and this year’s full lineup will be announced prior to the event.

Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes worldwide. To learn more, start a fundraiser or make a donation, visit thankmas.tiltify.com.

About Make-A-Wish®
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes worldwide; more than 400,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.

About Seán “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin
Sean McLoughlin, known by fans as Jacksepticeye, is a creator, entrepreneur and philanthropist. His YouTube channel has grown to more than 31 million subscribers and nearly 15 billion views since its launch in 2013, with a global audience of more than 48.5 million followers across platforms. McLoughlin is widely recognized for his commitment to charitable giving and community-driven fundraising. Through initiatives such as Thankmas and other charity livestreams, he has raised more than $29 million for organizations supporting children, mental health and global relief efforts.

About Tiltify
Tiltify is the essential fundraising infrastructure connecting creators and causes at scale. With enterprise-grade technology, interactive engagement tools, and unmatched access to next-generation donors, Tiltify powers campaigns for more than 8,000 nonprofits and over 1,000,000 creators worldwide. Learn more at tiltify.com

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Wishmas?
Wishmas is a community-powered fundraising campaign created in partnership with Make-A-Wish® and Seán “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin. The campaign invites creators, brands and audiences to fundraise, livestream and share content to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Who does Make-A-Wish serve?
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, supporting children and families at many points along a child’s medical journey, including during some of the most challenging moments.

Why are wishes important?
Research shows that wishes can help build the emotional and physical strength children need to cope with a critical illness, improving quality of life during treatment.

What need does Wishmas address?
For every wish Make-A-Wish grants, two more children with critical illnesses still need support. Wishmas helps expand fundraising efforts to reach more eligible children and bring the hope and joy of a wish to more families.

How can people get involved?
Supporters can donate, start a fundraiser or participate in livestreams and digital content through the Wishmas platform at thankmas.tiltify.com

How long will the campaign run?
Wishmas is designed as a six-month campaign, culminating in a Thankmas livestream event later in the year.

What is Thankmas?
Thankmas is an annual creator-led fundraising initiative associated with Jacksepticeye. Wishmas builds on that community momentum to expand fundraising across a longer time period.

How many wishes does Make-A-Wish grant?
Make-A-Wish grants more than 40 wishes every day, on average, in the United States and its territories. 

How long has Make-A-Wish been granting wishes?
Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes worldwide, including more than 400,000 in the U.S. and its territories.

Who makes wishes possible?
Wishes are made possible by generous donors, supporters, corporate partners, staff and nearly 20,000 volunteers across the United States and its territories.

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SOURCE MAKE-A-WISH AMERICA

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First Public Hydrogen Authority Launches Landmark Solicitation for Low-Carbon Hydrogen Fuel

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Public Agencies, Industry, And Clean Energy Partners Unite To Accelerate California’s Hydrogen Economy

LANCASTER, Calif., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The First Public Hydrogen Authority (FPH2) has officially launched a competitive solicitation for low-carbon hydrogen fuel, marking a major step toward expanding reliable, affordable hydrogen supply for California’s growing fleet of zero-emission buses, trains, heavy-duty vehicles, and other public-sector applications.

The procurement is designed to aggregate demand across public agencies and other participating partners, creating a stronger, market signal for hydrogen suppliers while helping agencies secure competitively priced fuel for long-term operations.

Developed through extensive collaboration with transit agencies, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), procurement specialists, and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), the solicitation reflects a shared commitment to accelerating California’s transition to clean transportation.

“Building a successful hydrogen economy requires collaboration,” said FPH2 Chairman R. Rex Parris. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to this effort. This solicitation is about moving projects from planning to reality, expanding access to clean hydrogen, and helping California meet its zero-emission goals while creating cleaner air and stronger communities for generations to come.”

The Request for Proposals (RFP) invites qualified suppliers to provide low-carbon hydrogen fuel for public agencies and other participating end users transitioning to zero-emission operations. Proposals are due August 19, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT.

As California’s public hydrogen aggregator, FPH2 is helping address one of the industry’s greatest challenges, fragmented demand. By bringing agencies together through a coordinated procurement, FPH2 creates greater purchasing certainty for suppliers while improving market access for public agencies.

Proposals will be evaluated based on supplier qualifications, clean hydrogen production capabilities, reliability, safety, cost competitiveness, and the ability to provide long-term value to participating agencies.

The solicitation reflects broad support from public agencies, industry, labor, academia, and clean energy organizations working together to build a hydrogen ecosystem that is practical, scalable, and responsive to the needs of California’s communities.

FPH2 extends its sincere appreciation to the organizations that collaborated in the development of this solicitation, including Fresno Area Express, North County Transit District, City of Industry, City of Lancaster, Fenix Marine Services, LA/OC Building & Construction Trades Council, Renewable Hydrogen Alliance, Clean Energy Institute, Green Hydrogen Coalition, California Hydrogen Business Council, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership, and CALSTART. Their collaboration demonstrates the broad coalition working together to advance California’s clean hydrogen future.

Qualified vendors can access RFP 01-26 and submit proposals electronically through https://www.firstpublich2.com/procurement.

About First Public Hydrogen Authority

First Public Hydrogen Authority (FPH₂) is the nation’s first public hydrogen authority, a California Joint Powers Authority founded by the City of Lancaster and the City of Industry, with member agencies including the Cities of Montebello, Shafter, and Fresno. FPH₂ serves as a neutral aggregator, coordinator, and counterparty, bringing affordable, clean hydrogen to public agencies and other end users. By helping connect hydrogen producers with public and private end users, FPH₂ leverages centralized procurement, planning, and market coordination.

Learn more at www.firstpublich2.com.

Media Contact
Alexus Merino
Managing Director, First Public Hydrogen
hydrogen@fph2.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-public-hydrogen-authority-launches-landmark-solicitation-for-low-carbon-hydrogen-fuel-302832458.html

SOURCE First Public Hydrogen Authority

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Citizen Unveils a Limited-Edition Spider-Man Timepiece Featuring Original Artwork by Marvel Illustrator Adam Kubert

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Released ahead of Spider-Man Day, the collectible design brings Spider-Man’s iconic comic-book world to the wrist

NEW YORK, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Citizen unveils its latest collaboration with Marvel: a limited-edition Spider-Man timepiece inspired by the character’s unmistakable comic-book style and featuring exclusive original artwork created for Citizen by acclaimed Marvel comics illustrator Adam Kubert.

Released ahead of Spider-Man Day on August 1, and as anticipation continues to build around Spider-Man’s return to theaters , the launch taps into the continued cultural momentum of Spider-Man across film, comics, merchandise and more. Leveraging one of Marvel’s most beloved Super Heroes, the collaboration reflects the growing intersection of storytelling, collectible culture and elevated watchmaking.

The collaboration also arrives during a milestone year for Citizen, as the brand celebrates the 50th anniversary of its proprietary Eco-Drive technology — reinforcing Citizen’s ongoing focus on innovation, artistry and cultural relevance through character-driven collaborations.

Known for his long-standing contributions to Marvel, Kubert designed an original dial composition exclusively for Citizen, translating Spider-Man’s signature movement and style into collectible design details. Inspired by a comic book panel brought to life, the watch features an embossed Spider-Man swinging through a stylized cityscape, elevated by luminous web detailing that adds depth and dimension to the scene.

“I wanted the artwork to capture the energy and movement that make Spider-Man instantly recognizable,” said Adam Kubert, Marvel Comics Illustrator. “The goal was to create something that felt rooted in the visual language of the comics while translating naturally into a watch design — from the sense of motion to the small details fans will recognize. It was exciting to bring that world into a new format.”

Additional details reward fans with nods pulled directly from Spider-Man lore. The iconic sound of Spider-Man’s web-slinging action — “THWIP” — appears on both the dial and caseback, transforming one of the character’s most recognizable comic elements into a hidden collectible detail.

The watch is housed in a bold 43mm gray ion-plated stainless steel case and bracelet, balancing graphic impact with everyday wearability. Finished with a three-hand movement and date display, the release also includes a matching collectible pin designed to complement the watch and complete the collector experience. Limited to just 1,500 pieces worldwide, the collaboration marks a highly collectible release for both Marvel fans and watch enthusiasts alike.

For more information, visit citizenwatch.com.

About Citizen Watch
CITIZEN WATCH is a true manufacture d’horlogerie with the capabilities to carry out the entire watch manufacturing process in-house, from creating a watch’s individual components to its final assembly and adjustment. The company operates in more than 140 countries and regions around the world. Since its founding in 1918, CITIZEN has held the belief of “Better Starts Now” — that is, no matter who you are and what you do, it is always possible to make something better, and now is the time to start doing it. Sharing this belief, we began making mechanical watches, invented and improved technologies and explored the future of watches such as our proprietary light-powered Eco-Drive technology. Powering varies by light intensity. CITIZEN is a registered trademark.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/citizen-unveils-a-limited-edition-spider-man-timepiece-featuring-original-artwork-by-marvel-illustrator-adam-kubert-302832462.html

SOURCE Citizen Watch

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