Catch The MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience 2025

The 3rd annual MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is back with another epic display of gaming challenges, new gadgets, and the chance to win great prizes at selected malls from 18 May to 7 September 2025. The MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is the largest national mall-based gaming tournament ever held in the country, and all ages are welcome to join. This year’s edition raises the stakes with the return of the EAFC 25™ National Football Tournament and the debut of the MTN Beat Saber Challenge – two national titles, one massive celebration of gaming culture

What is the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience about?

The 2025 instalment of MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is a vibey and accessible space for gamers of all ages to explore the latest in tech. This groundbreaking event features a series of eight qualifier events held at selected malls across the country over the next four months. The epic National Final will take place at Canal Walk in Cape Town this September.

There’s something for everyone, from casual players to seasoned pros, with additional competitions and activations taking place at each mall event.

Each in-mall weekend features the EAFC 25™ tournament, daily Fighting Cups, a PC Gaming Zone powered by PCBuilder, Carry1st COD Mobile and the popular SuperSprint lap challenge presented by the Toyota Gaming Engine.

Gamers can also go head-to-head in Tekken, Street Fighter 6, Brawlhalla, Rocket League, Minecraft and Call of Duty: Mobile, with dozens of R1 000+ gift card prizes on offer each weekend. The Beat Saber Challenge, hosted by MTN and playable both in-mall and on MTN’s Battle+ platform, brings a high-energy VR experience into the mix. Players with the highest Beat Saber scores at each mall qualify for the National Final – and anyone who tries it stands a chance to win a gaming PC worth R50,000.

Fun Competitions and Activations to watch out for

MTN and Battle+

MTN will host a Beat Saber competition with Xbox Series S consoles as prizes. Beat Saber is a VR rhythm game where you slash the beats of adrenaline-pumping music as they fly towards you, surrounded by a futuristic world.

Beat Saber will be played on Battle+, MTN’s esport platform, where you can watch exclusive videos and play tournaments or compete in challenges to earn rewards. Battle+ is available on play.mtn for all MTN subscribers.

The Toyota Gaming Engine SuperSprint (GT 7)

The fastest daily lap wins an R1000 Gift Card. An additional R5,000 Gift Card will be awarded overall to players who sign up to The Toyota Gaming Engine at MTN Shift Gaming Experiences.

Daily one-day cups for popular fighting games like Brawlhalla, Tekken, and Street Fighter 6. Prizes include R1000 Mall Gift Cards for winners and R500 Mall Gift Cards for runners-up.

Where to Join the Cape Town Qualifiers

Somerset Mall – Online Qualifier: 25 May | In-Centre Event: 30 May – 1 June
Table May Mall – Online Qualifier: 13 July | In-Centre Event: 18 – 20 July
Cape Gate Mall – Online Qualifier: 31 August | In-Centre Event: 5 – 7 September
Canal Walk (National Finals & Last Qualifier) – Online Qualifier: 7 September | In-Centre Event: 17–21 September

Entries are now open. Visit https://acgl.gg to sign up for the online qualifiers, and head to your nearest Hyprop mall on tournament weekends to be part of the action.