True Gamers Launches eQueens Villa To Support Female Gaming

True Gamers, a UAE-based gaming and esports organization committed to creating innovative experiences for players around the world, has introduced a competition for female entrepreneurs, offering them the opportunity to develop the concept and franchise the world’s first elite, women-only esports and digital club — eQueens Villa.  

Co-founded by Anton Vasilenko and Vlad Belyanin in 2019, True Gamers has a network of over 150 esports gaming halls and cafes worldwide. Its latest concept, eQueens Villa, is an exclusive private club and community designed for women in the digital and gaming industries, which aims to serve as a launchpad for female digital entrepreneurs to explore virtual reality games (VR) games, non-fungible tokens (NFT) collections, and Web3 startups. With women in the GCC increasingly building careers in digital fields such as streaming, NFTs, and the metaverse, the project aims to attract women eager to invest in high-end products and premium services, offering them mentorship from top global entrepreneurs and access to resources. 

Anton Vasilenko, co-founder of True Gamers. Courtesy of True Gamers.

In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Vasilenko, co-founder and CEO of True Gamers, said, “eQueens Villa is an exclusive space designed to build a premium community for women in the digital and gaming industries. The project aims to empower female entrepreneurs by providing a collaborative hub with various zones, from digital coworking areas to podcasting and streaming studios. More than just a gaming venue, it’s a platform for women to connect, share ideas, and grow their businesses within the booming esports and tech sectors in the GCC.”  

According to Vasilenko, the goal is to create an environment where women can work, collaborate, and innovate freely. “This is a space where only women work. True Gamers is committed to fostering a supportive and inspiring environment, promoting female leadership and innovation in an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated.”   

Vasilenko credited a visit to Saudi Arabia for shaping the vision for inspiring True Gamers to launch this initiative for female entrepreneurs in the Arab world. “The idea originally came from one of True Gamers’ co-founders," he shared. "In Dubai, we hadn’t yet noticed a strong demand for such a space, but when I visited Saudi Arabia, and, through our partners, had the chance to see private women’s communities, I realized how important it is for women to have their own dedicated spaces and networking opportunities." 

He further explained how visiting a women-only board game club with a conference area solidified the idea. “It became clear just how high the demand was," Vasilenko added. "Seeing firsthand how valuable and popular these spaces were among women gave us the inspiration to bring this concept to life. There are already many private villas and clubs where women connect, build communities, and share experiences. Our goal is to take this concept further by creating a specialized, digital-focused villa that combines esports and gaming — a massive mainstream industry. Here, women can join tournaments, train their teams, and participate in events while enjoying a comfortable, high-end environment with top-tier service and stylish interiors."  

Recognizing the rapid growth of female entrepreneurship in the region also prompted True Gamers to launch the project. “The competition was driven by the rise of female entrepreneurship across the Arab world, particularly in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar," Vasilenko pointed out. "As more women enter the digital economy, True Gamers sees a huge opportunity to support and accelerate their success." Vasilenko also believes that the project will highlight prominent female role models in esports, which he believes is key to encouraging more women to enter the field. “Right now, there are very few female role models in esports, despite the fact that women make up half of the global gaming audience,” he said.  

The winner of the competition won’t just receive the franchise — True Gamers will also provide them with mentorship, resources, and direct business support. Vasilenko detailed how the company plans to bring eQueens Villa to life. “We have already developed a concept and an architectural plan, and we also plan to collaborate with fashion houses to help with the design," he said. "Our goal is to make this villa stylish, modern, and distinctly feminine." 

According to Vasilenko, True Gamers will also provide contractors, technology, and business models to ensure a seamless launch. “We take full responsibility for securing sponsors. Additionally, we will provide our business models, our architects, and our design concepts. We will handle all negotiations, provide True Gamers’ technology, and integrate the project into our backend ecosystem — including esports tournaments, mobile apps, and software-as-a-service solutions for club management,” he explained. 

He highlighted the transformative potential of eQueens Villa as well as its potential to drive innovation and open doors for women. "The entrepreneur who leads this project will not only elevate her own community, but also drive innovation and open new doors for women in different countries," Vasilenko said. "This is an opportunity for meaningful recognition — not just in a financial sense, but in terms of influence and legacy." 

For women looking to enter the esports and digital industries, Vasilenko encouraged them to embrace new opportunities and recognize the potential impact of leading such an initiative. “If you're interested in this field but find it unfamiliar or intimidating, don’t be afraid to step into something new — especially when you have industry leaders as your partners,” he advised. 

Pictured on image is an illustrated concept for eQueens villa. Images courtesy True Gamers.