3on3 Freestyle has been confirmed as the official game title for Phygital Basketball at the Games of the Future 2026 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

According to a release, the competition will feature a $400,000 (~£295,000) prize pool and will take place from July 29th to August 3rd, 2026.

The tournament will use a hybrid format, with teams first competing in-game in 3on3 Freestyle before moving onto a live 2v2 basketball match on court. Scores from both the digital and physical stages will then be combined.

3on3 Freestyle is a free-to-play street basketball game developed by South Korean studio Joycity. Its inclusion adds another Korean-developed title to a growing global esports and sports crossover event.

Games of the Future is organised by Phygital International and focuses on ‘phygital’ competitions, which combine video games with real-world sports. The event’s core disciplines include Phygital Football, Phygital Basketball, Phygital Shooter and Phygital Dancing.

The 2026 edition will be held in Astana, following the 2025 Games of the Future in the UAE. The inaugural event in 2024 featured over 2,000 participants from 116 nations and had a $10m prize pool, according to figures shared by the organiser.

What is Phygital Basketball?

Phygital Basketball combines basketball video games with live on-court play. In the case of Games of the Future 2026, teams will need to perform across both formats to win matches.

The wider phygital sports concept has been positioned as a bridge between traditional sports and esports, with athletes tested on both physical performance and digital gameplay.

Games of the Future uses a multi-stage tournament ecosystem. Regional and national qualifiers are overseen by the World Phygital Community, while later stages, including the main Games of the Future event, fall under Phygital International.