RIYADH: Saudi Arabia announced on Oct 23 that it will host an esports World Cup beginning next year, with hopes of creating numerous local job opportunities. The Gulf kingdom’s de facto ruler, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stated that the esports World Cup is the logical next step in Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become the leading global hub for gaming and esports. Prince Mohammed, known for his fondness of the popular game Call Of Duty, has heavily invested in the sector since assuming the role of crown prince six years ago. Last year, he announced a USD 38 billion (RM 181.73 billion) investment strategy for the kingdom’s Savvy Games Group, which is owned by the sovereign wealth fund.
The country’s objective is to create 39,000 esports-related jobs by 2030. Additionally, officials aim to transform Saudi Arabia into a haven for game developers and promote the creation of new titles that showcase Saudi and Arabic culture, according to the national esports strategy. The strategy also targets the production of 30 globally competitive games by 2030 from domestic studios.
The inaugural edition of the esports World Cup is scheduled to take place next summer, replacing the Gamers8 festival of esports tournaments. This year’s festival boasted a prize pool of USD 45 million (RM 215.21 million). Ralf Reichert, CEO of the newly formed esports World Cup Foundation, likened Gamers8 to a trial run for the upcoming World Cup.
However, tourism in Saudi Arabia experiences a significant decline during the summer due to scorching temperatures in the capital city of Riyadh, which often exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on a daily basis. To address this issue, the esports World Cup will be accompanied by an assortment of activities and events to attract visitors and tourists to Riyadh, effectively transforming it into a gaming capital, as mentioned in Monday’s statement.
Saudi Tourism Authority CEO Fahd Hamidaddin emphasized that while Riyadh may appear relatively quiet during the tournament, the overall destination will be bustling with attractions in the cooler southern highlands and coastal areas.
Although Saudi officials have yet to disclose the specific games that will be featured in the esports World Cup, they have mentioned that details will be released early next year. The statement also noted that the tournament will encompass the most popular games across all genres and offer the largest prize pool in esports history. – AFP
