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Saudi Arabia is going to play host to the inaugural esports tournament, Gamers8. The tournament has a combined prize pool of $15 million, making it one of the highest-grossing prize pools in the world.
The world’s biggest esports and gaming event will hold in Riyadh, in the next eight weeks. The event is to be held at the purposefully designed Riyadh Boulevard City and it is scheduled to run from July 14 through to September 8.
The event, which is themed “Gamers8 – Your Portal to the Next World,” will include fun activities such as festivals, concerts, shows, and other events. Slated to perform at the event are eight big international artists during the eight-week long tournament. It also promises to feature top professional players in the world, serving the audience an unmatched thrill.
The tournament will be done across six esports titles and organized by the Saudi Esports Federation alongside Gamers Without Borders. Gamers Without Borders area charity organization with objectives centered around the donation made out to victims of various causes such as COVID-19, vaccination efforts, and the likes.
The President of the Saudi Esports Federation, His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan had spoken on the penetration of gaming into the Saudi Arabia citizenry. He stated that there exists an estimated 23.5 million gamers in the country, with at least one person in every household being a huge gamer or an enthusiast.
“With an estimated 23.5 million gamers across the country, almost every home in the Kingdom has someone with a deep passion for gaming,” Sultan said. “This passion for gaming has long been a source of pride for Saudis.”
He revealed that the country’s gaming sector’s progress is in line with the country’s greater ambitions of Vision 2030. This, he stated, was what led to the creation of Gamers8.
He made known that event’s mission is to blur the lines between what is physical and what is virtual. He boasted that the atmosphere to be experienced promises to be nothing like anyone has experienced before.
“The gaming sector in Saudi Arabia has been on a journey of progress and development that matches the greater ambitions of the country drawn by Vision 2030 – and that is epitomized by the hosting of Gamers8,” he went on. “The event in Riyadh this summer has a mission to blur the lines between what’s physical and what’s virtual and offer a spectacle and an occasion beyond what anyone has experienced before.”
“Our goal is to bring the virtual world of esports and gaming out into the physical realm of Riyadh – a global city with immense purpose and burgeoning opportunity, and the ideal setting for Gamers8. We look forward to seeing you all this summer for what will be an unforgettable, futuristic, and incredible time.”
The organizers have announced that the tournament will be broadcast live online on its official website.
The Saudi Arabia government has taken it upon itself to develop the country’s hold on any promising industry that could define the future. The gaming market of the Kingdom attained $1 billion in 2021, making it the country with the most value among the Golf nations.
In line with the country’s goal, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) birthed the Savvy Gaming Group. The SGG platform had earlier in the year acquired ESL Gaming for $1.08 billion, and also purchased the esports platform FACEIT.
