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The Intel Arabian Cup (IAC) will have a new look and feel this year with the multinational technology company sealing a partnership with Riot Games. The partnership with the popular games publisher will look to revamp the tournament and develop esports talent in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The first point of active change to the tournament has been the prize pool. The IAC 2021 tournament had a prize pool of $70,000 with the Saudi Arabia esports organization Geekay Esports, walking away with the grand prize of $30,000 as the reigning champions. The IAC 2022 tournament will feature a total prize pool of $130,000.
With the games scheduled to hold in Dubai, over 2000 teams from the MENA region will compete to become the champions. There also exists the IAC Playground amateur tournament, which will be held independently in the following sub regions: the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) and Iraq, Egypt and Levant (Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Isreal and Palestine), and North Africa, with a prize fund set at $30,000. The best two teams from each region will make their way to an IAC Prestige Qualifier.
During the virtual press conference held by Intet and Riot Games to announce the partnership and commencement of the third edition of the IAC. Head of Publishing MENA at Riot Games, Karim Hachani discussed about the IAC revamp.
“As a leading gaming developer, we are fully aware that this industry is going from strength to strength and we are always exploring how to take things to the next level when it comes to gaming experiences in the MENA region. We listened to feedback from previous participating teams and with the ongoing support of Intel, we have reworked the format of this year’s Intel Arabian Cup,” he said.
He highlighted the new format put in place for the tournament that will to a good degree enhance the gaming experience. He also talked about the launch of new tournaments based on Riot Games gaming titles, including the League of Legends, VALORANT, and the League of Legends: Wilddrift.
“The new format will not only significantly enhance the experience but also launch new tournaments based on our gaming titles which will help attract more experienced and aspiring players, so they can be part of what has become one of the most popular gaming tournaments in the region,” he went on.
“This is another important step to nurture the incredible talent that we have in this region and we look forward to seeing some enthralling matches over the next few months.”
Since the inception of the Arabian Cup in 2020, the tournament has received more engagement and visibility. The past edition had over 6.1 million views for the entire tournament and the current edition promises to see that increase exponentially. With team registrations now open, the IAC 2022 promises to be a fertile ground for top talents within the region.
