If Saudi Arabia made headlines a few days ago by announcing the creation of a Dragon Ball amusement park, the country has already expressed its desire to make eSports shine in the Middle East for several years supporting players and even teams throughout their careers. But in 2024, Saudi Arabia will especially host the eSports World Cup, a competitive event which will take place for 8 weeks in Riyadh, the country’s capital, and which will allow the best players in their field to measure their performance. DOTA 2, Starcraft 2, Honor of Kings, Counter-Strike 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, here are the games that we can follow on site, or online since the competition will be broadcast on Twitch.
With an estimated market value of $1.5 billion in 2022, eSports has become a promising sector that is attracting more and more professionals, sponsors and countries ready to host the spectacle. And when we know to what extent Mohammed ben Salmane ben Abdelaziz, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, is a fan of video games, but also of Japanese pop culture, it is not surprising to see to what extent he is ready to invest in the sector . For him, the eSports World Cup constitutes “the natural next step in Saudi Arabia’s journey to becoming the world’s leading gaming and esports hub, offering an unrivaled experience that pushes the boundaries of the industry”he said in a press release. During the competition, professional players from around the world will compete in the most popular esports games of the moment. The championships will feature dedicated tournaments for each game, including qualifying stages, group stages and finals. Additionally, eSports clubs will receive points based on their players’ results in individual matches, creating an overall club ranking.
