In a groundbreaking announcement, Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, unveiled the creation of the Esports World Cup, scheduled to commence in the summer of 2024 in Riyadh. This event promises to revolutionize the Esports landscape, offering a new era of opportunity and competition for gamers worldwide.
The Esports World Cup will replace Gamers8, a renowned Esports festival held in Saudi Arabia, which featured 20 different competitions across titles like League of Legends, Fortnite, DOTA 2, FIFA 23, Rainbow Six Siege, PUBG Mobile, and Starcraft II, among others.
The tournament will encompass the most popular games globally, spanning all genres, and will host the largest prize pool in Esports history.
The “India Games Market Report 2023” by Niko Partners highlights India as a predominantly mobile-focused gaming market. With the incentive of competing in a high-profile tournament with substantial prize pools, Indian Esports athletes are expected to diversify into lesser-known gaming titles. This diversification is poised to contribute significantly to the growth and diversity of the Indian Esports industry.
Lokesh Suji, Director of Esports Federation of India and VP of Asian Esports Federation, remarked, “The Esports World Cup marks a historic moment for the global Esports community. This tournament will be a catalyst for change and growth on both a global and national scale. For a nation with a predominantly mobile-focused gaming culture like ours, the substantial prize pool and diverse title offerings will motivate our Esports athletes and aspiring gamers to explore new horizons. The Esports World Cup is an exciting platform that celebrates Esports and unites industry stakeholders worldwide.”
According to Gamers8, the 2023 tournament recorded impressive viewership figures, including 1.3 billion cumulative viewers and a peak concurrent viewership of 1 million. With the magnitude of the Esports World Cup, Indian athletes participating in the tournament are poised to receive high visibility and prestige, attracting more investments from sponsors and venture capitalists, thereby strengthening the Indian Esports community.
Mayank Prajapati aka MiKeYROG, who represented India in Street Fighter V: Champion Edition at the Asian Games 2022, expressed, “The Esports World Cup has the potential to motivate Indian players to push their limits in various titles, expanding the talent pool and propelling the entire sector to newer heights. This could be the moment for Esports athletes to shine and make a name for themselves on the global stage.”
Esports in India has witnessed significant growth in recent years, with notable achievements in international competitions. The creation of the Olympic Esports Games announced in the 141st session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) further solidifies the global reach of Esports. With Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the Esports World Cup, India’s Esports talents now have another prestigious platform to showcase their skills on the world stage.
Tags: #EsportsWorldCup #IndianEsports #GlobalGamingCompetition #EsportsGrowth
