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The large number of young people and focus on investing in video games could make the Kingdom a leading hub for esports by the end of the 2020s.
Last summer, the Boulevard Riyadh City was lit up by a combination of fireworks and drones as it hosted the world’s largest esports festival. Drumbeats and bass added to the energetic atmosphere as Gamers8 took center stage, drawing the attention of the gaming community. The Saudi capital welcomed thousands of professional gamers who battled for a prize pool of $45 million, with a sold-out live audience in attendance.
The excitement surrounding Gamers8, now known as the Esports World Cup, showcases the increasing popularity of videogaming in Saudi Arabia, whether for competition or leisure.
Today, Saudis are among the keenest gamers in the world. Recognising this surging popularity, the government is investing billions of dollars into its digital and videogaming landscape as it pursues its ambition to become one of the world’s biggest videogaming and esports hubs.
The decision is in line with Saudi Arabia’s plan for economic diversification, called Saudi Vision 2030. This plan aims to make significant investments in various sectors such as new cities, infrastructure, tourism, aviation, research and development, advanced technologies, sports, and entertainment to drive economic growth.
Driven by domestic interest, skilled individuals and its worldwide economic possibilities, the video game industry is predicted to play a significant role in the future development of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is projected to see a substantial increase in gaming revenue by the end of the 2020s, largely due to the whopping 23.5 million avid gamers residing in Saudi Arabia.
And, at the professional level, Saudi has already enjoyed well-documented success in the esports arena, with then-18-year-old Mosaad Aldossary, known as MSDossary, clinching victory in the 2018 FIFA eWorld Cup Grand Final.
In the past five years, MSDossary’s worldwide success has led to growth and diversity in the videogaming community in the Kingdom, along with its economy. Women and girls now play a significant role in the videogaming scene, making up 42% of gamers in Saudi Arabia. This previously overlooked group is providing the Kingdom with the chance to expand its business and cultural horizons, as new sectors are being developed and plans are already in motion to tap into this potential.
In September 2022, Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy was introduced. As part of this strategy, the Savvy Games Group was formed with the aim of investing $37.8 billion in acquiring and developing top games publishers, as well as supporting early-stage games, esports companies, and established industry partners. It is projected that Savvy will establish 250 games companies in the country, resulting in the creation of 39,000 jobs and a significant increase in the sector’s contribution to the GDP, reaching $13.3 billion by 2030.
Opening up this financial opportunity will also be driven by several large-scale projects currently in progress throughout the Kingdom. Qiddiya and NEOM, for example, are planning to include cutting-edge, engaging gaming areas as part of their extensive development plans.
Given its infrastructure, core demographic, and vision, there is no doubt that Saudi Arabia has the potential to become a global leader in the videogaming and esports industry by the end of the decade. The sector’s history and evolution only reinforce this possibility, as the United States played a major role in its early development in the 1950s and 1960s with the rise of modern computing, and Japanese companies later became significant players in hardware and gaming content.
Although the US and Japan continue to be significant contributors, there has been a rise in the development of highly successful and well-received video games from various countries. Examples include Angry Birds from Finland, Candy Crush Saga from Sweden, Subway Surfers from Denmark, and Assassin’s Creed from Canada. With a growing demand for localized content and a dedicated young audience, Saudi Arabia has the potential to establish itself in the current esports industry, thanks to its investments in the gaming sector.
The Esports World Cup is a new event that aims to bring together top gamers from around the world and unite esports fans. Saudi Arabia is determined to make this event exceptional and unique, fueled by their belief that esports is a legitimate sport and a crucial one at that. This determination is also a result of the country’s youth, who are eager to participate in major sporting events, both online and offline. They are the main driving force behind Saudi’s ambition to host major spectacles in sports, such as the FIFA World Cup and the Esports World Cup.
Saudi Arabia’s investments in videogaming and esports are bringing the virtual and physical worlds closer together, opening up new opportunities and promoting collaboration among industries. This is an exciting time for videogamers in Saudi Arabia.
Source: independent.co.uk
