How the Saudi Esports Federation is leading the way in developing regional gaming

RIYADH: With Gamers8: Land of Heroes taking place in Riyadh in just under a month, Saudi Esports Federation CEO Turki Al-Fawzan tells Arab News about the development of gaming across the Kingdom, support for female gamers and global collaborations.

The SEF’s role in evolution of gaming in the Kingdom The esports industry in Saudi Arabia is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years by following Saudi Vision 2030, with more investment, infrastructure, and support from the government and private sectors.

Last year Saudi Arabia held Gamers8, the world’s largest gaming and esports festival and the destination for elite esports champions. The 2022 festival in Riyadh was visited by more than 1.4 million visitors and watched by more than 132 million people around the globe. A total of 391 professional players — of more than 61 nationalities — and 113 international teams took part in the world-class esports competitions.

All these numbers showcase immense popularity and potential. We aim to play a pivotal role in this evolution by creating a strong and sustainable ecosystem for esports in the country. We believe that by providing opportunities for players, teams, and organizations to compete and collaborate in the biggest esports tournaments in the world, we can foster a thriving esports industry that contributes to the overall development of the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is nowadays hosting the biggest esports tournaments with the biggest prize pools in the world.

The federation’s promotion of esports in the region The Saudi Esports Federation’s primary focus is to support and promote esports development in the region. We do this through a range of initiatives, including organizing tournaments — such as Gamers Without