Gaming and esports: it’s an industry very much on the rise in Saudi Arabia – and one destined to drive substantial economic growth and development in the years ahead. This much is being realised by all across the kingdom.
From avid gamers and the casual fan to those who’ve never even played a video game, everyone has become well aware of the profile, popularity, influence, and impact of gaming and esports.
At the behest of the kingdom’s leadership, the sector is one of 13 being prioritised, pursued, and explored under the transformational Vision 2030 framework. Initiatives launched and investments made recently have lit the blue touch paper where gaming and esports are concerned – helping to create today’s vibrant, exciting, and opportunistic landscape where Saudi Arabia is perfectly poised to become a leading global hub for the sector.
An emerging gaming and esports epicentre
Glowing regional statistics aside, including Saudi Arabia being home to 85 percent of gaming fans in the entire Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the potential for gaming and esports in the country is underscored by various facts. These include there being around 23.5 million gaming enthusiasts in the kingdom out of a population of 35 million – which alone illustrates the widespread appetite for all things gaming and esports.
Such statistics have not only broadened the kingdom’s ambitions; they have inspired proactive action sure to deliver many benefits for Saudi Arabia and its people. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is proof of this reality, having invested $38bn in the sector through its subsidiary, Savvy Games Group.
Chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of PIF, Savvy was founded with the aim to be a leading gaming and esports group, locally and internationally. Having first purchased esports entity ESL Gaming followed by tournament organiser FACEIT, Savvy merged the two to form ESL FACEIT GROUP in 2022.
This has helped elevate gaming and esports possibilities to new heights in Saudi Arabia, where gaming consumption is projected to surge to $6.8bn by 2030 and expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 22 percent through 2030 from $959m in 2020, according to the Boston Consulting Group.
Creating new jobs, establishing new game developers, and nurturing a competitive talent pool that competes regionally and internationally are some of the many possibilities well within reach, as are developing the nation’s gaming and esports value chain and partnership ecosystem through sponsorship and hosting opportunities. In truth, some of these possibilities are already coming to fruition and ongoing events are a testament to this, such as Gamers8: The Land of Heroes.
A blueprint for sustained success
Organised by the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF), the authority nurturing elite gamers and developing the nation’s gaming community and industry, Gamers8 is the biggest gaming and esports festival worldwide and has a $45m prize pool, triple that of last year’s inaugural edition.
The eight-week long festival, held at Boulevard Riyadh City throughout July and August, features 16 elite, in-person esports tournaments from 13 top gaming titles this summer.
The elite tournaments are complemented by local gaming competitions, educational gaming platforms, live concerts from top global, regional, and local artists, and more than 1,000 fun-filled activities and attractions for all the family.
Last year, Gamers8 was attended by more than 1.4 million visitors and watched by more than 132 million people around the globe. Figures this year are expected to be even higher.
As such, SEF is making invaluable contributions towards Saudi Arabia’s gaming and esports scene, thereby supporting the National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which represents a comprehensive investment to develop the value chain and ensure the country becomes a global centre for the industry by 2030.
Launched in September 2022, the strategy marked the beginning of a new era towards leading the gaming and esports sector and achieving Vision 2030 objectives such as diversifying the economy, creating new jobs, and providing world-class entertainment for citizens, residents, and visitors alike.
Already Saudi Arabia is experiencing more and more glimpses of what this new era entails. And in the years ahead, the full potential of the country’s already vibrant gaming scene will be realised through even more tournaments, events, investments, and opportunities for all. Doing so ensures a winning combination that paves the way for the ultimate ambition of Saudi Arabia becoming a global hub for gaming and esports.