Gamers8, the biggest Esports and gaming event worldwide, is to be held across eight weeks of action this summer in Riyadh, the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The global Esports and gaming event will take place at a state of the art, purpose-built venue at Riyadh Boulevard City, Saudi Arabia, from Thursday, 14th July – Thursday, 8th September, with elite and competitive tournaments on show.
Hosted under the theme of ‘Gamers8 – Your Portal to the Next World’, the thrilling action will be on display alongside some of the biggest names in entertainment and amid a series of festivals, concerts, shows, events, and more.
With a purpose-built venue in the middle of the gaming dreamland, everyone is invited to come and enjoy the fun, as the best teams in the world converge in Riyadh to compete across six different titles – with a staggering $15 million prize pool.
His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “With an estimated 23.5 million gamers across the country, almost every home in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has someone with a deep passion for gaming. This passion for gaming has long been a source of pride for Saudis.
“The gaming sector in Saudi Arabia has been on a journey of progress and development that matches the greater ambitions of the country drawn by Vision 2030 – and that is epitomised by the hosting of Gamers8. The event in Riyadh this summer has a mission to blur the lines between what’s physical and what’s virtual and offer a spectacle and an occasion beyond what anyone has experienced before.
“Our goal is to bring the virtual world of Esports and gaming out into the physical realm of Riyadh – a global city with immense purpose and burgeoning opportunity, and the ideal setting for Gamers8. We look forward to seeing you all this summer for what will be an unforgettable, futuristic, and incredible time.”
Gamers8 will focus on four main pillars, each with something to offer for everyone. These four pillars are: Professional Esports, Festivals, Music and ‘The Next World Summit’, an Esports and a gaming summit that will bring together sector leaders and experts from around the world.
Eight international artists, each of whom is guaranteed to whet the appetite of music lovers, will be appearing across the eight weeks of Gamers8, alongside numerous other local and regional talents. Concerts begin on Thursday, July 14, and run until Thursday, September 1. More than 1,000 activities and attractions, such as comedy, magic shows, and much more, will also be on the Gamers8 entertainment agenda.
Gamers8 tournaments will be broadcast live on the event channels in more than eight different languages. Further details on star names and top attractions will be released on the event website Gamers8.
The event is being organised by the Saudi Esports Federation, the regulating body in charge of nurturing elite gaming athletes and developing the gaming community and industry in Saudi Arabia.
The Federation’s activities are categorised into two complementary streams. The first stream works to develop all levels of competitive gamers, starting with the grassroots community level and moving up to professional Esports athletes that can achieve global excellence. The second stream works to develop the entire gaming/Esports value chain by catalysing the industry and enabling talent.
Since its establishment in late 2017, the federation has organised multiple world-class national and international tournaments and events, attracted investment from local private sector actors and worked with international developers on opportunities in the Saudi market.