‘So Much Room For Collaboration,’ Says SEF Chairman Prince Faisal On India-Saudi Esports Ambitions – News18

Esports and gaming at giant have grow to be an integral a part of the Saudi Arabian Government’s push to diversify past the nation’s reliance on oil. Now, due to rising funding within the sector—occasions just like the Gamers8 have been made attainable—the place esports professionals from internationally come to compete at a global degree in quite a few titles for large prize swimming pools.

We had the chance to interview His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Arabia esports Federation about how this Gamers8 season panned out, what are his ideas on esports portray a brand new narrative for the ‘creator economy,’ and if India and Saudi Arabia can collaborate within the realm of esports.

Speaking to News18 Tech, HRH Prince Faisal mentioned that this 12 months’s Gamers8 has been a “great season,” and the occasion, which lasts for a complete of 8 weeks, had a complete of “12 tournaments, in different games.” He notes that whereas this season was heavy on work and competitiveness, however on the “end of the day, the chance to bring people together, the chance to have people visit here (Gamers8), and see for themselves what’s happening on-ground, and the chance to showcase our community, and our young men and women—and the talent that we have here—is the core of everything.”

News18 Tech: How do you see collaboration alternatives between India and Saudi Arabia within the realm of esports transferring ahead?

HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar: The chairman notes that “there’s so much room for collaboration. We have been talking to the Indian federation and the South Asian federation because there’s so much to do, and when you talk at the federation level, it has to happen at the grassroots.” And this allows you to “talk to people from different regions, get their points of view, and get their insights.”

He added: “So, working with the Indian federation, and working with many other federations—not just for tournaments—but also ‘cultural missions,’ where we can come home in a way—bring our young Saudis to India, and see what’s happening face-to-face.”

He additionally recalled his first time on the Asian Games when it was the primary time that esports was part of the occasion. He remembers that “a number of federations sat down, and everyone was a little nervous—not knowing what’s going on.” He mentioned it was then that a few of the gamers began speaking, exchanging gamer tags, and remembering their time enjoying video games. “Suddenly—all these people from thousands of miles away—were friends. That’s something that only gaming can do!” he mentioned. He additional notes that as a federation, it’s his job to facilitate this at a “grassroots level.”

The Gamers8: Land of Heroes occasion is now over and had a complete of $45 million in general prize pool distributed throughout numerous competitions throughout a span of 8 weeks—from July to September. It was adopted by the Next World Forum, the place greater than 2500+ delegates, business specialists got here to share their insights about gaming, esports, AI and the way big-name acquisitions like Microsoft could form the business.