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RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation said on Friday that “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III” and “Call of Duty: Warzone” had been added to the games that will be part of the inaugural Esports World Cup this summer in Riyadh.
The EWC schedule consists of 22 competitions across 21 games, making it the largest multi-game e-sports tournament of all time.
EWCF’s CEO Ralf Reichert said: “By adding two amazing ‘Call of Duty’ games to EWC, we have cemented our promise to deliver the world’s best games to e-sports fans everywhere.
“‘Call of Duty’ is the final piece of our historic EWC 2024 schedule, and we are excited to welcome its athletes and global fanbase to Riyadh this summer.”
Since its original launch in 2003, the “Call of Duty” franchise has remained one of the world’s most popular video games. “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III” is one of the best-selling video games of 2023 in the US.
Published in March 2020, “Call of Duty: Warzone” found instant success as the franchise’s first entry into the battle royale genre. Both games feature robust e-sports ecosystems that engage fans in a variety of formats ranging from league-based play to open circuit competitions.
EWC will also host competitions in “Apex Legends,” “Counter-Strike 2,” “Dota 2,” “EA Sports FC 24,” “Fortnite,” “Free Fire,” “Honor of Kings,” “League of Legends,” “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang,” “Overwatch 2,” “PUBG Battlegrounds,” “PUBG Mobile,” “ESL R1,” “Rocket League,” “StarCraft II,” “Street Fighter 6,” “Teamfight Tactics,” “TEKKEN 8” and “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Siege.”
Each of the championships at EWC will have its own prize pool with a combined total exceeding $33 million. By adding these two games, the EWCF has created additional opportunities for additional athletes to participate at the event and earn a piece of life-changing winnings.
During the tournament, the “Call of Duty: Warzone” competition, running Jul. 3-6, will feature 21 teams battling for a share of a $1 million prize pool, and the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III” competition, Aug. 15-18, will have 16 teams vying for a $1.8 million prize pool.
Results in both competitions contribute points to the overall Club Championship rankings, an innovative cross-game competitive format unique to the EWC.
Winners of at least one EWC game competition become eligible for the Club Championship’s top prize of $7 million (out of a $20 million pool to the top 16 clubs) and the prestigious title of Esports World Cup Club champion.
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation and the Esports Awards have announced a three-year partnership that brings the world’s most prestigious esports awards ceremony and platform to the Esports World Cup, the world’s largest gaming festival, scheduled to take place this summer in Riyadh.
The 2024 Esports Awards will be held on Aug. 24 in Riyadh with a gala to honor the best in esports from every corner of the globe, celebrating clubs, athletes, content creators, games and more. The partnership ensures that the Esports Awards will be a platform for experiences such as the lifetime achievement mixer, red carpet event, esports village and the awards ceremony itself. Fans can vote for awards finalists when they are revealed on June 27.
Since its inception in 2015, the Esports Awards has earned a reputation for recognizing excellence in esports globally and supporting initiatives to grow the industry. Over the past decade, it has evolved from a London dinner event into the premier global awarding body and de-facto platform for esports recognition.
The global red carpet event has been held in London, Dallas and Las Vegas and now comes to Saudi Arabia for the first time.
Last year’s star-studded ceremony attracted more than 22 million viewers and some of the biggest brands, athletes and publishers took home 30 awards in categories for entertainment, industry, creative, pro, on-air talent, and collegiate. The event secured a Guinness World Record for largest digital video game display when WWE superstars and gaming legends alike played Pac-Man on a screen with an area of 100,000 square feet.
“Partnering with the Esports World Cup enables us to offer an even more exceptional experience to our nominees, guests and viewers,” said Michael Ashford, CEO, Esports Awards. “The Esports Awards have always been dedicated to celebrating incredible achievements in esports, so we naturally saw the opportunity to join forces with EWC in Riyadh as an excellent fit.
“The Middle East is home to one of the fastest growing and most passionate esports communities in the world and I’m delighted to be bringing the awards to the region for the first time. I cannot wait for this year’s ceremony, which I expect will be the most impressive and memorable one yet.”
Ralf Reichert, CEO of Esports World Cup Foundation, said: “Hosting the Esports Awards in Riyadh enriches the Esports World Cup, bringing the entire world together to commemorate esports excellence.
“Here, we can support the Esports Awards as a valuable bridge between Eastern and Western audiences. The Esports Awards is a fantastic gala that celebrates stakeholders from across the global esports ecosystem, recognizing not only competitive greatness but also greatness in production, broadcasting, leadership, creative design and more. I’m excited to attend the Esports Awards this year in Riyadh and honor the best in esports.”
The Esports World Cup starts on July 3 in Riyadh and will turn the city into the epicenter of esports fandom and gaming culture for eight weeks.
Fans can watch the action at Boulevard City across 20 game championships for a share of more than $60 million in prize money — the largest prize pool in esports history. The Esports World Cup will also feature festival activities that include numerous gaming activities, community tournaments, pop culture celebrations, international experiences and more.
RIYADH: Esports enthusiasts are gearing up for a sensational spectacle with the inaugural GCC League 2024 finals in Riyadh on June 27-28, when contenders go head-to-head across the Rocket League and TEKKEN 8 competitions.
Presented by the Saudi Esports Federation, the GCC League is the newest Middle Eastern esports tournament that brings together six countries and some of the region’s greatest athletes and clubs for a series of showdowns.
SEF’s Chairman Prince Faisal bin Bandar said on Tuesday: “We cannot wait for the GCC League 2024 finale, and we share the excitement of esports fans throughout the region and beyond, ahead of what promises to be another world-class event in Riyadh.”
The first-ever edition began last month as 12 teams from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE faced off in an online Rocket League tournament, the vehicular soccer game and one of the world’s most popular titles.
Following 10 days of non-stop group stage action from May 12-21, the stage is set for exhilarating back-to-back encounters later this month.
Live from Riyadh, the remaining contestants will battle it out for regional supremacy and their share of a $150,000 prize pool across Rocket League and another world-renowned title, TEKKEN 8.
Prince Faisal said: “The enthusiasm, passion, and love for esports in all GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nations are well-known around the globe — and this is one of many factors behind what makes the GCC League particularly exciting and intriguing. This upcoming event is simply unmissable for all with a vested interest in our industry.”
Among the challengers are Xenon Esports of Kuwait and the Oman National Team B. They advanced to the finals as winners of Groups A and B respectively in the tournament’s first online stage last month.
Also in the running for glory are Group A qualifiers, the Bahrain National Team, and Group B qualifiers Unity Esports (Kuwait) and KHK Esports (Bahrain).
Prince Faisal added: “Welcoming the region’s biggest and best talent for a brand-new competition is the latest illustration of our enduring commitment to provide new opportunities for regional talent to shine.”
Alongside the greatest athletes and clubs from across the region, local esports fans are sure to provide Team Falcons and Twisted Minds with incredible home support as these clubs are representing the host nation.
RIYADH: The live finals of the EA Sports FC Ramadan Tournament, which began on March 18, took place this Friday at the SEF Arena in Riyadh.
Organized by Zawaya Gaming and powered by Pepsi with support from the Saudi Esports Federation, the gaming show featured two tournaments — one for EA Sports FC 24 on PlayStation 5, the other for EA Sports FC Mobile.
A group of 16 players from across the Middle East and North Africa region and Indonesia qualified to compete during the live show along with other eight players who were paired with athletes and content creators, including Egyptian YouTuber Amr Nassouhy and Saudi YouTuber BanderitaX, for a two-versus-two tournament in both of the competitions.
“It is a huge event,” Nassouhy said. The Youtuber, whose content focuses on sports, including football, boasts 1.4 million followers on Instagram and almost 3 million followers on his “Saba7o Korah” YouTube channel, which he started back in 2012.
“EA has been doing these kinds of events for years. I have been on board with them for eight years maybe, and it is really important for the entire community,” he said.
“Everybody can play online or with friends, but having competitions and having content creators attending these competitions sheds light on these players and the EA FC 2024 and esports in general.
“I am a huge football fan, so EA sports has always been a favorite of mine since childhood.”
Amr Basher, another Egyptian content creator, was also among the guests in the Saudi capital on Friday. He posts content about FC and FC Mobile across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to millions of followers.
“Last year, I attended the (Esports) World Cup that was hosted in Riyadh. It was similar to this, well-organized. I enjoyed it very much,” Basher said.
RIYADH: EA Sports has announced the launch of the first-ever Ramadan tournament, set to take place during the holy month from March 18 to 29.
The EA Sports FC Ramadan Tournament will be organized by Zawaya Gaming and powered by Pepsi with support from the Saudi eSports Federation.
The event will feature two parallel knockout tournaments: one for EA Sports FC 24 on PlayStation 5, and the other for EA Sports FC Mobile.
A total of 16 players will qualify to compete in the finals, with eight players being paired with athletes and creators for a two-versus-two tournament in the two competitions.
The console tournament will be open to participants from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, while mobile participants will include competitors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Indonesia.
The live finals will take place at the SEF Arena in Riyadh.
ALULA: As the Drone Champions League Super Final 2023 draws to a close, the Royal Commission for AlUla has announced the results, which were organized in partnership with Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones and the Saudi E-Sports Federation.
This was the first e-sports and professional drone racing competition of its kind, held at AlUla’s Old Town auditorium, as part of the AlUla Moments festival.
Drone Champions League Super Final 2023 announced Silas Aaron from Quad Force One won the ‘best pilot prize’ after his stunning performance with 16 other drone pilots from around the globe.
Drone Champions League Super Final 2023 announced Silas Aaron from Quad Force One won the ‘best pilot prize’ after his stunning performance with 16 other drone pilots from around the globe.
There were four teams participating in the Drone Championship League final, which included two- and four-man races. The race included 16 of the world’s best drone pilots from nine countries, including the United States, Australia, France, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. Both virtual and real elements were included in the show. Drone Championship League will be available to PlayStation, Xbox, and Mac users via the completed tracks of the finalists.
