Once a country that issued fatwas against Pokémon cards, Saudi Arabia is now positioning itself as the global capital of esports, backed by a staggering $38 billion investment and the full weight of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 transformation agenda.
From Religious Conservatism to Gaming Megahub
Saudi Arabia’s dramatic pivot from religious conservatism to global entertainment powerhouse is nowhere more evident than in its aggressive play to dominate the esports and gaming world. The upcoming Esports World Cup, launching July 8 in Riyadh with a record $70 million prize pool, is just one part of a long-term strategy.
Saudi officials say their goal is to become the “global hub” for esports by 2030, integrating gaming into its giga-projects like:
- Neom: A futuristic city on the Red Sea featuring game dev studios and mocap facilities.
- Qiddiya City: A massive entertainment district near Riyadh, including a dedicated esports hub covering 17 city blocks.
A Crown Prince’s Passion Project
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reportedly an avid League of Legends player, has driven the shift, embedding gaming into the broader Vision 2030 plan aimed at reducing the kingdom’s oil dependency.
Through the state-owned Savvy Gaming Group—a subsidiary of the kingdom’s $700-billion Public Investment Fund—Saudi Arabia has already:
- Acquired 40% of the global esports market.
- Purchased stakes in Nintendo (4.19%), Activision (4.9%), EA (9.34%), and Take-Two (6.52%).
- Acquired Scopely, publisher of Monopoly Go! and Marvel Strike Force, making Savvy the top U.S. mobile publisher.
Global Reach, Local Focus
Despite global expansion, officials emphasize the kingdom’s focus on domestic talent. Plans include:
- Creating 250 gaming companies.
- Generating 39,000 local jobs.
- Contributing $13.3 billion to GDP by 2030.
Already, local gaming success stories like Mohammed Al-Dossary, a former FIFA eWorld Cup champ turned founder of Team Falcons, highlight the growing potential. Falcons recently partnered with Red Bull for the Esports World Cup.
Government initiatives like Saudi Game Champions are also helping developers like 24-year-old Abdulrahman Rashd, who turned his childhood Minecraft map-making hobby into a million-dollar business.
Facing Global Scrutiny
But Saudi Arabia’s meteoric rise in esports isn’t without controversy. Critics label the strategy as “gameswashing”—a means to distract from the kingdom’s human rights abuses, including the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Some developers, like the makers of GeoGuessr, have pulled out of the Esports World Cup after backlash from their communities. Others remain wary of participating under the kingdom’s banner.
Still, supporters argue that Saudi Arabia’s gaming transformation mirrors China’s decades-long gaming evolution and could yield regional talent and innovation in time.
A Bold New Era
As Saudi Arabia charges ahead with mega-investments and global acquisitions, one thing is clear: esports are now a central pillar in the kingdom’s rebranding—from oil to pixels, fatwas to Fortnite.
And with the Olympic Esports Games also headed to Riyadh in 2027 for a 12-year run, the kingdom’s digital future seems to be just getting started.
