Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s biggest esports tournaments in July, with a total prize pool of USD 15 million.

The Kingdom Holding Company organized the “Kingdom Cup” event. It was held at the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Riyadh. The first edition of the competition featured 16 teams from around the globe competing for the title.

The tournament took place over three days and started on July 28. It included eight matches each day, including two best-of-three series. The final game was played on August 1.

The organizers have already announced that they are planning to hold the second edition of the tournament next year.

Why is the video games industry now so prevalent in Saudi Arabia?

In recent years, there has been an increase in interest among young people in playing video games. This trend can also be seen in other countries such as China, South Korea, Japan, and the United States.

According to a report published by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), over half of all gamers are under 30 years old.

This means that this generation is not only interested in playing video games, but also in creating them. Many developers who work in the gaming industry are younger than 40 years old.

For this reason, it is no surprise that Saudi Arabia wants to become the center of the global video game market.

What does the future look like for Saudi Arabia?

The number of gamers worldwide reached 2 billion in 2020. Over 10% of this figure came from the Kingdom.

Additionally, according to the IGDA, the Kingdom will be home to about 100,000 game developers by 2025. As a result, the country will become the largest producer of video games in the Middle East.

However, despite these positive trends, the Kingdom still faces some challenges. For example, most of its population lives in rural areas with limited internet access. The government is trying to improve the situation. According to the World Bank, the Kingdom has significantly enhanced internet connectivity.

For example, the average connection speed increased from 0.2 Mbps in 2012 to 9.6 Mbps in 2017. Furthermore, the government plans to invest USD 1 billion in building new fiber optic networks across the Kingdom.

Another challenge facing the Kingdom is the lack of skilled workers. For example, the unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia was 11.4% in 2018. Furthermore, the Kingdom is currently ranked as the fifth-worst country for attracting foreign direct investment.

Despite these challenges, the Kingdom is determined to make the necessary changes to become one of the world’s leading economies. And the technology industry is one of the most promising in Saudi Arabia.

How did Saudi Arabia get into the video games business?

The Kingdom is known for its conservative society. However, many Saudis have embraced modern technologies in recent years.

One of the main reasons behind this change is the rise of social media. Facebook alone has over 20 million users in Saudi Arabia. As a result, the Kingdom is becoming increasingly attractive to companies looking to expand their regional presence.

Moreover, the Kingdom is also investing heavily in developing its IT sector. For example, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology recently opened a new data center in Riyadh.

The center offers cloud computing services to local businesses. It is also used by international companies such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and IBM. Therefore, the Kingdom now has a strong position when competing against other countries in the region.

Do you need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia?

Yes. Most nationalities need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia, but don’t  worry anymore. With [Saudi Arabia e-Visa], the application can be completed 100% online. This will take just a couple of minutes. You are just a few steps away!

So if you are a fan of video games, Saudi Arabia is the place to be!

Follow me on Twitter at @thefanboyseo!