In a recent interview with Fox News, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud expressed with enthusiasm his love for video games and the importance of esports.
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HRH Mohammed bin Salman loves video games
FOX News Channel anchor Bret Baier went to Saudi Arabia on the 21st of September to talk to HRH Mohammed bin Salman and more of Saudi Arabia’s ministers to explore how the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 social reform and economic diversification agenda is moving the country into expanding in new industries, one of which is esports.
When Baier asked HRH about what activities he does to blow off steam, and what he has fun doing, HRH said with a smile, “Video games. Since I was a kid, I love it.” He even said video games help him disconnect from reality. His favorite game is known to be Call of Duty.
When asked about the gaming ministry in Saudi Arabia, HRH stated, “Esports is one of the most important things happening globally. It’s one of the most growing industries on the planet. It grows 30% every year.” He further stated that the industry is competing with Hollywood in terms of viewership.
Turki Alfawzan, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Esports Federation, also supported HRH, stating, “Fueled by his [the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia] passion and vision, the Kingdom is becoming the global hub for gaming and e-sports.”
ESports in Saudi Arabia
The esports industry has spread around the Middle East where Saudi Arabia is the regional powerhouse. It is hoped that the industry will create almost 40,000 jobs for what is a youthful population by the end of the decade in the country.
The country announced a major national esports strategy last year, and most recently, the world’s largest gaming and esports festival, Gamers8 was hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Professional gamers, influencers, and industry leaders from all over the world joined together in Riyadh to discover an eight-week adventure, which featured a multitude of events, gaming tournaments, workshops, and more, with some activities having a prize pool of $45 million.Â
Other countries in the region are also investing in the industry. In June, the United Arab Emirates hosted one of the biggest esports events with around 75,000 participants. And we don’t expect anything less from the booming industry in the Middle East.
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