(MENAFN- Hill & Knowlton) RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (April 17, 2024) — ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the world’s leading esports and video game entertainment company, and Qiddiya City, a global destination for entertainment, sports, and culture, today announced a five-year global partnership to empower Qiddiya’s goal of establishing the world’s premier gaming and esports destination. Through the partnership, EFG will engage its worldwide fanbase of 225 million gamers, inviting them to share their vision and help shape the future global Gaming & Esports District in Qiddiya City.
EFG will lean on creative technology to develop immersive experiences, in-game missions, and stage takeovers during its circuit of global events to inspire fans, players, and partners to help define the future of play at the Qiddiya City Gaming & Esports District. Gamers and fans will have exclusive access to new developments in the District during DreamHack festivals, ESL and IEM competitions, and on EFG’s digital esports platform, FACEIT. This includes both top-tier and amateur circuits across ESL Counter-Strike Pro Tour, ESL Challenger, ESL Impact, ESL Dota 2 Pro Tour, DreamHack festivals, and more over the 5-year partnership.
The partnership is part of EFG and Qiddiya’s joint commitment to support the sustainable growth of the esports industry through building pipelines of multigenerational fandom in the world’s most promising markets, notably the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.
Abdullah Aldawood, Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company, said: "As a global Capital of Play, Qiddiya City will host a critical component of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy, and help power the next generation of esports. Our partnership with ESL FACEIT Group ensures that players, fans, and creators worldwide will play a central role in building this unprecedented hub of entertainment and innovation. We will be setting a new benchmark for fan experiences in parallel with athlete and talent development.”
Craig Levine, Co-CEO of ESL FACEIT Group, said: “Qiddiya is a city built for and inspired by the global esports and gaming community in one of the industry’s fastest-growing markets. As a pioneering global destination for gaming and esports, Qiddiya City will grow and develop in collaboration with the community, an important cornerstone for a more sustainable future. We’re confident and honored that EFG’s decades of experience will create value for the city’s scalable, fan-first vision.”
On completion, Qiddiya City’s Gaming & Esports District will be the world’s first mix-use gaming and esports district — an unrivaled investment in building a gaming utopia. Not only will the district become an epicenter for esports fandom and the development of professional gamers, but it will also serve as regional headquarters for leading video game companies and esports organizations.
Built to reflect the interests of gamers, the Qiddiya City Gaming & Esports District will cover 500,000 square meters of gaming space, housing cutting-edge esports facilities that introduce new ways to watch, train, and play. With EFG’s support, these facilities will provide the lowest latency technology infrastructure in the world, ideal for complementing the previously-announced Esports Bootcamp pre-competition training centers, as well as sports science performance labs and high-end tech incubators to spur gaming innovation.
Franck Guignery, SVP Middle East and Africa of ESL FACEIT Group, said: “The growth of gaming in the Kingdom has transformed its young and progressive esports scene into a powerhouse that will fuel the global community. This partnership brings us parity that pushes the landscape forward through compelling narratives and must-watch global events. Together with Qiddiya City, we’re inviting the community to help shape the future home of gaming and esports and create a positive impact across the industry.”
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