The announcement by Saudi Arabia on Monday that it would host an eSports World Cup beginning in 2019 is the latest encouragement for a market that Riyadh hopes would generate tens of thousands of local jobs.
The de facto ruler of the Gulf state, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stated that "the eSports World Cup is the natural next step in Saudi Arabia's journey to become the premier global hub for gaming and eSports."
Since Prince Mohammed, 38, became first in line to the throne six years ago, Saudi Arabia has significantly invested in the video gaming industry. Prince Mohammed is rumored to be an enthusiastic player with a preference for Call of Duty.
The kingdom's well-funded sovereign wealth fund, Savvy Games Group, unveiled the crown prince's $38 billion investment plan last year.
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By 2030, 39,000 new eSports-related employment are anticipated to be created.
As per the national eSports strategy, which aims to produce 30 globally competitive games in domestic studios by 2030, officials also want to turn Saudi Arabia into "an Eden for game developers" that may create new titles "promoting Saudi and Arabic culture."
Anticipated for the summer of next year, the inaugural eSports World Cup will replace the eight-week Gamers8 festival of eSports competitions, which boasted a $45 million prize fund this year.
In Saudi Arabia, summertime brings a significant decline in tourism as daily highs of 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) are reached in the capital city of Riyadh.
However, a statement released on Monday stated that the eSports World Cup "will be complemented with a diversified set of activities and events that will draw visitors and tourists to the capital, transforming it into a gaming capital."
Organizers have not revealed the eSports World Cup's game lineup; they have only stated that information will be released to the public early in 2019.
"The tournament will include the most popular games in the world across all genres and have the largest prize pool in eSports history," added the release.
