It has been announced by the Esports World Cup Foundation that at next year’s monumental event in Riyadh, Chess will make an appearance. In recent years, Chess has been on the up and up in terms of digital gaming and streaming, and the centuries-old board game has earned a place alongside some of the world’s best competitive titles.
In a post on social media, the team at the EWCF announced: ‘The ultimate game of strategy and intellect joins the lineup!’
Ancient Growth
Chess.com, the number one digital site that services users of the game online, hit 150 million members just over a year ago as a craze swept the world. More players than ever before were finding their way into the ecosystem, and on streaming platforms like Twitch, the game saw a huge boom in viewership figures.
It all started at the beginning of 2021, with a spike taking place following a series of high-stakes tournaments. Before long, the grandmasters of Chess were appearing on these platforms, their profiles being boosted in many ways, such as through the popularisation of The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix.
In a milestone step, TSM signed Nikaru Nakamura as a creator and competitive Chess player. Soon after, Envy picked up the Botez sisters, a Canadian duo focused on streaming Chess and IRL content.
To celebrate the Esports World Cup announcement, Magnus Carlsen, a grandmaster of the game and one of the ambassadors surfacing for the EWC 2025, said:
I’m thrilled to see Chess join some of the biggest games in the world at the Esports World Cup.
This partnership is an incredible opportunity to grow the game, by introducing Chess to new audiences and inspiring the next generation of players. Being part of the esports family is an amazing opportunity for Chess to broaden its reach to a massive group of esports fans.
There will be a $1.5 million prize pool up for grabs – one of the largest in the history of Chess. It’ll be integrated as part of the Champions Chess Tour, and a new format will be introduced to allow for quicker matches that keep the excitement high while retaining the notions of strategy and tactics.
Will you tune in to watch Chess at the Esports World Cup? Let us know on the Insider Gaming forum.
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