The Esports World Cup continues to unfold in Riyadh, with more games than ever being represented on a grand stage. Teams from all around the world are travelling to Saudi Arabia to potentially win millions of dollars, and while plenty of titles have been awarded thus far, some of the most highly anticipated events are yet to take place.
Recently, I had the opportunity to catch up with Ralf Reichert, the CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation. I asked key questions about the future of the industry and the Esports World Cup itself.
Read on to see what Reichert had to say.
‘We’ve Set a New Standard’
It’s no big secret that Saudi Arabia went big for the Esports World Cup. From the monumental opening ceremony to the nearly two dozen games being played at the event, nothing in the history of the esports industry has been bigger than this showcase. I asked Ralf Reichert how the team plans to top this showing during future events:
I can’t go into detail yet on what you can expect at future events, one thing to be sure of is our commitment to deliver a one-of-a-kind celebration of competitive excellence and gaming culture for our global fans. We’ve set a new standard, and it’s our responsibility to raise it going forward.
All this is part of Vision 2030 and how Saudi has embraced a forward-looking attitude that creates a perfect home for the Esports World Cup. There is long-term thought here that makes me very optimistic about the future of gaming and esports in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region as a whole.
One of the biggest concerns ahead of the Esports World Cup taking place was that very setting – Saudi Arabia. Since the event kicked off, the EWC’s leadership team has reiterated that everyone is welcome, but many in the gaming community still doubt that sentiment, given the nation’s historic treatment of minorities and the LGBT community. This was an important topic to discuss with Reichert:
Everyone is welcome at the Esports World Cup, and we’ve worked hard to create an inclusive environment where gaming fans from all over the world can congregate and share their passion.
It’s exactly the kind of celebratory atmosphere we wanted for such a massive event, and I encourage everyone who is interested in gaming and esports to make the trip, attend a tournament, enjoy one of the many concerts, check out the festival and take in the atmosphere. I believe people’s perception will change once they’ve experienced this.
In an earlier statement, Reichert was recorded as saying that nobody will be discriminated against, but he advised that people adhere to local habits and ‘cultural norms’ and suggested that they ‘don’t be explicit’ about their proclivities.
‘Gaming Isn’t Going Anywhere’
Speaking about the future of the esports and gaming industries, I asked Ralf Reichert for his perspective on how things are unfolding. It has been a tough eighteen months for the games industry, with thousands of layoffs striking workers worldwide and studios being closed in the blink of an eye, and the esports industry hasn’t been immune to its fair share of struggles.
I’m super optimistic on the future of esports and gaming. It brings people together regardless of country, age, gender or origin. And as a result of gaming’s ubiquitous popularity, esports has become one of the world’s fastest-growing and in-demand sports.
We’re creating the next generation of sport, one that presents esports superstars as competitive and cultural icons. Gaming isn’t going anywhere, and I expect the industry’s headwinds will propel esports forward for many decades to come.
Finally, I drew attention to the format of the Esports World Cup, focusing particularly on the format. I’ve long since wondered why the EWC would be an annual event and not one where recurrences are separated by several years, like the FIFA World Cup. Reichert was quick to explain the lay of the land:
In the planning process, we debated all sorts of formats for the Esports World Cup. But while we took inspiration from top international sporting events, we felt that the EWC was best as an annual event, as the world of video games and the digital age overall work on an accelerated timeline compared to others.
We want to build the best platform to crown the best esports Clubs each calendar year, creating a prestigious moment for players and fans to aspire to attend. No format is set in stone, but we’re happy with the way the EWC is currently unfolding.
The Esports World Cup is set to continue until the final game wraps up on August 25. Before the curtain comes down on the tournament, we’ll see the Club Championship trophy awarded, and at present, it looks as though Team Falcons will be securing the massive, multi-million-dollar prize in that arena.
This staggering showcase has set a new bar for esports events worldwide – it’ll be interesting to see how it evolves in the coming years.
For more Insider Gaming Esports, check out the news about the CDL Championship Grand Final
