Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation and President of the International Esports Federation, recently highlighted the role of esports in strengthening ties between Saudi Arabia and China. Speaking at the announcement ceremony of the Esports Asian Champions League, a new multi-genre tournament organized by VSPO, Prince Faisal shared his vision for the future of esports in Asia.
In an interview with CGTN Sports Scene’s Greg Laffradi, Prince Faisal emphasized the innovative aspects of the Esports Asian Champions League. “With esports, so many tournaments are either online or offline. The innovation here is how do we bring those two worlds together and start to bring together a region that, quite frankly, is the most advanced esports-wise in the world and has some of the best players in the world,” he said.
He highlighted the tournament’s approach to bridging the gap between online and offline experiences through advanced technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR). “The innovation they have here with doing everything online, having online arenas, the VR, the AR, and the XR, and really bridging that gap in the middle of a season while everything is going on, while everyone has their local leagues, to be able to bring national teams together, and bring that fan experience together,” Prince Faisal explained. “I think it is not just innovative, but it is a step towards the future of this as an industry.”
Saudi Arabia has been actively investing in the esports sector, hosting major events and fostering development within the industry. The inaugural Esports World Cup took place in Riyadh between July and August, attracting global attention. Additionally, the country’s Savvy Games Group invested $265 million in Shanghai-based VSPO in 2023, strengthening the collaboration between Saudi Arabia and China in the gaming sector.
Chinese esports teams have been top performers in international competitions for nearly a decade. Prince Faisal believes that esports serve as a bridge for cultural exchange and cooperation between the two nations. “Esports is one of those things that really bridges different gaps,” he noted. “It’s a sport, so it brings together ministries of sport, it brings together athletes, it brings together events like the Asian Games and the Olympics.”
He also pointed out the positive impact on tourism and cultural exchange. “When we host events like the Esports World Cup, we had a huge number of Chinese fans come to watch the Chinese teams play,” Prince Faisal said. “We had over 100,000 Chinese tourists visit Saudi last year in 2023, and we look to increase those numbers. We had 30,000 Saudis visit China last year. We look to increase those numbers.”
“You have to create an interest. You have to create a spark. What’s that first visit?” he continued. “So a lot of these young men and women that came to visit Saudi for esports, maybe they saw something that looked interesting.”
As esports continues to grow in popularity and influence, initiatives like the Esports Asian Champions League are poised to foster greater collaboration and understanding between countries in the region. Through shared interests and innovative platforms, Saudi Arabia and China are leveraging the power of gaming to enhance bilateral relations and cultural exchange.
Reference(s):
Saudi esports chief: Esports enhance ties between Saudi Arabia, China
cgtn.com
