Gamers8 finally arrives: Official press conference activates action-packed summer schedule

Gamers8, the biggest Esports and gaming event worldwide, is officially underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as key partners and local media organizations joined Saudi Esports Federation executives at an exclusive press conference to launch the summer showpiece.

Hosted by Saudi Esports Federation at the purpose-built, state-of-the-art venue at Boulevard Riyadh City, the highly-engaging press conference provided attendees and wider audiences with a preview of what awaits over the coming eight weeks, setting the scene for what promises to be an unforgettable chapter in the Kingdom’s Esports and gaming history.

His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “For the Saudi Esports Federation, celebrating this moment with partners and friends was a real pleasure and privilege. Our official Gamers8 press conference was not only a culmination of meticulous preparation spanning many months, but also the realization of a long-standing vision to propel the Esports and gaming ecosystem to even greater heights. With the arrival of Gamers8, a new wave of opportunities will follow for all with a passion and interest in this remarkable industry, from fans and families in attendance to competing teams and players of all skill levels.

“Recent years have witnessed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emerge as a global hub for exploring Esports and gaming’s full potential, yet we believe Gamers8 will further consolidate our leadership position while attracting new players, investors, audiences, and much more. Already, Gamers8 has become the biggest standalone Esports event for global sponsorship-generated revenue over one year, and we are excited to witness the response and reaction to Gamers8 at the local, regional, and international levels in due course.”

‘Let battle commence’

Throughout its duration, Gamers8 will focus on four main pillars, each with something to offer for everyone: Professional Esports, Festivals, Music and ‘The Next World Summit’. From tomorrow, July 14, the professional Esports action gets underway as the world’s biggest and best teams begin battling it out for their share of staggering $15 million prize pool in the Esports venue. Under the theme of ‘Gamers8 – Your Portal to the Next World’, teams will compete across Rocket League, Dota 2, Fortnite, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, and PUBG MOBILE. Rocket League is the first competition to take place in epic ‘crew battle’ format over four days, with a total prize pot of $2 million. All Gamers8 tournaments will be broadcast live on Gamers8 channels in more than eight different languages.

‘Welcome to a whole new world of fun’

Boulevard Riyadh City is home to seven interactive venues, including five specially built for festival purposes where various activities are available for Gamers8 attendees. The Gamers World venue features a PlayStation zone providing hands-on immersive gaming experiences through 17 different games such as FIFA, God of War, PUBG, and Gran Turismo. Moreover, this venue has a Kids Activation Zone where Tom & Jerry, Sonic, Space Jam, and a Batman experience will all feature.

POWR Villa is another venue sure to attract attention and curiosity as 16 content creators run workshops, an academy, and meet and greet fans, while Japamura is the Japanese corner featuring cool and creative spaces from the 'Land of the Rising Sun'. Here, attendees can wear traditional Japanese dress at the Yukata experience, sip free Japanese tea at the Matcha tasting, and blast out their favorite tunes at the Japanese karaoke nights.

Additionally, VOV zone is where live shows, entertainment, fun challenges, and trivia and Esports competitions can be found daily. Aramco SIM Arena features SIM racing enabling visitors to feel the thrill of real-life F1 cars, as well as a motorsport history section with a VR component, Gran Turismo gaming area, and collection of cool cars.

‘Live performances set to take center stage’

As an inclusive spectacle with something on offer for everyone, Gamers8 also focuses on Music as a key pillar of the eight-week schedule. Gamers8 is riding a high wave of momentum on the music front following tonight’s press conference, which witnessed the unveiling of the official Gamers8 anthem by the event’s official audio partner, Spotify. Produced by multi-platinum DJ producer R3HAB and featuring both Saudi pop artist Sultan Al Murshed and Kuwait's rising rapper Big Bo, ‘Challenge’ is an anthem inspired by the Esports community and goes live at midnight.

Commenting on his project involvement, R3HAB said: “I’m extremely proud to have created the official anthem for Gamers8, the world’s leading and biggest gaming event. I loved working with Sultan and Big Bo, and blending our sounds together was a really fun process. As my fans know, I always feel strongly connected to the MENA region and like to game myself, so I’m super excited to be part of this project.”

Throughout Gamers8, attendees of all ages can expect thrilling live performances from local talent, regional stars, and some of the best-selling international acts – with 30 soon-to-be-confirmed artists in total. More than 1,000 activities and attractions, such as comedy, magic shows, and much more, will also be on the Gamers8 entertainment agenda, beginning with tomorrow night’s Opening Concert with J Balvin, Sebastian Ingrosso, Amr Diab, DJ El Fuego, and Salvatore Ganacci.

The on-site NXT LVL arena will host memorable shows and weekly concerts, with Summer Nights sure to be a standout attraction every Monday and Tuesday. Week one of Gamers8 will see ‘Neon Night’ amaze audiences from the Main Stage as some of the best local DJs perform as part of a two-night UV light-themed concert, with more surprises, entertainment, and excitement in store with upcoming shows including ‘Bubble Night’, ‘Color Pop’, and ‘Urban Fever’.