00:00We are building the legacy of the Esports World Cup to be the greatest sports event in the world.
00:08Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a major transformation.
00:11Reshaping its identity by balancing traditional values while fueling a diversified economy.
00:17And nothing screams innovation like the billion dollar industry of Esports.
00:22Right now this city is hosting the biggest gaming tournament in the world.
00:25And for the next seven weeks, Riyadh Boulevard transforms itself into a gamer's paradise.
00:36The Esports World Cup brings together the 24 best games in the world.
00:402,000 players, 200 clubs, almost 100 broadcasting partners.
00:45So the scale of it is on par with the biggest sports event in the world.
00:49And oh yeah, there's big money up for grabs.
00:5270 million dollars. The largest prize pool in Esports history.
00:57For a second straight year, Team Falcons are club champions.
01:02Top prize? A whopping 7 million dollars.
01:05Across the 25 competitions, the gamers themselves also took home a hefty chunk of change.
01:11EWC's獎金越來越高,
01:14So I want to achieve a better chance.
01:19China's Xiao Hai is widely considered as one of the greatest fighting game players.
01:24But even a champ can have a tough day, as he lost in this year's Fatal Fury finale, placing second, but still walking home with $155,000.
01:35Fast forward six weeks later, and Xiao Hai successfully defended his 2024 EWC Street Fighter VI title.
01:45Becoming a back-to-back champion and taking home another $250,000.
01:50Bringing his two competition win total to an incredible $405,000.
01:56The president of the Saudi Esports Federation explains how the EWC is helping to change the perception of his country.
02:05People from 100 different countries coming to Saudi to see this tournament.
02:09There is no better way to change the narrative of what people view Saudi as than for them to view Saudi.
02:15It is that simple.
02:17And the investment is paying off.
02:19Organizers said more than 750 million viewers worldwide tuned in over the course of the tournament.
02:26All this is a precursor to the first ever Olympic Esports Games to be held in Riyadh in 2027.
02:33That's the biggest milestone the whole industry is anticipating.
02:38It's a recognition from the oldest heritage sports organization like IOC to recognize.
02:47Esports is officially categorized as a sport.
02:51China's Moonton Games is the developer of one of the most popular video games today.
02:56Mobile Legends Bang Bang.
02:58With more than 120 million active monthly users, the free-to-play multiplayer game has a low barrier to entry.
03:06All you need is a phone.
03:09This year's MLBB Mid-Season Cup peaked at 3 million viewers, making it the most popular tournament in Esports World Cup history.
03:17Rai Ng says while the game originated in Southeast Asia, it has quickly spread across the planet.
03:25But for Esports to get to the next level, industry leaders say inclusivity must be a key aspect in the growth strategy.
03:33In Esports, it doesn't like traditional sports. They're playing with mine, with the hands.
03:38It doesn't really create a biological difference. They have a chance to swim together, play together.
03:44And we're looking ahead and in the next 5-10 years, the MEX team is definitely the ultimate goal we wanted to create.
03:51During the final weekend of the tournament, organizers also hosted the new Global Sport Conference, featuring 1,500 global industry leaders.
04:00Nearly a decade ago, Nicole Mary left a career in law to pursue her true passion as a gamer.
04:07Now, she's the CEO and co-owner of one of Brazil's largest Esports organizations.
04:13But while she's seen progress, she'd love to see more women in Esports.
04:18Yeah, you've got to break some barriers and mostly you've got to believe in yourself. Because if you don't, who will?
04:24Former Esports athlete turned investor Jonas Gundersen moved from Denmark to Qatar because of the opportunities he saw in the region.
04:32If you want to work with Esports, gaming, sports, entertainment and media, it's impossible to ignore the Middle East at the moment.
04:39I think the level of innovation and the passion for doing something for these industries is formidable down here.
04:47With life-changing money up for grabs, the Esports World Cup promises to get bigger and better every year, cementing itself as the biggest video game tournament in the world.
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