Riyadh 2023 Global Esports Games lauded for uniting international gaming community

The Global Esports Games, the flagship event of the Global Esports Federation, got underway in a blaze of glory in Riyadh on Tuesday, with organizers praising the multi-title, global competition’s power in uniting the international gaming community. 

The third annual edition of the Global Esports Games is being staged from December 12-16 at the SEF Arena in Riyadh – the first time Saudi Arabia’s capital city has hosted the prestigious event. 

Hosted by the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF) and presented by the Global Esports Federation (GEF), #GEG23 features numerous renowned multi-genre global titles. These are: DOTA 2, in the form of the DOTA 2 Open and DOTA 2 Women competitions, eFootball™ 2024, PUBG MOBILE, and Street Fighter 6. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Tuesday, HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of SEF, credited #GEG23 as being “the realization of a dream” when discussing the Kingdom’s ambitions for hosting legendary tournaments, forging long-lasting relationships, and unlocking esports’ full potential. HRH also spoke enthusiastically when previewing the competition and what athletes and audiences alike can expect. 

HRH Prince Faisal said: “This flagship event is one of the upmost significance, as well as a truly global spectacle that enables us to captivate people while further uniting the world-connected esports community. In the days ahead, the Games will showcase nothing short of an extraordinary display of excellence, proving that passion and skill are the ultimate currencies for driving advancement, bridging cultures, and inspiring greatness.”

Chris Chan, President, GEF, added: “Today is a historic day for esports and sports in a world connected to communicate. It signals the coming together of people from every continent on earth, bringing tradition and innovation while looking ahead to the dynamic opportunities of a brighter future. We are here in beautiful Riyadh to celebrate with our community, meet old friends and make new friends too. To the athletes: this is your moment, this incredible stage is for you and offers a pathway to live your passion, your dreams, and your choice in your own unique way.” 

#GEG23 welcomes more than 950 athletes from over 100 nations and territories. In the World Finals at the SEF Arena, located at the Saudi eLeagues in Riyadh, more than 235 athletes from over 50 nations and territories will be competing in front of a live audience and multi-channel broadcast. 

Speaking at the #GEG23 press conference on Tuesday, Rawan Albutairi, Executive Director of International Affairs at SEF, said: “The Riyadh 2023 Global Esports Games is the latest event that really illustrates esports’ power for uniting a diverse international community. By coming together for standout spectacles like this, we are not only creating new opportunities for talent to shine and audiences to be inspired – we are supporting esports’ long-term growth, sustainability, and success in Saudi Arabia and across the world. Both locally and globally, today marks the start of another incredible chapter in esports’ history by hosting such a prestigious event.” 

Mario Cilenti, Executive Director, Operations, GEF, commented: “These Games are a testament to Riyadh as a dynamic capital and epicenter for innovation, community, and entertainment. The Global Esports Games represents the pinnacle of esports excellence and competition, offering aspiring and elite athletes from all over the world an opportunity to compete on a global stage. Going beyond boundaries and creating a legacy for the global esports community and positioning Riyadh as an epicenter for gaming is one of our key objectives in the coming days. We would like to encourage all the community in Riyadh to come and cheer and be part of this experience of a lifetime for our esports athletes. It will be an extraordinary spectacle.” 

Of the 56 countries being represented in the coming week, eight are from Africa, 12 from the Americas, and 18 from Asia. Europe also has 17 representatives while Oceania hopes rest with Australia and New Zealand. 

To get tickets to attend #GEG23 tournaments in Riyadh in person – which are free of charge but do require ticketed registration – please visit https://riyadh2023geg.platinumlist.net/

If you can’t make it down in person but want to watch all the #GEG23 gaming action online, please visit saudiesports_ - Twitch and GEF - Twitch

A convergence of esports, sports, technology, entertainment, culture, and the #worldconnected gaming community, #GEG23 promises to deliver an extraordinary spectacle on the grandest stage of global esports alongside key partners. Supporting #GEG23 is Savvy Games Group as Presenting Partner, TCL as Main Partner, Qiddiya as Nexus Partner, and both stc play and KFC as a Strategic Partner.

For more information about ##GEG23, including tournaments and line-ups, please visit riyadh2023geg.gg.  

ENDS