Next World Forum tackles hard hitting issues impacting gaming and esports as groundbreaking event comes to a close

The final day of the Next World Forum saw a range of themes and challenges raised that will impact the future of the gaming and esports industry.

The inaugural forum, taking place in Riyadh by the Saudi Esports Federation, hosted over a thousand influential delegates from across the world with the aim to create new opportunities for gaming stakeholders, businesses, and governments. The event marks the conclusion of Saudi Arabia’s Gamers 8 – the world’s biggest gaming and esports festival.

Gaming for good

Gaming as a ‘force for good’ was championed throughout the day with increasing examples of mobilizing the powerful and far-reaching gaming community, dominated by Gen Z, for good causes around the world. This has seen huge benefits to global challenges with charities such as UNICEF and UNHR, present at the Next World Forum, benefitting from initiatives such as Gamers Without Borders – that has donated $30m to good causes. 

This was balanced by challenges facing the industry that impact gamers wellbeing, health and children’s safeguarding – in a new report from ITHRA, two thirds of gamers say they cannot disconnect from being online.  

“Our mantra for digital wellbeing is that we should be in control of our devices and they shouldn’t be in control of us. There are consequences to anything that you use excessively,” said Abdullah Al Rashid, Director, King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra). 

Delegates also heard how forward-thinking governments are discussing gaming sector regulation, governance, industry lobbying and how to ensure there is a globally competitive environment for developers and publishers through better education. 

“We want to help parents feel safe and empower decision makers at home to what is appropriate - creating outreach and education,” said Assery Isra, CEO, General Commission for Audiovisual Media.

Next steps for esports

The future of Esports was a hot topic with the Saudi Esports Federation’s own approach to the sector discussed in terms of professionalization, investment, support and advancing the overall ecosystem.

“Very few countries in the world have taken this approach to Esports to help their youth have opportunities to become the best athletes in the world,” said Ralf Reichert, Executive Chairman, ESL FACEIT Group,

Player care, regulation, competitive integrity, growing diversity inclusivity and emerging thinking around regulation in a fast-changing environment were all discussed across the day – as well as inclusion into the Olympic family. 

“We consider Esports as an official sport, where we work with athletes, provide opportunities and guidance to represent their country in multi-sport games,” said Abdulaziz Al Baqous, Executive Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications, Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee. 

Musaed Al Dossary, aka MSDossary7, Sylvia ‘QueenArrow’ Gathon and Madiha 'Madi' Naz were all star names to share their experiences and best practice for those wanting to forge a successful career in professional esports. 

Collaboration has proved a key theme throughout the two days. The Saudi Esports Federation unveiled two MOUs with the Korea e-Sports Association and the Thailand Esports Federation. 

“Together I hope we can foster the sustainable development and betterment of esports between our two countries and hoping to unite to the next world of the sector,” commented the Thailand Esports Federation.