Saudi Arabia has pulled the plug on its plans to host the first Olympic Esports Games, a deal that was brokered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) just months ago. The cancellation of this high-profile event marks a significant blow for Saudi Arabia's ambitions in the rapidly growing world of competitive gaming.
Under the original agreement, the games were set to take place in Riyadh in 2027 as part of a 12-year partnership with the IOC. However, concerns over the logistics and feasibility of hosting such an event appear to have led to its cancellation. A statement from the IOC confirmed that the two parties had "mutually agreed" to terminate the deal.
Despite this setback, Saudi Arabia is far from abandoning its plans for competitive gaming in the region. The kingdom has been investing heavily in esports infrastructure, including the annual Esports World Cup, which has become a major draw for gamers and spectators alike. In fact, Saudi Arabia has recently announced new initiatives aimed at further promoting the sport, including an upcoming Esports Nations Cup that will give competitors the chance to compete under their national flags.
The kingdom's interest in esports is seen as part of a broader strategy to diversify its economy and move away from its reliance on oil exports. However, critics have long argued that this investment in sports – particularly high-profile events like the Olympics – amounts to "sportswashing" or using sports to distract from human rights abuses and other social issues.
The IOC, meanwhile, remains committed to hosting its own Olympic Esports Games as part of future Olympic programs. The organization has been testing various formats for the games, including fighting and driving titles, and has run several test events in recent years.
The sale of gaming giant Electronic Arts to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for a record-breaking $55 billion (£42 billion) has also sparked controversy among gamers and content creators. Several top content creators linked to The Sims series have announced that they will stop producing content about the game due to their opposition to the deal.
The PIF is seen as one of Saudi Arabia's key economic development vehicles, aiming to drive growth through various sectors including entertainment, tourism, and more recently, gaming. With its involvement in EA and other major gaming companies, it appears Saudi Arabia is determined to establish itself as a serious player in the global esports scene.
Under the original agreement, the games were set to take place in Riyadh in 2027 as part of a 12-year partnership with the IOC. However, concerns over the logistics and feasibility of hosting such an event appear to have led to its cancellation. A statement from the IOC confirmed that the two parties had "mutually agreed" to terminate the deal.
Despite this setback, Saudi Arabia is far from abandoning its plans for competitive gaming in the region. The kingdom has been investing heavily in esports infrastructure, including the annual Esports World Cup, which has become a major draw for gamers and spectators alike. In fact, Saudi Arabia has recently announced new initiatives aimed at further promoting the sport, including an upcoming Esports Nations Cup that will give competitors the chance to compete under their national flags.
The kingdom's interest in esports is seen as part of a broader strategy to diversify its economy and move away from its reliance on oil exports. However, critics have long argued that this investment in sports – particularly high-profile events like the Olympics – amounts to "sportswashing" or using sports to distract from human rights abuses and other social issues.
The IOC, meanwhile, remains committed to hosting its own Olympic Esports Games as part of future Olympic programs. The organization has been testing various formats for the games, including fighting and driving titles, and has run several test events in recent years.
The sale of gaming giant Electronic Arts to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for a record-breaking $55 billion (£42 billion) has also sparked controversy among gamers and content creators. Several top content creators linked to The Sims series have announced that they will stop producing content about the game due to their opposition to the deal.
The PIF is seen as one of Saudi Arabia's key economic development vehicles, aiming to drive growth through various sectors including entertainment, tourism, and more recently, gaming. With its involvement in EA and other major gaming companies, it appears Saudi Arabia is determined to establish itself as a serious player in the global esports scene.
. I mean, I knew there were gonna be some hiccups with hosting the Olympics and all that jazz, but cancelling it altogether seems like a pretty big deal. And now that it's happened, I'm wondering if Saudi Arabia was ever actually serious about making esports a major part of their plans? They've been investing in Esports World Cup and other stuff, so maybe they just wanted to test the waters?
. I mean, they've already started losing sponsors or whatever because of their opposition to the deal with EA... It's like, okay, Saudi Arabia wants in on esports now, but are they prepared for the fallout?
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! The IOC just cancelled their deal with Saudi Arabia over logistics, but I know they didn't do that for no reason. It's all about the controversy surrounding those human rights abuses and stuff... 
Like, can't they just focus on promoting esports without trying to cover up some shady issues?
. I mean, what's next? They'll be sponsoring a tournament under the guise of supporting gamers, but really just using it as a distraction from their problems.
. And it's cool that they're still committed to hosting Olympic Esports Games. Maybe they can actually get it right next time 
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I'm not surprised they cancelled the Olympics Esports Games thingy... I mean, think about it, hosting this event is way more complicated than just throwing some gamers together and calling it a day 
. There's gotta be some logistical nightmares and whatnot that came with putting an Olympic-sized event into esports 
. And now that it's been pulled, I'm not sure how well Saudi Arabia will do without all the international attention and scrutiny 
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. Can't we talk about actual issues here? 
espcially for saudi arabia 
they were so hyped about hosting olympic esports games 
but i can understand why things didn't work out 
like, they're not giving up on their dreams 
and new initiatives coming up 
so fingers crossed for them 
some creators are speaking out against it 
i feel bad for them 
but at the same time, it's good that they're standing up for what they believe in 
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