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Gamers8 2023 Event Sets Record-High With $45 Million Prize Pool

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Gamers8 2023 Event Sets Record-High With $45 Million Prize Pool

Gamers8 2023 will officially be the biggest Esports & Gaming event in history. 

Lasting for eight weeks and taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Gamers8 2022 was a major Esports and Gaming Festival. With a whopping $15 million prize pool, Gamers8 quickly established itself as a major player, with Riyadh becoming the unofficial Esports capital of the region. 

By the looks of it, it's going to be another exciting summer for Esports fans and competitors alike. For Gamers8 2023, Gamers8 isn't just doubling down; they're tripling down, with an incredible $45 million prize pool.

With a prize pool that large, Gamers8 2023 will be the biggest Esports & Gaming Event ever held, beating out DOTA 2's The International 2021 prize pool of $40 million. 

The gaming and esports industries have taken hits over the past year, and many major esports tournaments have downsized their prize pools. DOTA 2'S The Invitational 2022, for example, cut its prize pool by over half to just under $19 million. But it looks like Gamers8 is all in on esports, and given recent statements by Saudi Arabia, this shouldn't be a surprise.

Saudi Arabia: The Next Big Juggernaut in Gaming?

Late last year, Saudi Arabia announced plans to spend $38 billion on gaming and esports industry investments (Primarily through the Public Investment Fund and Saavy Gaming Group). The goal is to diversify their assets and the company's economy by 2030 and, with luck, become a new esports hub.

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And yeah, Saudi Arabia has been busy. 

Saudi Arabian Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, acquired 96% of SNK through his Electronic Gaming Development Company, thus obtaining ownership of iconic fighting game franchises like King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, and Metal Slug. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund currently has an 8.26% stake in Nintendo, officially becoming the company's largest outside investor. They've spent billions investing in companies like Embracer Group, Activision, and Electronic Arts. 

On the esports side, Saudia Arabia recently acquired ESL Gaming and FACEIT for $1.5 billion. Gamers8 is run by the Saudi Esports Federation, with Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan serving as its president. Saudi Arabia still has 7 years to ensure the success of their plan, and they're already making very strong moves toward achieving its goal.

What Can We Expect From Gamers8 2023?

Gamers8 2022 hosted tournaments for five games: Fortnite, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege, DOTA 2, and PUBG Mobile. With a prize pool three times as big, fans and competitors wouldn't be wrong to assume that there will be more tournaments at Gamers8 2023 than last year.

Gamers8 will officially announce the first game on March 13. The festival will once again take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and kicks off on July 6.