Amwaj.media’s Post

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region. And Saudi Arabia’s spending doesn’t stop there. The Kingdom is funding, and this summer will host, a new Esports World Cup. League of Legends, one of the most lucrative games on the planet, will be among the platforms that will be part of the tournament. Eventually, this new event and many others will be staged at Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development that will become the world’s biggest sport and entertainment city. Inside it, there will be an esports and gaming zone, including an arena that will hold 73,000 people.'' Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #saudiarabia #gaming #esports

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region. And Saudi Arabia’s spending doesn’t stop there. The Kingdom is funding, and this summer will host, a new Esports World Cup. League of Legends, one of the most lucrative games on the planet, will be among the platforms that will be part of the tournament. Eventually, this new event and many others will be staged at Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development that will become the world’s biggest sport and entertainment city. Inside it, there will be an esports and gaming zone, including an arena that will hold 73,000 people.'' Professor Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #saudiarabia #MBS #esports

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region. And Saudi Arabia’s spending doesn’t stop there. The Kingdom is funding, and this summer will host, a new Esports World Cup. League of Legends, one of the most lucrative games on the planet, will be among the platforms that will be part of the tournament. Eventually, this new event and many others will be staged at Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development that will become the world’s biggest sport and entertainment city. Inside it, there will be an esports and gaming zone, including an arena that will hold 73,000 people.'' Professor Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #saudiarabia #esports #gaming

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region. And Saudi Arabia’s spending doesn’t stop there. The Kingdom is funding, and this summer will host, a new Esports World Cup. League of Legends, one of the most lucrative games on the planet, will be among the platforms that will be part of the tournament. Eventually, this new event and many others will be staged at Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development that will become the world’s biggest sport and entertainment city. Inside it, there will be an esports and gaming zone, including an arena that will hold 73,000 people.'' Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #saudiarabia #esports #gaming #MBS

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region. And Saudi Arabia’s spending doesn’t stop there. The Kingdom is funding, and this summer will host, a new Esports World Cup. League of Legends, one of the most lucrative games on the planet, will be among the platforms that will be part of the tournament. Eventually, this new event and many others will be staged at Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development that will become the world’s biggest sport and entertainment city. Inside it, there will be an esports and gaming zone, including an arena that will hold 73,000 people.'' Professor Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #saudiarbia #gaming #esports

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region. And Saudi Arabia’s spending doesn’t stop there. The Kingdom is funding, and this summer will host, a new Esports World Cup. League of Legends, one of the most lucrative games on the planet, will be among the platforms that will be part of the tournament. Eventually, this new event and many others will be staged at Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development that will become the world’s biggest sport and entertainment city. Inside it, there will be an esports and gaming zone, including an arena that will hold 73,000 people.'' Professor Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #SaudiArabia #esports

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region. And Saudi Arabia’s spending doesn’t stop there. The Kingdom is funding, and this summer will host, a new Esports World Cup. League of Legends, one of the most lucrative games on the planet, will be among the platforms that will be part of the tournament. Eventually, this new event and many others will be staged at Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development that will become the world’s biggest sport and entertainment city. Inside it, there will be an esports and gaming zone, including an arena that will hold 73,000 people.'' Professor Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #saudiarabia #esports

''In 1985, the first Super Mario console game was launched by Nintendo. The same year, Mohammed bin Salman was born into the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Since then, the Mario franchise has grossed 55B USD in global revenues, whilst the Saudi crown prince—commonly referred to as MbS—has risen to become de facto leader of his country. A self-proclaimed gamer, the young MbS may have been a Mario fan. And maybe, it is no coincidence that in 2022, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) —the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund—acquired a 5% stake in Japan’s Nintendo, which it in 2023 increased to 8%. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, PIF spent more than 1B USD acquiring a 2% stake in Reliance Industries, a conglomerate that owns one of India’s most powerful esports businesses. Following a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Riyadh in 2022, PIF then spent 265M USD on buying a share of Chinese esports company VSPO. Notably, of the 3B gamers worldwide, 1.6B are in the Asia-Pacific region.'' Professor Simon Chadwick for Amwaj.media #saudiarabia #esports #gaming

Saudi Arabia is making a bold move into the world of esports and gaming with the upcoming Esports World Cup, hosted this summer. As the proud host of this tournament, Saudi Arabia is solidifying its position as a global player in the lucrative gaming industry. League of Legends, one of the most popular and profitable games in the world, will be featured in the tournament alongside other platforms. But the Kingdom's investment in esports doesn't stop there. Qiddiya, a new infrastructural development, is set to become the world's biggest sport and entertainment city. Within this city, an esports and gaming zone will be established, complete with a 73,000-seater arena. This bold move by Saudi Arabia not only showcases their commitment to diversifying their economy, but also their recognition of the growing importance of esports and gaming in the global market. In my opinion it is crucial for us to keep an eye on emerging industries and opportunities, and Saudi Arabia's foray into esports is one to watch. I look forward to seeing the success of the Esports World Cup and the growth of the gaming industry in Saudi Arabia. #Esports #Gaming #SaudiArabia #Qiddiya #Diversification #GlobalMarket #Innovation #Opportunities