As the inaugural event of the summer of 2024 approaches, the Esports World Cup (EWC) confidently declares itself a new frontier in the history of esports. With additions like League of Legends and Overwatch 2 and a renaming to the globally recognized title of Esports World Cup, some of the participating teams of this global esports event have been revealed. Notably, both T1 and Gen.G Esports have officially joined the lineup.
The Esports World Cup Foundation unveiled a promotional video on the Sphere in Vegas. The video briefly introduced the main events, prize money, and overview of the Esports World Cup, set to debut in Riyadh in the summer of 2024.
The logos of participating esports clubs were revealed for the first time in the promotional video. Logos from various clubs across multiple countries were displayed on the Sphere. Among the Korean esports clubs, T1 and Gen.G were displayed alongside the teams around the world. This announcement of club logos allows fans to anticipate seeing these two teams once again on the international stage. With League of Legends selected as a new event, the participation of the biggest organizations in the LCK has been confirmed.
As the organizers previously indicated, teams and players would be assembled through tournaments, direct invitations, and other methods depending on the event. For League of Legends, the lineup of participating teams is expected to be determined through invitations. Additionally, further team announcements can be anticipated, considering the EWC Foundation's mention of more teams beyond those revealed on this day.
The promotional video also introduced the events featured at the Esports World Cup. Games spanning various platforms and genres, including Apex Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Overwatch 2, Tekken 8, Rainbow Six Siege, Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, Honor of Kings, EA Sports FC, Teamfight Tactics, Street Fighter 6, Fortnite, StarCraft 2, PUBG, Dota 2, RENNSPORT, and League of Legends, will be showcased alongside fans.
Of particular note, the introduction of each game also included the names of famous players associated with them. For League of Legends, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, was featured. Nicola “NiKo” Kovac for Counter-Strike 2, Arslan “Arslan Ashe” Siddique for Tekken 8, Clement “Clem” Deplanches for StarCraft2, etc., were introduced as well.
Determining the best esports club is one of the key objectives of the Esports World Cup. Players' performance in each event will be converted into comprehensive points for the club, and the club with the highest total points will earn the honor of being recognized as the Best Esports Club In The World, according to the EWC organizers.
The Esports World Cup, announced by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has consistently shown interest in popular culture, sports, and gaming, marks the emergence of a comprehensive global esports tournament. As the name World Cup suggests, games from PC, console, and online platforms from around the world will be presented in one place.
Through an event spanning approximately 8 weeks, esports clubs representing each game will participate. In addition to determining the top club, the organizers emphasized aspects that would satisfy fans, including large-scale tournaments and substantial prize money. The Foundation also expressed its ambitious plan to consolidate fragmented esports competitions, which have previously been game-centric or genre-specific, under one World Cup.
The EWC has already seen great potential for growth through Gamers8. Furthermore, with the Esports World Cup, Saudi Arabia envisions its future as a global hub for esports. Thus, they appointed ESL's Ralph Reichert as a CEO early on and invited figures like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianni Infantino to the inauguration ceremony panel, aiming to attract public attention.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has invested in various gaming companies through the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, including Nexon, NCSoft, Capcom, Activision Blizzard, SNK, EA, Take-Two, etc. In addition to further expanding the international scale of esports competitions through the Esports World Cup, Saudi Arabia hopes to expand the struggling Saudi tourism industry during the summer. The Esports World Cup is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this coming summer.
