Sport Desk
RIYADH: The New Global Sport Conference 2024 (NGSC) has heard how esports, the new global sport, will merge traditional sport and its modern counterpart in the form of entertainment, catalyzing people from all sectors of society, and sparking economic growth.
The second edition of NGSC – hosted under the theme ‘The Future of Fandom’- concluded on Sunday after gathering more than 1,200 attendees, including 60 global speakers and over 200 CEOs from gaming, esports, technology, sports, entertainment, business, and investment at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh At Kingdom Center.
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, delivered the opening remarks of the day. HRH Prince Faisal said: “Saudi Arabia’s commitment to gaming and esports is unwavering, driven by the support of our Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the passion of millions of gamers across our Kingdom. We believe in the transformative power of gaming and esports—not just as forms of entertainment but as catalysts for economic growth, social cohesion, and cultural exchange. Our faith in this industry is not just about its potential but also the people who drive it—the players, the fans, the publishers, the developers, the leaders who envision its future.
“The New Global Sport Conference 2024 marks a significant first step towards a bright and prosperous future for gaming and esports. Together, we will celebrate our achievements, confront challenges, and forge a path that honors our global community’s passion and dedication. I look forward to witnessing the incredible outcomes of this conference and the many successes that will undoubtedly follow.”
Saudi Arabia has a population of 35 million, and 23.5 million people identify as gamers. NGSC and the inaugural Esports World Cup, which concludes on Sunday, August 25, with an epic closing ceremony at Boulevard Riyadh City, are integral parts of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy.
While the success of esports epitomizes modern Saudi Arabia, the opening NGSC 2024 panel session on day two took attendees back to the earliest form of playing games – the ancient art of chess. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation – a nonprofit organization that supports the development and growth of the esports and gaming sectors – was joined on stage by Magnus Carlsen, the World Chess Champion. The duo participated in a fascinating session entitled ‘Chess, Esports: Strategy Redefined Together – From the Chessboard to the Digital Arena’.
Reichert said: “What is the essence of the Esports World Cup? It’s video games, right? What are games, games are things that get played where you put rules, and most of the time you need a winner and a loser and it becomes a game and then it gets put into a structured competition format and then it becomes an esport. That’s how this whole thing has evolved, and actually, it’s the same for traditional sports, even chess, which is the original game. But it’s interesting because you play chess the same digitally as you do physically. Other games, such as football, for instance, are completely different.”
Carlsen, the 33-year-old Norwegian chess grandmaster who is a five-time World Chess Champion, said: “Chess has already developed a lot in becoming more digital and has many of the elements of esports. I think chess in an esports arena is an exciting prospect. You play chess online, so there is already that component to it – but what we need is a different setting with a louder audience and better presentation. All the top players agree that faster chess is more interesting, that it’s more fun.”
In addition to that discussion, NGSC day two sessions included panels on ‘Traditional Sports in the Esports Era: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Sports & Esports Audiences’; ‘Creating Fan Favorite Games: Exploring Key Factors for Video Game Longevity in Development & Publishing’; and ‘Rebooting Success: Lessons from Serial Entrepreneurs in Esports and Games’.
Hosted under the theme ‘The Future of Fandom’, the second edition of NGSC sparked meaningful dialogue, innovative ideas, and strategic collaborations. Last year’s inaugural edition saw the unveiling of the Esports World Cup and Esports World Cup Foundation.
