A gaming and Esports summit is being put on by the Saudi Esports Federation. It will start on July 14 and last for eight weeks, with a large total prize fund of $15 million split across several different video games.
The Savvy Gaming Group, a division of the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund, as well as other Saudi Esports Federation partners are responsible for organizing the entire tournament, which goes by the name Gamers8.
In a tweet by Gamers8 Esports:
Gamers8 Esports
@Gamers8GG
“☀️ Riyadh is the place that every esports fan wants to visit this summer!
Six tournaments. $15 million prize money. Be with us ✅”
One of the games that will be played at Gamers8 is Dota 2, and the tournament for it has a $4,000,000 prize pool. The competition is slated to take place on the “Esports & Elite Zone Boulevard” in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital, from July 20 to 24.
This Dota 2 event, which starts next week, will have the second-largest prize pool in the professional circuit. However, the event’s organizers don’t appear to be in a hurry to publicize it or even to provide basic information.
Riyadh Masters 2022 – The vast unknow
In a tweet by Gamers8 Esports:
Gamers8 Esports
@Gamers8GG
“The time has come! Join us for the Riyadh Masters.
🗓 20-24 July
✅ 10 of the world’s best @Dota2 teams
💰 US$4M Prize Pool”
Participating teams
Everything else about this event is essentially impossible to find via official means, with the exception of a series of tweets published this past Tuesday, July 12, regarding a few of the invited teams.
There will allegedly be 10 teams competing, but only four have been revealed thus far via Twitter, and they just so happen to be the top three teams at TI10 (Team Spirit, PSG.LGD, and Team Secret), as well as the new OG roster, the recent ESL One Stockholm Major champions.
The champion of each GWB regional is allegedly anticipated to compete immediately for a portion of the $4 million tournament after qualifying for the Riyadh Masters 2022 through the online charity event Gamers Without Borders, which was organized by the same Gamers8 in May of this year.
The EU and CIS regional was won by Team Liquid back in May, the Chinese region was won by Royal Never Give Up, and the Saudi Arabian area of Gamers Without Borders 2022 was won by Deboosters. Only Deboosters have been officially confirmed by Gamers8 to compete in the Riyadh Masters 2022 out of these three teams.
Martin “Saksa” Sazdov, a support player for Tundra Esports, also revealed during a winner’s interview for the Dota Pro Circuit Tour 3 that his team will be traveling to Saudi Arabia the following week for an event.
Tournament structure and prize money distribution
The format of the competition and the distribution of the 4 million dollars among the teams are both unknowns. According to rumors, the 10 participating teams will be split into two groups of five, and some of them will progress to the postseason. The group stage structure and the number of games played in each series are mysteries, as well as the precise number of players that will be eliminated. The playoffs are the same way. It’s also unclear whether only the finals, the playoffs, or the entire tournament will be shown live.
There is a ticket sale on the Gamers8 official website, but it is only for the festival’s 8-week opening ceremony. However, the event’s organizers guarantee the spectators that “each tournament promises to be an amazing experience for the entire Esports community” and inform us that “additional details are coming shortly.”
We’ll hopefully learn more about the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2022 in the week before it starts, as it’s expected to be the second-largest event of the year in terms of prize money, behind The International.
