The Saudi Esports Federation (SEF) announced on Tuesday that gaming peripherals maker Razer and U.S-based soft drink company PepsiCo have returned as partners of Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for eight weeks starting July 6.
Financial terms of both deals were not disclosed.
Under the terms of the deal, Razer will provide hardware and peripherals for “VIPs and influencers” during the event, and will have its products showcased during esports competitions. In addition, a “Gamers8 x Razer” collection will be sold on-site during the festival. The SEF and Razer will also organize raffles for attendees and fans on social media to win exclusive gaming gear.
PepsiCo also returns—this year as a presenting partner—providing beverages and snacks during the eight-week event, in addition to providing free Aquafina bottled water to attendees. Specifically, the company’s top brands including Rockstar Energy, Aquafina, Doritos, and Pepsi Zero Sugar will be available for purchase during the event. PepsiCo is an U.S. company that owns multiple snack and beverage brands including Frito Lays, Gatorade, 7UP, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, Tropicana, and many other brands.
Gamers8: The Land of Heroes features a total prize pool of $45M USD—a $15M increase from the amount announced on Jan. 26—and also represents three times the $15M offered to competitors last year. This money will be spread across multiple esports events for Fortnite ($2M), TEKKEN 7 ($1M), PUBG Mobile World Invitational ($3M), Rainbow Six Siege ($2M), Dota 2 Riyadh Masters ($15M), PUBG Mobile Regional Clash (MEA – EU, $100K), REN Sport/ESL Sim Racing ($100K), StarCraft II ($500K), Street Fighter 6 ($1M), PGS2 – PUBG ($2M), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive ($1M), and Rocket League ($1M).
As noted earlier, Gamers8 is organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, which is backed by the Saudi government’s Public Investment Fund.
