Friday, May 23, 2025
THE ESPORTS ADVOCATE
No Result
View All Result
  • Money
  • People
  • Brands
  • Events & Tournaments
  • Entertainment
THE ESPORTS ADVOCATE

11 Questions for HRH Crown Prince MBS and HRH Prince Faisal About Esports and Gaming

If TEA had an opportunity to ask any questions of two of the most prominent members of the ruling royal family in Saudi Arabia about esports and gaming, here is what we would put forward.

James FudgebyJames Fudge
October 12, 2023
in Money, People, Politics
Reading Time: 5 mins read
11 questions for HRH Crown Prince MBS and HRH Prince Faisal on esports and gaming

Pictured: HRH Crown Prince MBS (left), HRH Prince Faisal (right). Credit: Saudi Government

If The Esports Advocate was given unfettered access to Savvy Games Group Chairman and HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and IESF President and Saudi Esports Federation Founder HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, I would ask them a number of questions about their plans to grow esports and gaming in Saudi Arabia, their investments in the space, and reconciling controversial government policies and actions with serving as a host and a hub for international esports, gaming, and sporting competitions and festivals.

Sadly, we will never be able to have these frank one-on-one conversations, and if an interview with either of these gentlemen did ever occur, questions would have to be submitted and vetted prior to any actual conversations.

So instead, we publicly pose the following 11 important questions that we think the international esports community would like answers to.  Here they are:


#1

Why won’t the International Esports Federation, Saudi Esports Federation, ESL FACEIT Group, or the ruling family of Saudi Arabia make a public pledge and/or promise of safety to people attending events in the country regardless of race, creed, color, gender, or sexual classification? Example of what that statement would be like: “Attendees of our events will be safe in our country, no matter what.”

#2

Did anyone from the Saudi Esports Federation—an organization founded and led by HRH Prince Faisal—or any other entity tied to the Saudi government or its public investment fund compensate the former IESF President Vlad Marinescu to step down so that HRH Prince Faisal could step in as acting president? And if not a direct payment, did any of the aforementioned entities invest in any company or project owned, operated, or led by him?

#3

Is the Saudi Esports Federation (or the Saudi government through its owned esports operations or the public investment fund) quietly funding/plan to fund in the future the European Esports Federation? If yes, why hasn’t either organization disclosed this to the public?

#4

Given that HRH Prince Faisal is a VP at Global Esports Federation and the acting president of the IESF, are there plans to merge the two organizations in the not-too-distant future? Further, would this merged entity move its headquarters to Riyadh?

#5

Now that HRH Prince Faisal has a leadership role in IESF, GEF, and the SEF, and members of the royal family control Savvy Games Group, ESL FACEIT Group, Vindex and Esports Engine, does the Saudi government plan to run more Majors- and and Masters-level events that are tied to the international esports calendars of some of the biggest esports titles?   

#6

With the Saudi government having a controlling financial interest in esports companies and leadership roles at several global esports federations, will companies like ESL FACEIT Group be forced to work with these federations? Does HRH Prince Faisal’s connection legitimize these international federations? Is there an internal mandate of cooperation?  

#7

Is it fair, in your view, that the policies and actions of the Saudi government should be laid at the feet of companies owned by the government and the ruling family as the goals of these companies are to generate wealth to be used by the government to enforce its policies and  principles domestically and internationally?  

#8

Because the Saudi government has direct access (if it so chooses) to private data through ESL FACEIT Group operations and tournament platforms such as FACEIT and VSPO (in China) as well as data collected through anti-cheat software (root/kernel level access to a user’s entire system in the case of FACEIT from what we understand), what assurance are being given that the government is not allowed to have access to collected personal data? 

#9

Now being the president at IESF, what steps will be taken to address the concerns about unsportman-like behavior at international events such as representatives of one country not being respectful of other countries? As an example, a formal complaint was filed by the Israel Association for Competitive Gaming to the IESF about unsportsmanlike behavior towards Israeli players by Jordanian and United Arab Emirates players during the IESF World Championship in Romania earlier this year. See this statement: https://iesa.org.il/news/3166.

#10

Recently IESF members voted to reinstate Russia for 2024 at its general meeting held in Romania. Many international federation members condemned this move given Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. As the leader of the Saudi Esports Federation,  how did the organization vote? Further, to your knowledge, was an IESF board member (Constantine Surkont) from Russia convinced to step down in exchange for a positive overall vote reinstating Russia for IESF competitions in 2024?

#11

As detailed in a Fox News interview (highlighted in this Reddit thread) and elsewhere, Savvy Games Group recorded $350M USD in revenue, and a $600M USD loss in 2023. What is your plan for profitability for the esports/gaming operations you have acquired? How many years will it take for the Saudi government to recoup its investment dollars and turn these operations profitable? Further, was Gamers8 a profitable event or did the costs of operations of the multi-day gaming festival cannibalize profits? 

Tags: ESL FACEIT GroupEsports EngineEuropean Esports FederationGamers8Global Esports FederationGreatest Hits 2023HRH Crown Prince MBSHRH Prince FaisalInternational Esports FederationRussiaSaudi ArabiaSaudi Esports FederationSavvy Games GroupVindexVSPO
TweetShareShareShareShareShareSend
Previous Post

NRG Esports Rides With KIA America into Worlds 2023

Next Post

Microsoft Completes $68.7B Acquisition of Call of Duty Maker Activision Blizzard

James Fudge

James Fudge

With a career spanning over two decades in the esports and gaming journalism landscape, James Fudge stands as a seasoned veteran and a pivotal figure in the evolution of esports media. His journey began in 1997 at Game-Wire / Avault, where he curated gaming and community news, laying the groundwork for his expertise in the field. In his more recent roles, James cemented his status as an authority in the esports business sphere as Senior Editor Esports at Sports Business Journal and The Esports Observer between 2018 and 2021.

The Esports Advocate

The Esports Advocate, your premier destination for in-depth and authoritative coverage of the esports business and finance landscape created to empower esports stakeholders with the knowledge and information needed to do business in the world of esports successfully.

Follow Us

  • About TEA
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Statement
  • Subscribe to our Newsletter
  • Our Mission Statement
  • Contact Us

© 2023 - 2024 The Esports Advocate. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Money
  • People
  • Brands
  • Entertainment
  • About TEA

© 2023 - 2024 The Esports Advocate. All rights reserved.