International esports organization Gen.G Esports announced that it will launch the Gen.G Collegiate Cup in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, as part of its Gen.G Global Academy program. The competition aimed at college students in both regions will feature PUBG Mobile, Honor of Kings, and Valorant. Gen.G said in its announcement that a total of 300 students from 15 universities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have signed up to compete, vying for a chunk of an $11,000 total prize pool.
Mobile competitions will be played on the HONOR Magic7 Pro, thanks to its partnership with mobile phone maker HONOR.
In addition to having support from HONOR, Tencent Games MENA is also providing some form of support, as evidenced by this quote from the announcement:
“As we continue to nurture the next generation of esports talent in the region, this initiative stands as a powerful platform for discovery and growth,” said Tencent Games MENA Publishing Lead Joe Zoghbi. “Reaching thousands of students and activating tournaments across 15 universities, we’re not only spotlighting emerging talent, but also giving them the tools, coaching, and competitive stages they need to level up. It’s inspiring to see how these students are seizing the moment, and we’re proud to play a part in shaping their journey.”
The Gen.G Collegiate Cup is part of the company’s broader initiative, “The Road to Gen.G Collegiate Cup,” a program that “provides students with opportunities to deepen their understanding of professional esports and the gaming industry.” The program offers training sessions with esports professionals, seminars, and conferences focused on key topics in the esports ecosystem for students.
The company said in its announcement that the tournament is part of its alignment with the Saudi Arabian government’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy (NGES).
Gen.G Esports is part of the Saudi Arabian-funded Esports World Cup Club Program (which rewards teams with funding and additional bonuses for promoting the annual Esports World Cup competition in Riyadh), as well that the Qiddiya City Club Program, which encourages companies to set up shop in the country to do business.
Gen.G Esports was one of the first esports companies in the world to take advantage of the Qiddiya City Club Program, an incentive program that financially incentivizes game companies and esports organizations to set up shop in the Saudi Arabian government-backed city project (stage one of this program has companies set up offices in Riyadh, as Qiddiya City is still under construction).
Qiddiya City, the Esports World Cup, and the mega-city project NEOM are all backed by the Saudi Arabian government as part of its plan to transform the company’s economy and slowly move away from generating revenue from just fossil fuels. Supporting its gaming and entertainment projects is the government-owned Savvy Games Group and its subsidiary ESL FACEIT Group, which owns and operates Esports Engine, ESL, FACEIT, and DreamHack.
The Saudi Arabian government has been under fire for what critics call “sports washing,” using sports and other forms of entertainment as a cover for its record on human rights, women’s rights, and military actions in Yemen, among other things, highlighted by international watchdog groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.