The Esports World Cup Foundation, the non-profit organisation behind the Saudi Government-backed Esports World Cup, has partnered with Tencent-owned game publisher Level Infinite.
Alongside PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings tournaments being included in the Esports World Cup, a series of other events and collaborations will occur over the next three years.
The new partnership is not strictly aimed at the Esports World Cup event but is rather a multi-year effort to “drive the PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings ecosystems forward”, according to the Foundation and Level Infinite. It still does mean, however, that large-scale tournaments for both games will be present at the Esports World Cup.
The partnership builds on the previous announcements of large-scale $3m tournaments for both PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings which will take place during the Esports World Cup. The events will both serve as mid-season competitions, gathering together the best teams in both games in Riyadh during the summer.
In addition to the two events being added to the Esports World Cup, the two parties announced that “more than 1,000 events will be hosted globally for PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings.” The two parties noted that this will allow players of all skill levels to compete and get their chance to participate in esports events.
Vincent Wang, General Manager of Global Publishing and Global Esports, Tencent Games, representing Level Infinite, stated: “The global esports sector is experiencing exponential growth. As a brand, we are committed to facilitating game development and nurturing the next generation of game titles and esports athletes, fostering a community centered around inclusivity, connectivity, and accessibility.”
The news comes on the same day as a major three-year partnership between the Esports World Cup and Qiddiya was announced. The architectural mega project will host the World Cup once completed and will be the presenting partner for the Esports World Cup (EWC)’s Elite Player Lounge and Qiddiya Esports Arena.
The Esports World Cup is set to be the largest-ever esports tournament in the world, including the likes of Riyadh Masters in Dota 2, the Mobile Legends Mid Season Cup, StarCraft II, Counter-Strike 2, and FreeFire events, and some of the highest prize pools to date. However, the Saudi Arabian government’s continued investment into esports, which includes the launch of Esports World Cup, has sparked criticisms of ‘esportswashing‘ by sections of the esports community.
