Saudi Arabia Courts Global Gaming Giants at Riyadh Conference

When the New Global Sport Conference opens its doors at a luxury hotel here on Friday, the guest list will read like a who's who of the gaming and entertainment industries: the chief executives of Ubisoft and Twitch, the creator of Metal Gear Solid and hundreds of other power players who rarely gather in one place.

The two-day conference, organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, represents Saudi Arabia's latest and most ambitious effort to establish itself as a central player in the global gaming industry. More than 1,000 delegates are expected to attend, including over 500 chief executives and leaders from 25 major game publishers and 50 top esports organizations.

The gathering underscores the kingdom's broader strategy under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to transform Saudi Arabia's economy through its Vision 2030 initiative, moving away from dependence on oil revenues toward sectors like entertainment, gaming and tourism.

"The Kingdom's Next Era of Play," the conference's official theme, signals Saudi Arabia's intent to leverage its vast financial resources to become a dominant force in an industry that generated more than $180 billion in revenue globally last year.

The conference agenda reflects the kingdom's efforts to court industry heavyweights. Yves Guillemot, the chief executive of Ubisoft, will discuss the legacy of blockbuster franchises like Assassin's Creed. Hideo Kojima, the renowned game designer, will appear alongside filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn to explore the intersection of cinema and interactive entertainment.

Dan Clancy, the head of the streaming platform Twitch, and Shuji Utsumi, the chief operating officer of Sega, will examine how companies develop and protect their intellectual property in an increasingly competitive market.

The conference will also feature sessions bridging traditional and digital sports, including appearances by Casey Wasserman, chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and Alex Morgan, the two-time Women's World Cup champion.

A Strategic Economic Pivot

Saudi officials, including members of the royal family, plan to use the gathering to articulate their vision for the country's role in gaming and esports. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud is among the senior officials scheduled to speak about how the industries fit into the kingdom's economic transformation.

The conference represents the latest in a series of major investments Saudi Arabia has made in gaming and entertainment. The kingdom's Public Investment Fund has poured billions of dollars into the sector, including stakes in major gaming companies and the development of entertainment complexes.

Industry executives attending the conference said they view Saudi Arabia's investments as both an opportunity and a necessity in a rapidly evolving global market.

The gaming industry has undergone dramatic changes in recent years, with the rise of mobile gaming, the growth of esports and the increasing convergence of gaming with other forms of entertainment. Companies are looking for new markets and sources of investment capital to fund ambitious projects.

For Saudi Arabia, the conference represents a chance to demonstrate that it can be more than just a source of funding, that it can serve as a hub where the industry's biggest decisions are made.