Riot Games will host the League of Legends themed “Nexus” festival in Riyadh.
The Nexus festival, taking place from Dec. 5 to 7, is part of Riyadh Season, an initiative by the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA) to transform Saudi Arabia into a global tourist and entertainment destination.
Since launching in 2006, Riot Games has a global presence of more than 20 offices around the world including Tokyo, London, Turkey and Shanghai.
Onur Tamer, METAI general manager at Riot Games said: “Our entry to the region couldn’t have come at a better time. In the same year of opening our office in Dubai, the region’s first dedicated e-sports stadium Dubai X-Stadium was announced while Tunisia revealed plans to open the Arab world’s first college dedicated to gaming.
“By establishing our presence in the region, we have been able to not just promote our brand but also get closer to our fans and provide them with improved gaming experiences.”
During the Nexus festival, participants will battle for a share of the $2 million prize money across six competitions.
The festival also includes a theme park, experiential zones, tournaments and concerts and is expected to attract a total audience of 30,000.
Hosting the inaugural Nexus event forms a key part of Riot Games’ strategy to boost participation and attract new audiences in the region. The qualifying stages have been held in 13 countries across the region with all the action broadcasted live and streamed online on League of Legends Arabia Twitch channel.