RIYADH: The triumphant trio of Arslan Ash, Khan and Atif have expressed their delight at winning the Tekken 7 Nations Cup at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, after they led Pakistan to a 3-2 victory over South Korea in Sunday’s final.
Pakistan claimed the trophy and top prize of $500,000 from the $1 million prize pool after their exploits in the four-day, 3v3 tournament between 16 nations, which helped kickstart eight weeks of elite gaming action at Boulevard Riyadh City.
The victorious Ash revealed how proud he was of his teammates.
“When the three of us were kids, we used to play Tekken and we never thought we would win such a big tournament — or even travel to such places as this,” he said. “This is huge and I am thankful to Gamers8 for inviting us — this is life changing for us. It’s literally changed our lives because the money and the reputation we have earned is so big. Pakistan has become the best country in the Tekken 7 Nations Cup, and we are so proud. Thank you to Gamers8 for organizing such a wonderful tournament.”
Khan said: “It’s a dream come true. We want more tournaments like Gamers8. It’s wonderful here and the Saudi Arabian people are so amazing. It’s a huge platform for esports and I think the start of a new era. All of us are so happy. Gamers8 was a 10 out of 10 tournament — it’s the biggest stage in the world.”
Meanwhile, Atif said: “I agree that it’s a dream come true, and I am so happy. My family and friends are so proud of us because it’s the biggest tournament and it’s a lot of money to win. I am very thankful for everything. This is the first invitational tournament I have been at and the way we have been welcomed and treated in Saudi Arabia has been an amazing experience.”
Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, Gamers8: The Land of Heroes is hosting 15 elite tournaments from 12 top titles in Riyadh this summer.
The festival concludes with the Next World Forum, a gaming and esports event at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh in Kingdom Center on Aug. 30 and 31, that brings together sector leaders and experts from around the world.
