Latest news with #EWC
Makkah Newspaper
43 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Makkah Newspaper
For the Second Year Running, Bigo Live Named Official Streaming Partner of the Esports World Cup 2025
Bigo Live, the global livestreaming platform, is proud to return as the official streaming partner of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, reaffirming its commitment to the MENA region's vibrant esports scene. For the first time, Bigo Live will also extend its reach to Uzbekistan, marking a key step in broadening its regional footprint. This milestone comes at a pivotal moment for the region, as Saudi Arabia ramps up investment in gaming and esports under its Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to generate over USD 13 billion in economic value and position the Kingdom as a global epicentre for interactive entertainment. Across MENA, the esports market is witnessing unprecedented growth, driven by a youthful population and rising smartphone penetration. Hosted in Riyadh from July 8 to August 24, the Esports World Cup features over 20 of the most popular competitive gaming titles worldwide. As the official streaming partner, Bigo Live is authorized to broadcast seven marquee titles, including Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Free Fire, EA Sports FC 25, and PUBG Mobile. The event kicked off last Thursday with a star-studded opening ceremony, featuring performances by global artists and a highly anticipated guest appearance by Post Malone during the invitational segment. Last year's tournament attracted more than 6.9 million peak viewers globally, with even larger audiences expected in 2025. With over 500 million users across the world, Bigo Live has emerged as a leading platform for interactive content and gaming communities. During past esports tournaments, the platform achieved a total of 260 million impressions across both in-app and external channels, underscoring its growing role in delivering large-scale live events to diverse audiences. Bigo Live has been a launchpad for countless creators, and Restart from Egypt is a shining example. His commentary during the EWC 2024 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang women's tournament watch party on Bigo Live not only energized the community but also drew over 1,000 hours of total viewer watch time in one session. What began as a passion for gaming has grown into a career, with Bigo Live playing a key role in that journey. Now the manager of Team Ultra Legends, Restart reflects: 'Over five years on Bigo Live, I've grown tremendously—both as a gamer and a commentator. The platform gave me the space to evolve, compete, and eventually lead a professional team at EWC.' This year, Bigo Live is rolling out a dedicated two-month in-app campaign, offering fans across MENA a central hub for livestream schedules, tournament highlights, and curated content. The platform's localized coverage delivered through livestream rooms like MENA Gaming Community, MENA Gaming Esport, and MLBBMENA Esports will bring the action closer to home for regional audiences. 'We're proud to continue our partnership with the Esports World Cup, a collaboration that goes beyond streaming and reflects our shared commitment to shaping the future of esports and interactive entertainment,' said Ian Goh, Director for the MENA Region at BIGO Technology. 'As gaming and livestreaming converge, we see enormous potential to empower creators, connect global audiences, and contribute to the region's emergence as a world-class hub for digital innovation. The momentum building in MENA and Central Asia is inspiring, and we're excited for Bigo Live to play a meaningful role in this transformation.' To further engage audiences, Bigo Live will launch EWC-themed giveaways, including custom avatar frames, online gifts, and entrance effects. A hand-picked lineup of top creators from across MENA will also bring the tournament to life through live content, showcasing the creativity and passion of regional gaming communities. With global esports viewership projected to surpass 700 million viewers by 2026, this collaboration underscores a shared belief in the transformative potential of gaming and livestreaming as catalysts for digital innovation. As esports solidifies its position as one of the fastest-growing sectors in global entertainment, the partnership between Bigo Live and the Esports World Cup extends beyond streaming. Together, they are redefining how fans engage with global tournaments, empowering creators, and advancing the gaming and livestreaming landscape across MENA, Central Asia, and beyond.
Leaders
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leaders
Japan Park Attracts Anime Fans to BLVD City in Riyadh
Japan Park, one of Boulevard City's interactive spaces, has attracted large crowds of Esports World Cup (EWC) audiences, currently taking place in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The unique zone offers a comprehensive visual and sensory experience that takes visitors to the heart of the Japanese culture. It features diverse activities that combine entertainment and cultural experiences. The journey at Japan Park starts with visitors wearing the traditional Kimono to immerse them in an authentic Japanese experience. Visitors engage with their favorite anime and manga characters roaming the area. They also have an extraordinary opportunity to capture memorable photos with prominent interactive figures of iconic characters such as Gundam and Vegapunk. Furthermore, the Japan Park includes daily workshops for Japanese calligraphy, during which visitors learn traditional writing arts and how to write their names in Kanji. The area also involves specialized workshops for Origami and the craftsmanship of traditional Japanese fans (Uchiwa), featuring professional Japanese artisans. Meanwhile, the area includes traditional Japanese games, such as Kendama and Go, a series of educational and interactive games that attracts visitors of all ages and introduce them to the traditional Japanese entertainment. The Japan Park's mini-theater hosts daily performances presenting traditional Japanese dances, and live shows inspired by popular anime series, featuring performers dressed in the characters' costumes. The exceptional experience is complemented by restaurants serving mouthwatering Japanese dishes, such as Sushi and Ramen, as well as traditional desserts like Mochi. The Japan Park has become one of Riyadh Season's most attractive destinations for anime and manga fans, drawing a large number of local and international visitors in an experience that vividly demonstrates anime world and modern Japan in the heart of Riyadh. Short link :
Gulf Insider
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia Hosts Esports World Cup With $70m Prize Pool, Kingdom Targets $13.3bn GDP Boost And 39,000 Gaming Jobs
Saudi Arabia has officially launched the largest-ever edition of the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, reinforcing its position as a global powerhouse in gaming, esports, and entertainment. With a record-breaking prize pool of $70m, the 2025 tournament is not only the biggest in esports history but also a strategic milestone for the Kingdom's broader Vision 2030 ambitions. This year's event features more than 2,000 elite players, 200 teams from more than 100 countries and 25 tournaments across 24 game titles, including first-time global additions like chess, Valorant, and Fatal Fury. The seven-week festival—running from July 7 to August 24—is expected to eclipse the 2.6m visitors recorded in 2024. Ticket sales are already up 30 per cent, with the average order value soaring 600 per cent. International ticket sales have tripled, underscoring the EWC's global appeal. The Esports World Cup will be broadcast in more than 30 languages, reaching audiences in more than 100 countries through more than 80 media partners. New for 2025 is a major leap in content production, with more than 50hours of premium programming under the EWC Spotlight, in partnership with IMG, distribution across global television channels and explosive growth in digital engagement, with social reach up four times and interactions up fivefold on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The Esports World Cup Foundation also confirmed an expansion of its Club Support Program, growing from 30 to 40 clubs. New participants from China and India reflect the tournament's expanding footprint and rising prestige in the global esports ecosystem. The 2025 World Cup will see 2,000 athletes competing in 24 games across 25 tournaments, with more than $70 million in prize money. Image: Esports World Cup Hosting the EWC is a core pillar of Saudi Arabia's National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which aims to: Create 39,000 jobs in the Kingdom Contribute SR49.9bn ($13.3bn) to the national GDP by 2030 The global esports viewership reached over 574m in 2024 and is expected to exceed 640m by 2027. With esports viewership expected to exceed 640 million by 2027, and over 3.4 billion people globally engaged in gaming, the Riyadh-based EWC cements Saudi Arabia's role at the heart of one of the world's fastest-growing industries.
CNBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Coinbase, Levi Strauss, AMC and more
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell. Levi Strauss — The denim apparel stock rose 7% after second-quarter results topped expectations. Levi Strauss reported 22 cents in adjusted earnings per share on $1.45 billion of revenue. Analysts surveyed by LSEG were looking for 13 cents per share and $1.37 billion. The company also increased its dividend and raised full-year guidance on several key metrics. Coinbase , MicroStrategy — Shares of Coinbase and MicroStrategy added 1% and 3%, respectively, as bitcoin reached a fresh all-time high on Friday. The price of the flagship cryptocurrency flew above $118,000 after bitcoin ETFs saw their biggest day of inflows of the year. BP — The energy giant said that second-quarter results from its oil trading division should be strong and that the company expects higher upstream production buoyed by U.S. operations. BP warned, however, that lower oil and gas prices would affect its performance. The company expects that lower oil sales and lower gas sales could hurt earnings by as much as $800 million and up to $300 million, respectively, according to a Friday press release . Shares were flat in the premarket. AMC Entertainment — The movie theater chain popped 7% in premarket trading after Wedbush upgraded the stock to outperform from neutral. The Wall Street firm said AMC is poised to benefit from a more consistent release slate over the next several quarters. Wedbush also pointed out the company is completing what could be the last major share issuance for the foreseeable future, putting a significant headwind behind it. Canadian stocks — The iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC) fell 0.5% after President Donald Trump announced a 35% tariff on Canadian imports into the U.S. Canada-based uranium miner Cameco and TD Bank were also lower in the premarket. Performance Food Group — Shares rallied 8% after Bloomberg News reported , citing people familiar with the matter, that U.S. Foods is considering a takeover of the food distributor. AeroVironment , Kratos Defense & Security — Shares of AeroVironment and Kratos gained more than 4% each after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the Pentagon to fast track drone production. — CNBC's Fred Imbert, Jesse Pound and Yun Li contributed reporting.
TECHx
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- TECHx
Lenovo Legion Showcased at Esports World Cup 2025
Home » Emerging technologies » Gaming » Lenovo Legion Showcased at Esports World Cup 2025 Lenovo, the official PC and gaming hardware partner of the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC), has announced its latest Legion innovations for fans in Riyadh. The company revealed an immersive booth experience at the Content Creator Park, located next to the main stage of the tournament. The booth features Lenovo's newest Legion devices, including the powerful Legion 9i. Visitors can explore a full ecosystem of gaming products, such as notebooks, desktops, visuals, and accessories. These offerings highlight Lenovo's focus on performance, cooling, and design. Gamers at the booth can test the latest Legion hardware in live tournaments. Winners topping the leaderboards stand a chance to receive prizes. Lenovo's strong on-ground presence reflects its commitment to elite performance and inclusive gaming culture. The event aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which promotes economic diversification through digital entertainment. The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) aims to create over 39,000 gaming-related jobs and contribute more than US$13 billion to the Kingdom's GDP by 2030. Lenovo has also partnered with Alat, a PIF company, to establish a new manufacturing hub in the Kingdom. Announced in January 2025, the partnership will enable Lenovo to produce millions of 'Saudi Made' laptops, desktops, gaming devices, and servers annually. This move will accelerate the growth of Saudi Arabia's gaming and tech ecosystem by creating high-skilled jobs, supporting local esports talent, and driving digital transformation. • Lenovo's Legion booth includes fan experience zones • Visitors can participate in tournaments and win prizes Lenovo's booth also hosted the #HerLegion Clan: Inclusion Night. This event, held in collaboration with Valar Club, celebrated female gamers and aimed to foster a more inclusive gaming space. It is part of Lenovo's regional inclusivity campaign to empower women in gaming. Saudi Arabia is working to increase female participation in the gaming industry. Women now account for 48% of the Kingdom's gamers. National strategies support this growth with funding, training, and university programs focused on game development and esports management. Initiatives like #HerLegion Clan aim to offer safe and structured spaces for female gamers to compete and connect. Lenovo's efforts at the Esports World Cup 2025 reinforce its dedication to inclusive and high-performance gaming through the Lenovo Legion brand.
