After months of building anticipation, Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, the biggest gaming and esports festival worldwide and an action-packed summer schedule of live music, activities, attractions, and elite gaming and esports competitions begins… now! Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, the world’s biggest esports and gaming festival is returning for its second edition – with eight weeks of thrilling drama and unforgettable entertainment about to unfold.
Like with any spectacular festival, the opening weekend of Gamers8: The Land of Heroes is not to be missed. Beginning Thursday July 6, people of all ages will flock to Boulevard Riyadh City for all that’s on offer. But how to make the most of the opening weekend? Here’s eight things everyone should check out:
FIFAe Club World Cup™
Gamers8: The Land of Heroes kicks off the pinnacle event for competitive FIFA esports clubs in Riyadh – with the burning question being who will be crowned the FIFAe Club World Cup™ champions? After an intense qualification period, 24 top teams battle it out at the esports arena at Boulevard Riyadh City this weekend. Split into four groups of six clubs in a double round robin, the group stage takes place on Thursday and Friday. The top four clubs from each group advance to the knockout stage, with the top two going head-to-head in Sunday’s final. As well as global glory, the FIFAe Club World Cup™ champions earn the main award of $300,000 from the $1 million prize pool. Let the beautiful games begin.
Fortnite
Gamers8 ushers in its incredible eight-week summer series by welcoming the world’s best Fortnite teams and players to the gaming arena at Boulevard Riyadh City. The eagerly anticipated four-day Fortnite tournament begins on Thursday and runs until Sunday night when the final will be held. Fortnite features 44 teams competing for glory and is a tournament worthy of gracing the opening weekend. After all, Fortnite, with a prize pool at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes of $2 million, is a true gaming phenomenon and one of the most popular and engaging games in the world.
Tekken 7 Nations Cup
Stunning story-driven cinematic battles and intense edge-of-your-seat duels await as 16 of the world’s best teams from 16 different countries battle it out in the Tekken 7 Nations Cup, which opens Gamers8 alongside Fortnite. Running for four days from Thursday July 6 (with the final on Sunday), the Tekken 7 Nations Cup marks the franchise’s debut at Gamers8. Each team will choose a roster of over 40 characters as they fight to progress through the competition and claim glory, bragging rights, and their share of the $1 million prize pool. Let battle commence!
Week 1 Concerts – Rabeh Saqer, Alan Walker, Vinyl Mode, and Tiwa Savage
Saudi Arabian superstar singer Rabeh Saqer takes to the stage on Friday July 7 to begin eight weeks of sensational summer concerts and deliver an unforgettable musical experience that will ignite your senses and leave you wanting more. And that’s exactly what you’ll get. Alan Walker, whose 2015 track Faded was certified platinum in 14 countries, will also be joined by Vinyl Mode and Tiwa Savage on the incredible Friday night lineup. The concert series gets underway from 6pm and tickets are available from SAR299.
Gamers8: The Land of Heroes Opening Ceremony
Set an alarm to gather at Square 1 at Boulevard Riyadh City at precisely 8.45pm on Friday July 7 for the incredible Gamers8: The Land of Heroes Opening Ceremony. Featuring the most beautiful of fireworks displays and most stunning of drone shows, the opening ceremony will be the perfect introduction to the eight-week entertainment extravaganza.
POWR Villa
POWR Villa, one of the main attractions appearing at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, is offering gamers the ultimate gaming experience this summer.
Supported by Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), a strategic partner of Gamers8 organizers the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF) this year, POWR Villa is offering gamers the opportunity to meet and play with their favorite POWR team influencers – such as SHoNgxBoNg.
Located at Boulevard Riyadh City, POWR Villa will give gamers the opportunity to level up with some incredible gaming tips, engagements and much more. POWR Villa will also be hosting the most exclusive games from a wide variety of globally renowned gaming titles.
GameDevZone
Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, the biggest gaming and esports festival worldwide, is proud to feature GameDevZone, an educational platform that offers world-class opportunities to enhance and expand Saudi Arabia’s gaming and esports sector.
More than 20 programs will be on offer at GameDevZone during Gamers8: The Land of Heroes. These include: Masterclasses; Java Programing With Minecraft; Game Design and Mechanics with Fortnite Creative & Unreal Engine; Metaverse; and Esports World Workshops. In addition to Nine66 being a presenting partner, there are 10 providers offering their expertise at GameDevZone: DigiPen Institute of Technology; Unity; Gen.G; Digital Media Academy Silicon Valley; Robothink; MISK; Google; Veryality; and Gosu Academy.
Kids Dome
Gamers8: The Land of Heroes truly has something to offer all ages. Kids Dome, a dedicated game-themed area for young children, which is being supported by the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group as a presenting partner, is the perfect spot for the younger members of the family. Featuring well-known international kids’ IPs, games, interactive experiences, workshops, live shows, and performances tailored for children and families, lots of laughs and smiles are guaranteed as well as superb educational opportunities.
Running for the full eight weeks of Gamers8: The Land of Heroes from the opening date of July 6, Kids Dome will be open each day at Boulevard Riyadh City at the following times: 5-6.30pm and 7pm-11.30pm.
For further Gamers8 details, including ticket sales, please see all the information available on the event website.
