Gamers8 festival in Riyadh sets new esports records with massive prize pools and diverse tournaments, making it a global gaming spectacle.
The roar of the crowd is still ringing in my ears, and the dazzling fireworks are etched into my memory. It’s mid‑2026, and I’ve just come back from another incredible Gamers8 festival in Riyadh. I’ve been attending since the 2023 edition, and every year I tell myself it can’t possibly get bigger—yet somehow it always does. If you’ve only heard about Gamers8 through headlines now is the perfect time to dive into what makes this event the most talked‑about spectacle in esports.
When Gamers8 first burst onto the scene in 2022, it was already ambitious. Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, the festival was housed in the purpose‑built NXT LVL Arena at Riyadh Boulevard City—a venue that feels more like a futuristic gaming palace than a tournament hall. Back in 2023 the event billed itself as “The Land of Heroes” and promised to be “bigger in every way.” They weren’t kidding. That year alone the prize pool swelled to a staggering $45 million—the largest in esports history at the time—and the festival ran for eight epic weeks.
Fast forward to 2026, and the numbers have become almost unbelievable. This summer the overall prize pool unofficially surpassed $70 million across all competitions. The Gamers8 Club Awards, which reward the best‑performing esports organizations, now distribute $10 million among the top ten clubs. Just to give you perspective: in 2023, eight clubs split $5 million, with $1.5 million going to first place. Now, the winning org walks away with $3 million. I still remember Faith_bian’s $100,000 MVP award in Dota 2 back then; today an MVP bonus can hit half a million. It’s crazy to see how much the stakes have risen.
As a regular gamer, I go for the tournaments, and the lineup has exploded. In 2023, Gamers8 featured 12 titles: Dota 2, Fortnite, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege, PUBG Mobile, CS:GO, StarCraft: Remastered, StarCraft II, Tekken 7, Street Fighter 6, PUBG, and FIFA 23 (which hosted the FIFAe Finals). That was already a feast for any esports fan. This year, the festival had over 20 titles. They added games like Valorant, League of Legends, Apex Legends, and even a retro Super Smash Bros. Melee invitational. The variety is mind‑boggling.
Here’s a snapshot of how the 2026 tournament schedule looked, based on what I witnessed on site:
| Dates (2026) | Games | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|
| July 5–8 | Fortnite | $3 million |
| July 5–8 | Tekken 8 | $1.5 million |
| July 5–20 | EA Sports FC 26 (FIFA successor) | $4 million |
| July 12–24 | PUBG Mobile | $5 million |
| July 15–18 | Rainbow Six Siege | $3 million |
| July 19–Aug 1 | Dota 2 | $20 million |
| July 28–31 | ESL R1 | $2 million |
| Aug 4–7 | StarCraft: Remastered & StarCraft II | $1 million combined |
| Aug 8–11 | Street Fighter 6 | $2 million |
| Aug 12–22 | PUBG: Battlegrounds | $4 million |
| Aug 15–19 | Counter‑Strike 2 | $3 million |
| Aug 20–27 | Rocket League | $4 million |
| Aug 28–31 | Valorant | $5 million |
One thing I love is that each tournament feels like its own mini‑festival. The crowd energy shifts completely depending on the game: the tense silence of a StarCraft II macro duel, the explosive cheers when a player nails an ace in Valorant, the sing‑alongs during the Rocket League grand finals. And it’s not just about the pros—the venue is packed with fan zones, meet‑and‑greets, and even open qualifiers where someone like you or I can try to make a miracle run. Last week I queued up for an amateur PUBG Mobile free‑for‑all and got absolutely stomped. No regrets!
Of course, you can’t talk about Gamers8 without addressing the elephant in the room. The festival has always drawn sharp criticism because it’s bankrolled by the Saudi government—more specifically, the Savvy Games Group, which is fully owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund. Back in 2022, that led to some high‑profile boycotts. I vividly remember Moist Esports refusing an invite to the Rocket League tournament because, as their manager Noah Hinder put it, “I will not be associating with a country that does not recognize LGBTQ+ people as human beings. I think it’s important to put my morals and beliefs over money.”
In the years since, the esports community has remained divided. The phrase “sportswashing” gets thrown around a lot, and honestly, I still wrestle with it as a fan. When I’m sitting in the stands, cheering for my favorite Dota 2 squad, it’s easy to forget the bigger picture. The Savvy Games Group has been on a spending spree—acquiring ESL and FACEIT in a $1.5 billion deal way back in 2023, and in 2025 they even partnered with some major global publishers. That money has certainly professionalized the scene, but many wonder at what cost. I’ve lost count of the heated Reddit threads I’ve lurked in about whether attending Gamers8 makes you complicit.
Still, from a pure spectator perspective, nothing else comes close. The esports clubs competition adds another layer of drama. Since 2023, Gamers8 has ranked organizations based on their cumulative performance across all tournaments. The top team wins the Gamers8 Club Award and a massive cheque. This year, the standings shifted daily on a giant LED board outside the arena. I watched Team Falcons (a home‑grown Saudi org) battle it out with European powerhouses for the #1 spot. By the final day, the tension was palpable.
Looking back at where Gamers8 started—just a few tournaments and a modest (by today’s standards) prize pool—it’s astonishing how it has reshaped the esports calendar. In 2023, the FIFAe Finals moved here; now major league seasons structure their schedules around the Gamers8 window. The Next World Forum, a conference that runs parallel to the gaming, has become a must‑attend for industry leaders. I popped into a panel this year on “Sustainable Esports Ecosystems” and was surprised to hear candid discussions about the very criticisms the event faces. Maybe that’s progress.
If you’re thinking about attending next year, my advice is simple: just go. Book your tickets early, pack the lightest clothes you own (Riyadh in summer is no joke), and prepare to be overwhelmed. The NXT LVL Arena is a sensory overload in the best possible way—laser shows, pyrotechnics, and giant screens that make every headshot feel cinematic. Whether you’re a MOBA die‑hard, an FPS fanatic, or a fighting game purist, there’s something playing 24/7. And the food? Arabic coffee and shawarma stations between matches are my secret to surviving double‑headers.
As I write this, the 2026 festival is winding down. The Gamers8 Club Awards have just been handed out, the confetti has settled, and the final firework burst over the Riyadh skyline. I’m already counting down the days until 2027. Sure, the event will always be a lightning rod for debate—no amount of prize money can change that—but as a gamer who grew up dreaming of stages this grand, I can’t help but marvel at the sheer scale of it all. Gamers8 isn’t just a festival; it’s a statement about where our hobby is headed, for better or worse.
My only hope is that the competition stays fierce, the players keep getting their well‑deserved paydays, and the conversations about ethics don’t fade into the background. Because at the end of the day, esports is nothing without its community—and that community deserves a voice, whether it’s cheering in Riyadh or watching from a bedroom on the other side of the world.
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