Saudi Arabia's NEOM city won't just be an offline global sports powerhouse but aims to become a prominent international e-gaming hub.
Saudi officials have big plans for the futuristic city - which is situated in the extreme northwest of Saudi Arabia - and they haven't been hiding them.
One such plan materialized last week after NEOM managers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Arabian Federation of Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS). The agreement is set to pave the way for "initiatives aimed at making Neom one of the world's most prominent e-gaming hubs."
It was signed in Riyadh during the ceremony that saw the launching of the country's new tourist e-visa.
The recently signed MoU comes as NEOM officials are planning to host the first-ever electronic sports event in the city. As a major player in the agreement, SAFEIS' long term goal is to grant the Saudi gaming community access to global platforms.
This is a much-needed move in a country where 21 percent of youth participate in online sports gaming every week. According to local officials, this form of online gaming is rising in popularity among Saudi Arabia's tech-savvy population. Read full article..