The Riyadh 2023 Global Esports Games (#GEG23) began in scintillating fashion last night as non-stop action and thrilling competition unfolded in the Saudi capital.
Hosted by the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF) and presented by the Global Esports Federation (GEF), #GEG23 is the flagship multi-title competition running from 12-16 December at the SEF Arena in Riyadh. The event ranks among the most prestigious in the international esports calendar as every team and athlete represents their respective countries with glory and global supremacy at stake.
After weeks of building anticipation and excitement among the #worldconnected gaming community, day one of #GEG23 did not disappoint. Two tournaments ignited what promises to be a supercharged week of epic esports drama as various nations got their campaigns for “Best in the World” status underway.
“The Global Esports Games are all about bringing the biggest teams and greatest talents together for elite-level showdowns and that’s exactly what we saw here tonight – what an incredible way to launch this fantastic competition,” said Turki Al-Fawzan, CEO of the Saudi Esports Federation, in the immediate aftermath of day one. “Whatever the sport, there’s no bigger honor for athletes than flying the flag for country and winning on the grandest stages. This is one of the reasons these Games are so intriguing and tonight has set the scene for a brilliant second day. I speak for everyone here when I say that we can’t wait for more.”
Launching the proceedings last night was the Dota 2 Open. Dota 2 is the deepest multi-player action, real-time strategy (RTS) game ever created and one of the world’s biggest Esports titles. The objective for each team? Destroy the enemy’s ancient before they destroy yours.
With Saudi Arabia receiving a bye to the semi-finals, six countries competed in last night’s single elimination quarter-finals with three progressing to the last four following exhilarating battles in a best-of-three format.
Kazakhstan recorded back-to-back wins over South Africa to book a semi-final showdown with the hosts later today, while Serbia overcame Australia and Malaysia defeated Turkey. In the first semi-final that took place last night, Malaysia beat Turkey to book their place in Saturday’s final.
Alongside the Dota 2 Open, #GEG23 was also launched by Street Fighter 6, one of the highest-grossing video game franchises of all time and a staple of gaming folklore that has flourished over the decades. An incredible showdown commenced last night as 33 countries began their campaign in a round-robin shootout.
Represented by an elite athlete, each country engaged in several best-of-three battles in a bid to make the tournament’s single elimination main stage, with Kuwait, Chinese Taipei, Poland, and Chile landing fearsome flurries and knockout finishes en route to qualification as winners of their respective groups. Unbeaten yesterday with seven wins and zero losses, Group A winners Kuwait face hosts Saudi Arabia in the first quarter-final later today.
Meanwhile, the other group winners can face Malaysia, Dominican Republic, Australia, or Great Britain later today. As group runners-up, all four will face off in the last chance qualifiers this afternoon, with three progressing straight to the elimination main stage. The Steet Fighter 6 tournament concludes today with the quarter-finals preceding the semi-finals and final. eFootball™️ 2024 tournament also begins today with 31 nations vying the reach the knockout stages.
To get tickets to attend #GEG23 tournaments in Riyadh in person – which are free of charge but do require ticketed registration – please visit https://riyadh2023geg.platinumlist.net/
If you can’t make it down in person but want to watch all the #GEG23 gaming action online, please visit saudiesports – Twitch and GEF – Twitch
A convergence of esports, sports, technology, entertainment, culture, and the #worldconnected gaming community, #GEG23 promises to deliver an extraordinary spectacle on the grandest stage of global esports alongside key partners. Supporting #GEG23 is Savvy Games Group as Presenting Partner, TCL as Main Partner, Qiddiya as Nexus Partner, and both stc play and KFC as a Strategic Partner.
For more information about ##GEG23, including tournaments and line-ups, please visit riyadh2023geg.gg.
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