Global Game Changer: How Strategic Partnerships at EWC 2024 are Redefining Esports Ecosystem

As Niko Partners continues to track the latest developments of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2024, we bring you the EWC insights and strategic partnership highlights. The EWC has forged powerhouse partnerships, reflecting the festival’s growing recognition and endorsement by global brands. These developments underscore the EWC’s burgeoning reputation as the premier gaming and esports festival.

From Vision to Reality: How Partnerships Are Transforming EWC 2024

In our previous post about the EWC, we noted that there are promising signs of esports partnerships in the KSA, including a strategic partnership with the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025, with further events scheduled at regular intervals over the next 12 years. The creation of the Olympic Esports Games was confirmed during the ongoing 142nd Session of the IOC on July 23.

Since 2019, the KSA has been actively promoting the growth of esports nationwide and regionally. The nation hosted its first-ever esports tournament, the ESL Pro League in 2019. Today, in addition to the ongoing EWC and the plan to host the Esports Olympic Games in 2025, the KSA has been involved in other mega esports projects. The KSA is building its first entertainment city in Qiddiya while state-owned Savvy Games Group is set to invest $ 38 billion in gaming companies to develop the gaming and esports industry. This is a significant reflection of the KSA’s commitment to becoming a major player in the esports industry.

The EWC represents another monumental esports achievement for the KSA. As of writing this article, the EWC has announced over 30 partnerships. Here are some of the notable partnerships encompassing endemic, non-endemic, Saudi Arabian brands and governmental operations so far.

The extensive partnerships forged for the EWC create a win-win scenario for all stakeholders involved. Some partnerships, such as CCTV+, Dazn, and Warner Bros. Discovery, positively impacted the live streaming and exposure of the event, bringing the EWC to new audiences around the world. Furthermore, by associating with popular esports athletes and events, brands are enhancing their visibility, tapping into the growing market of esports, and connecting with a young, engaged demographic within KSA and the broader MENA region. Esports is more than just a hobby, it is a lifestyle for Generation Z, Millennials, and even Generation Alpha in MENA. It fosters a sense of belonging and support, which is essential for the viability and future iterations of EWC.

Beyond EWC’s esports audience and fans, through these strategic collaborations, esports organizers and teams can gain access to vital resources that offer world-class, cutting-edge facilities and unparalleled esports experiences. Notably, ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) announced in August a multi-year partnership as the official operating partner of the EWC and will be responsible for the tournament operations, broadcast programming, EWC product proposition, and global marketing strategy support going forward. This collaborative effort leads to a robust esports ecosystem that is forming around the EWC.

The EWC is also seeking to set the stage for future sport, entertainment and business collaborations. Niko Partners is excited to participate in the EWC event as part of the Esports World Cup Foundation’s “New Global Sport Conference” which will take place at the end of the festival, on August 24th and 25th. Lisa Hanson, Niko’s CEO & President, will join industry leaders from esports, gaming, and entertainment to discuss “The Future of Fandom.” The conference is another feature of the EWC, which seeks to bring together experts and drive discussion of the business of sports, gaming, and marketing.

Historic Moments and Record Viewership at EWC 2024

As the business implications of the EWC continue to grow, competition and the cup’s highlights are also continuing to make headlines. As more esports cup title events have taken place and concluded, more viewership milestones and wider esports records are being set. The EWC is on track to generating a new wave of esports hype. So far, the Esports World Cup has exceeded 100 million hours watched, according to Esports Charts, making it the fourth most popular global esports event to date, with several weeks still to go.

Falcons Vega MENA made history by becoming the first Arab women’s team to compete in EWC Source: Asharq Al-Awsat

The KSA’s esports landscape is also becoming increasingly inclusive. Notably, The Falcons Vega MENA made history by becoming the first Arab women’s team to compete in MLBB Women’s Invitational 2024 as part of EWC series hosted on August 25. Meanwhile, the historically Asian-dominated MLBB women’s tournament saw a significant shift with the inclusion of top European clubs such as Team Vitality and Gaimin Gladiators for the first time.

Other records that were set by the MLBB women’s tournament include a new record in prize pool in the women’s MLBB competitive scene, achieving 2.5 million hours watch on Esports Charts, the highest total watch time for women’s tournaments in 2024 and the second most-watched in the history of MLBB women’s tournaments.

KPL Dream Team dominates Honor of Kings Grand Finals (Source: Level Infinite, TiMi Studio Group)

Another popular mobile MOBA esports title, Honor of Kings is expanding globally at a rapid pace. As the HoK EWC cup concludes in Riyadh, HoK Global Esports is set to continue its momentum into the final quarter of the year. Notably, with the recent global release of HoK that expands to over 160 countries, its fast-growing global esports community is turning its attention to Indonesia in October, where the country will host the first-ever Honor of Kings International Championship in Southeast Asia.

One of the most anticipated tournaments of the EWC, Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2024 grand final, concluded on July 21. In addition to Dota 2’s featuring the largest prize pool in the series, according to Esports Charts, the event has also become the most-watched Dota 2 tournament of 2024 so far, generating over 26.3 million hours watched. The average number of viewers per broadcast stabilized at 178,400, another record for Dota 2 esports this year.

Gaimin Gladiators was crowned Dota 2 champion at Esports World Cup (Source: Esports World Cup)

Meanwhile, Counter-Strike 2 EWC 2024 concluded on July 21, exceeding last year’s Gamers8 2023 record, with average viewership recorded by Esports Charts growing by nearly 8%, and peak viewership surging by 76%. We expect these viewership numbers to spike up once again as the PUBG event commences. According to the Niko Partners MENA Gamers Market Report 2024, the PUBG IP which includes PUBG Battlegrounds on PC and console, as well as PUBG Mobile for smartphones, is the most popular IP across the region. The game is being played by two-thirds of all gamers in Asia and MENA, according to our survey.

Niko’s CEO and President Lisa Hanson will be in Riyadh for New Global Sport Conference and EWC (Set up a meeting with Lisa here) Stay tuned for more insights and updates in our next blog post as we continue to closely monitor the event. Check out Niko’s esports research products and services. Keep up with Asia & MENA esports scene through NikoIQ, our intelligent online dashboard. We’re available to discuss your needs for bespoke research through our Custom Research & Consulting Service.