E-sports players from Qatar and the region will soon be given a test of skills and nerves, as one of the fastest-growing markets in the world is coming to Education City to give them a chance to show off their talents. 

The first Education City Open e-sports tournament, which will be held on 9 and 10 September, aims to tap into the growing popularity of sporting competition through video games and build its profile in Qatar while supporting the rise of the e-sports community in the country, potentially opening up new career paths for young people.

Taking place at Multaqa (Education City Student Center), the free-to-enter tournament will see participants compete in two popular competitive games – FIFA 22 and Super Smash Brothers, to have a chance at winning QAR20,000 in cash prizes. The tournament will be hosted on the new social gaming platform, Showdown, developed by Qatar-based venture Project Infinite and supported by funding through Qatar Foundation’s Innovation Coupon.

Showdown allows professional and amateur e-sports athletes and gamers to create and build their profiles as they progress their careers. It provides a safe and responsible space for gaming and tournaments. The Education City Open follows two online e-sports events organised by Qatar Foundation and Project Infinite in July and August.

Promoting e-sports in Qatar

E-sports is already a multi-billion-dollar global industry and the MENA region is seen as one of its key growth markets. According to Qatar Foundation Engagement and Activation Manager Alexandru Roscu, their aim is for university students to get into e-sports and transform their skills and hobbies into possible future careers.

We believe there are numerous professional paths for e-gamers in Qatar, including game designers, engineers and influencers.

At QF, we set standards for the excellence of each student in both physical and digital sports by encouraging them to participate so they can enhance their critical thinking, teamwork, strategy, and leadership skills.

Project Infinite

Founded in 2018 by a group of gamers and tech entrepreneurs, Project Infinite empowers e-sports in the region by delivering advanced tech solutions, advocating for responsible gaming, and promoting Arab culture, art and music within the video game industry. The venture also aims to create financial opportunities for local communities as part of its ongoing engagement with local and regional strategic partners and entities.

Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Deeb Mahmoud said that the e-sports market could not really be scaled up without solutions to challenges it currently faced, which he said they set out to solve.

The magnitude of the e-sports boom in recent years, says Mahmoud, is huge and there are many potential players and pioneers in the MENA region. If e-sports athletes in Qatar and the region can be connected with each other and with sponsors, and the local and regional market is promoted in a systemic way, they believe that Qatar can really earn a place on the e-sports map.

E-sports athletes from almost every region in the world are making their names, so it’s only natural that Qatar should have a presence on the e-sports scene.

Showdown

Project Infinite co-founder and CEO Rabah Qunnaby explained that Showdown is a flagship product which will be publicly launched at the Education City Open, giving players the opportunity to have custom-made profiles and showcase their skills, achievements and rankings. The e-sports tournament will also provide organisers with the tools and technology to create, manage and stream their tournaments while establishing and maintaining their brand’s exposure; it will also have social features that will allow people to follow other e-sports athletes and be followed in return.

Together we feel we can create opportunities for e-sports athletes in the country and the region. We want to encourage and empower people to explore and play esports, and if they have the talent to make it a career, we want to help them.

Qunnaby said they believe that the Arab world has so much to offer the gaming industry, and through the Education City Open, he said they hope to show people that e-sports talent exists in Qatar and the region.

Registration for the Education City Open e-sports tournament is open until 8 September at showdown.me.

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