Esports World Cup Expands with the Addition of PUBG Mobile

PUBG Mobile has dropped a bombshell on the esports world. The mid-season esports tournament of the battle royale game is set to be a part of the 2024 Esports World Cup in Riyadh this summer.

The tournament, now known as the PUBG Mobile World Cup, will pit the crème de la crème of the game’s teams against each other for a whopping $3m (~£2.4m) prize pool. This event replaces the PUBG Mobile World Invitational as the official midseason tournament, a title it held since its inception in 2021. The reigning champion, Vampire Esports from Southeast Asia, has won the title twice.

The Esports World Cup, unveiled by the Saudi Arabian Prime Minister last October, is an eight-week extravaganza featuring a plethora of games. It’s a part of the country’s National Gaming and Esports strategy, an initiative by the Crown Prince to create jobs, boost the economy, and elevate the Kingdom’s standing in the global esports market.

This World Cup is one of many initiatives aimed at achieving these goals, including the formation of the esports conglomerate ESL FACEIT Group and significant investments in gaming companies.

However, Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become an esports juggernaut has been met with criticism. Some in the esports community have accused the country of ‘esportswashing’, an attempt to improve its image or divert attention from human rights issues. These criticisms often revolve around the country’s LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and suppression of dissent.

PUBG MOBILE isn’t the only game to announce a tournament at the World Cup. Free Fire, Honor of Kings, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang will also host tournaments at the event, which is scheduled for July this year.

James Yang, Senior Director of Global Esports Center at Tencent, expressed his excitement about the event: “Our midseason tournament has always been a fan favourite, bringing the world’s best players together in summer for an action-packed event that always provides excitement, drama and amazing stories. That’s why we’re so excited to have the PUBG Mobile World Cup (PMWC) be part of the Esports World Cup, it will mean an even greater competition for PUBG Mobile fans. This won’t be a tournament to miss!”