News

Saudi Arabia Launches Summer 2024 eSports World Cup

Football megastar Ronaldo was in attendance, and was honored to meet His Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Published

1 year ago

October 24, 2023

saudi arabia launches summer 2024 esports world cup

On Monday, October 23, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia announced the launch of the eSports World Cup. The event will be held annually from Summer 2024 in the Kingdom’s capital, Riyadh.

The eSports World Cup is the largest of its kind and will help to consolidate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s position as an international pro gaming hub. The event will include games across a wide range of genres, with players competing for the largest pool of prize money ever to be issued at this type of event.

According to Arab News, the newly announced World Cup should boost the Saudi Arabian GDP by over 13 billion USD while creating nearly 40,000 new jobs.

saudi arabia esports world cup ronaldo

During the launch, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who was invited to the event. The star shared several images on social media and said he was honored to meet the Crown Prince.

The eSports World Cup launch also allowed Saudi Arabian officials to announce the establishment of the eSports World Cup Foundation, a non-profit organization to boost sustainability and cement the Kingdom’s place as a global gaming hub.

Also Read: Top 10 Best Video Games Set In The Middle East

The Saudi government is currently going to great lengths to promote the growth of the local gaming industry through its National Gaming and Esports Strategy.

Saudi Arabia is already home to the MENA’s leading gaming industry. The country has around 21 million gamers (nearly 58% of the population) and is the 19th biggest gaming market in the world, with a projected value of $2.6 billion by 2027 — a growth rate of 7.5% per year.

News

Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent

According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

Nour Nasir

samsung smart glasses teased for january software reveal imminent

Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.

As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.

Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.

Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…

— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024

The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.

A Collaborative Software Effort

Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.

Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.

Feature Set And Compatibility

The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.