Headline:
Standfirst 1: Competition is the third professional esports event at Gamers8, after Rocket League and the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters
Standfirst 2: FaZE Clan, NRG Esports and Team Liquid are among the Fortnite favorites at Gamers8
Arab News
RIYADH: Gamers8 is set to launch the Fortnite competition with some of the world’s best gaming teams competing for a total prize money of $2 million starting from Thursday.
The four-day tournament will see the winners of both the Zero Build mode and the Standard version taking home $250,000 each.
Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation, Fortnite is the third tournament in the Gamers8 season being held at the purpose-built venue at Boulevard Riyadh City, following the completion of Rocket League and the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “Fortnite’s bright colors, hilarious and infectious dance emotes, and its use of in-game currency, have made it not just a gaming favorite but a true cultural phenomenon. It is also one of the few truly popular family-friendly games and has picked up a huge following from people of all ages across the Kingdom and far beyond.
“When planning the unique concept of Gamers8 — which has a mission to blur the lines between what’s physical and what’s virtual — Fortnite was firmly marked ‘must have’ on our gaming agenda. Be it the Floss, the Dance Moves, The L, the Best Mates or the Llama Bell, we look forward to seeing them all in action at Gamers8 in Riyadh and witnessing all of you enjoying them too.”
FaZe Clan enter the tournament as favorites, with star players Dubs and Ronaldo looking to propel the North American outfit to glory in Riyadh. They will be keenly matched by European powerhouses NRG Esports though — especially if Clix and EpikWhale are on their usual form. G2 Esports, with fan favorites LeTsHe and Jelty gunning for glory, and Team Liquid, with Mitr0 and Pulga, are other real possibilities to claim the Fortnite crown.
The Fortnite format takes on two different forms across the four days of competition. Zero Build — where building is disabled in this mode but the Overshield is enabled — and is on July 28-29, with the competition conducted over 12 matches, 44 duos, and on a points-based system.
Duo Standard Battle Royal, using the standard set of rules, is scheduled for July 30-31, with the competition run over 12 matches, 44 duos, and on a points-based system.