A survey conducted by YouGov has revealed that gamers in Saudi Arabia are increasingly interested in attending live esports events and want more opportunities to do so.
The survey found that 53 percent of gamers who had participated in a live esports event preferred the experience to tuning in from home, with just 5 percent saying they did not like the experience of going out of their house to attend live events.
Populous, a pioneer in the design of esports arenas and training facilities, partnered with YouGov to survey more than 1,000 male and female residents of Saudi Arabia, aged 18+, who spend at least seven hours a week gaming.
The resulting data has provided an up-to-date insight into the rapid growth and increasing popularity of gaming and esports in Saudi Arabia, as well as the role event experiences might play in the continued growth and development of dedicated gaming and esports venues.
The research findings have also demonstrated the massive crossover appeal between gaming and esports taking place in Saudi Arabia, with more than three quarters of gamers (78 percent) saying they were interested in esports, with 39 percent “very interested”.
Although a third said they had participated in an esports event as a spectator, a significant portion of esports’ fans remain unengaged or untapped as possible live event attendees. For 25 percent, this was simply because they do not live close to an esports arena, but 35 percent of respondents just didn’t know when or where esports events happen.
This indicates a clear need for increased marketing to raise awareness of events, particularly given that 81 percent of those surveyed felt esports events should happen in Saudi Arabia more often than they currently do.
No less than 86 percent of people surveyed, who have participated in an esports event, said the venue itself had a direct impact on how they experienced that event. The design elements identified as most important in an esports arena were a proper layout for gamers to play and for fans to watch, and providing gaming meet-up spaces where fans can game against one another.
Subsidiary events such as cosplay and conventions happening alongside the main competition play were also cited as desirable, along with high-quality hospitality and retail spaces for fans.
Significantly, the research found that more than a third (37 percent) of people surveyed had attended or participated in an esports event held in a venue that was not specifically designed to host such events, suggesting there is considerable room for the growth of bespoke esports venues in Saudi Arabia.
The survey’s findings come on the back of Gamers8, an eight-week gaming and esports festival held in Riyadh, which closed with The Next World Forum, which saw Saudi and international gamers taking part in the biggest event of its kind globally.
It also follows the unveiling of the National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which aims to make the country ‘the global hub’ for both sectors by 2030.