Esports started out with very humble beginnings. In the past, these gatherings took place in local arcades, but now they’re attracting huge crowds in large stadiums. The upcoming Esports World Cup 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this summer will revolutionize the game even further and increase the competition with its impressive $60 million prize fund. The Eposrts World Cup 2024 will also include a Dota 2 Tournament.
This marks a pivotal moment in competitive gaming. In the beginning of esports, prizes were typically limited to hardware, peripherals, or bragging rights. Times have certainly changed.
Esports World Cup 2024: The Growth of Prize Pools
One important thing we need to mention is that this type of funding didn’t become possible overnight. For years, competitive gamers had to settle for small prizes when participating in these tournaments.
Sometimes, they were rewarded with new equipment or a little bit of money. While other times, the winners had nothing more to walk away with than bragging rights. But that was fine because they were in it for the love of the game and the hope things will get better.
So what caused the shift?
It was tournaments such as Dota 2’s The International and the Fortnite World Cup. Here, the winners were rewarded with million-dollar prizes, which opened the door for more competitions to have this kind of budget. And the EWC 2024 is expected to surpass all other competitions with its impressive $60 million prize, making it bigger and better.
This establishes a new pinnacle, far surpassing the $45 million record set by Gamers8: The Land of Heroes in 2023.
The $60 Million Impact: Reshaping the Esports Landscape
This groundbreaking prize pool isn’t just about the dollar amount; it sends shockwaves through the esports world.
As Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, emphasizes,
“Setting the record for the largest esports prize pool is a remarkable achievement, but what I’m most proud of is the positive message this sends to the wider esports and gaming community. More than $60 million is a testament to our investment in the future of global esports, a commitment to esports fans who deserve exceptional events, and an extension of our mission to create meaningful competitive opportunities with life-changing prize pools for esports athletes everywhere.”
The Club Championship: A Unique Format for Esports Glory
The EWC introduces an innovative format: the Club Championship. $20 million of the total prize pool is dedicated to rewarding the top 16 esports organizations based on their overall performance across multiple games.
Organizations choose their battles, competing in their preferred esports titles. At the tournament’s conclusion, the best-performing organization will be crowned the Esports World Cup 2024 Club Champion.
The Legacy: Esports World Cup 2024 and the Future of Gaming
The Esports World Cup 2024 has the potential to go beyond merely breaking records. It stands to become a landmark annual event, a pinnacle of esports competition with unmatched prestige.
The EWC could dramatically enhance the global visibility of esports, propelling it even further into the mainstream.
