$1m Street Fighter 6 set to kick off at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes in Riyadh

RIYADH: The Street Fighter 6 competition is set to take place at Gamers8: Land of Heroes from August 10 to 13, with 32 of the world’s best players competing for a total prize pool of $1 million.

Faisal bin Homran, chief esports officer at the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “The biggest and best Street Fighter 6 tournament is finally here, and what better stage for such a spectacular showdown than Gamers8: The Land of Heroes. From day one, we’ve fulfilled our promise to deliver the greatest gaming and esports events.

“Our ever-increasing fanbase has loved each and every element of our action-packed summer schedule to date — and we’re beyond excited that Street Fighter 6 is the next stop on this journey. A truly legendary franchise, we’re delighted to welcome Street Fighter into the Gamers8 elite roster, and we cannot wait for the action to begin.”

First released in the summer of 1987, Street Fighter is one of the highest-grossing video game franchises of all time and a staple of gaming folklore. Thirty-five years on from its inception, the series has solidified its hall of fame status with more than 52 million sales globally.

And now, the most recent incarnation tops the bill in the main event at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes at Boulevard Riyadh City.

Street Fighter 6 has been eagerly awaited in recent weeks as gamers were recently offered an exclusive opportunity to test the latest figure added to the fight roster — Rashid, the franchise’s new Arab-inspired character. In association with the Saudi Esports Federation, Street Fighter 6 publisher Capcom offered this opportunity from July 20 to 23 before his official unveiling.

The eight-week Gamers8: The Land of Heroes contest has a prize pool of $45 million — triple that of Gamers8 last year. The biggest gaming and esports festival worldwide features 16 elite esports tournaments from 13 top titles, as well as community gaming and educational platforms.

The festival concludes with the Next World Forum, a gaming and esports event at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh on Aug. 30 and 31, that brings together sector leaders and experts from around the world.