ESL sold for $1B to Saudi-backed Savvy Gaming Group


dbRic1203

Germany2205 Posts

ESL sold for 1 Billion USD to Savvy Gaming Group from Saudi Arabia:

MaxPax | Reynor | Clem

Waxangel

United States30584 Posts

IEM Katowice? It’s IEM Jeddah now

AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?

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Jakji

1 Post

what?!
Bagration

United States18270 Posts

Saudi Arabia has been pretty serious about trying to diversify its investments outside of petro, while simultaneously trying rebrand and boost its soft power

We’ll see how this goes – I have my opinions about KSA, but have to admit I don’t mind more investment pouring into eSports. Just hope they don’t ruin this org

Team Slayers, Axiom-Acer and Vile forever

luxon

United States27 Posts

demuslim sweating right now about his handle choice lol
I really detest the increasing influence dictatorships have on the entertainment sector (and not only that sector). Why can’t we have nice things? :/

Mendici sumus. Hoc est verum. | I don’t mind straight people, as long as they act gay in public. | Es ist keine Tugend edel geboren werden, sondern sich edel machen | οἶδα οὐκ εἰδώς

Slydie

1379 Posts

Damn. I already lost most of my interest in soccer because of rich arabs with awful values buying their way into western mainstream culture.

Political controversy is a fairly common thing in E-sports. What will be the consequenze if a player shows symphaties in one of the many wars and conflicts Saudi-Arabia is involved with?

It might be a financial move only, but I find it is sad to see this happen to ESL.

Buff the siegetank

tommey.liang

United States205 Posts

This is quite a twist that I, or many of us, were not expecting. What does this mean? What are the implications? Saudi Arabia rising?

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geokilla

Canada7905 Posts

$1 billion? Way overpaid
the Iron Sheik has always been my favourite wrestler

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Nakajin

Canada7567 Posts

Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I’d preffer if no one looked to closely at us.

Waxangel

United States30584 Posts

On January 25 2022 07:13 Nakajin wrote:
Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I’d preffer if no one looked to closely at us.

Were there old versions of CS where the terrorists were stereotype middle-eastern? From what I’ve played of CSGO and source, it seemed like that was avoided pretty intentionally.

AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?

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iloveoof

12 Posts

I’m totally uncomfortable with this even if the new management keeps their commitment to Starcraft 2. ESL has spent so long cultivating a great and well-earned reputation and this is devastating to it.
honorablemacroterran

27 Posts

On January 25 2022 07:22 Waxangel wrote:

Show nested quote +

On January 25 2022 07:13 Nakajin wrote:
Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I’d preffer if no one looked to closely at us.

Were there old versions of CS where the terrorists were stereotype middle-eastern? From what I’ve played of CSGO and source, it seemed like that was avoided pretty intentionally.

CS has different skins for the teams depending on the map. Sometimes the CTs are Seal Team Six, sometimes SAS, and various other European counter-terrorist/special forces teams. One of the terrorist factions was definitely Middle Eastern themed last time I played. There’s also Anarchists, Basque Separatists, etc. etc.

Telephone

United States6 Posts

According to the article, Savvy Gaming Group is led by CEO Brian Ward, who was once Senior Vice President, Worldwide Studios at Activision Blizzard.
Nakajin

Canada7567 Posts

On January 25 2022 07:22 Waxangel wrote:

Show nested quote +

On January 25 2022 07:13 Nakajin wrote:
Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I’d preffer if no one looked to closely at us.

Were there old versions of CS where the terrorists were stereotype middle-eastern? From what I’ve played of CSGO and source, it seemed like that was avoided pretty intentionally.

Oh, well I gotta be honest I haven’t played CS in like 10 years, but my memory of it were the terrorist on like Dust 2 and those seemed pretty much standard middle estern terrorist.
Could be totally wrong for sure.

LHK

198 Posts

i do not like this
Chris_Havoc

United States536 Posts

Considering this group is not only buying ESL but also FaceIT for an additional $500 million, means this deal is primarily about acquiring CS:GO assets and not so much about StarCraft 2.

Now how this deal affects SC2 obviously remains to be seen.

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Cyro

United Kingdom19979 Posts

Well, fuck. At least ESL’s former owners have $$$ now

“oh my god my overclock… I got a single WHEA error on the 23rd hour, 9 minutes” -Belial88

Waxangel

United States30584 Posts

On January 25 2022 08:44 Chris_Havoc wrote:
Considering this group is not only buying ESL but also FaceIT for an additional $500 million, means this deal is primarily about acquiring CS:GO assets and not so much about StarCraft 2.

Now how this deal affects SC2 obviously remains to be seen.

Well, the 2022/23 EPT plan is already laid out, and SC2 is so minor for ESL I imagine it doesn’t affect the operations of the league much at all. I think the way fans will notice it most is if random Saudi ventures (NEOM, etc) become the main sponsors of EPT and are prominently displayed/ads played every break. Mind you, this is just talking about how it might affect ESL SC2 in practical terms, not the underlying issue of principle.

AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?

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Source: https://tl.net/forum/starcraft-2/584380-esl-sold-for-1b-to-saudi-backed-savvy-gaming-group

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