It's gotta be tough to be one of the eSports OGs (roughly) and, 15 years later, do everything you can to bring awareness to the disaster of what is happening to eSports, while simultaneously knowing that nothing you do can possibly change the eventual outcome. But because you try so hard, Rich, we all pay you to keep up the great work. So keep it up!
For me, the most surprising part of this article is that Qaddiya isn't spellt Kadir. And really, even that shouldn't surprise me. These Saudis aren't that great at obscuring the truth, it's more like they throw some coins in the opposite direction and the esports community goes running after it like a seagull chasing a small child with some chips (who will delete this comment first? Big Gull or Saudi Arabia?)
I wonder how Saudi owning everything will affect players who "disrespected" them, such as Niko denying the Falcons offer and even a much milder Twistzz who simply said he wasn't comfortable joining them because of moral issues. Then anytime Falcons win anything in Saudi brings into question whether or not it was legitimate, which makes punditry difficult for those who work the events. Anyway thanks for your reporting as always despite how depressing it is.
Honestly as of today, my hope is that they change focus to something else. Like tourism before, I hope they deem eSports as an old toy no longer in need.
"Dragons Den but the applicants are even more spineless and pathetic." And the Dragons are actual evil dictators. It's a perfect example
It's gotta be tough to be one of the eSports OGs (roughly) and, 15 years later, do everything you can to bring awareness to the disaster of what is happening to eSports, while simultaneously knowing that nothing you do can possibly change the eventual outcome. But because you try so hard, Rich, we all pay you to keep up the great work. So keep it up!
For me, the most surprising part of this article is that Qaddiya isn't spellt Kadir. And really, even that shouldn't surprise me. These Saudis aren't that great at obscuring the truth, it's more like they throw some coins in the opposite direction and the esports community goes running after it like a seagull chasing a small child with some chips (who will delete this comment first? Big Gull or Saudi Arabia?)
I wonder how Saudi owning everything will affect players who "disrespected" them, such as Niko denying the Falcons offer and even a much milder Twistzz who simply said he wasn't comfortable joining them because of moral issues. Then anytime Falcons win anything in Saudi brings into question whether or not it was legitimate, which makes punditry difficult for those who work the events. Anyway thanks for your reporting as always despite how depressing it is.
It is straight up tragic to look at the state of esports now if you can remember how it used to be pre 2012...
Honestly as of today, my hope is that they change focus to something else. Like tourism before, I hope they deem eSports as an old toy no longer in need.