“As a female gamer, I was told 'you belong in the kitchen' – now I'm a pro at the Esports World Cup”
RIYADH: Falcons Vega MENA players say their participation in the “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women's Invitational” at the Esports World Cup is an inspiration to young women in the region who aspire to be professional esports players.
Saudi Arabian club Team Falcons Vega MENA got off to a rough start in MWI on Thursday and were beaten in their matches by Russian team Victory Song Gamers, who are on top of Group C, and Vietnam's Zino Lilies.
But with a $500,000 prize pool at their disposal, the largest in women's sports history, the team's stars say that simply being involved in such a prestigious tournament on the biggest platform around is success – and inspiration to others.
The tournament is played in front of over 8,000 spectators at the SEF Arena in Riyadh City Boulevard, alongside millions of fans from around the world.
Velvet, a Falcons Vega MENA player from Giza, Egypt, who has been a pro for eight months, said: “I found it quite competitive. We could have done better, but it was just because we were nervous. We have the experience we need to continue and learn how we can do much better in the future.
“The scene is huge. It's special to play on such a big stage – it's actually glorious. We will take her to the graves. It's pretty good that we made it here and tried our best in the first two games, even if we didn't win either.”
Asked if she ever really thought she would be a professional esports player, let alone play in the Esports World Cup, Velvet, whose real name is Hadeel Mahmoud, replied: “Never, never, never.
“I'm living the dream. I didn't think esports would become so viral and become so huge and become a real paying job. I didn't even think of it as a professional thing.
“I always thought I was going to go do a normal job 24/7. And it's so good that we can turn something fun into something you get paid for.”
Velvet, 21, hopes players in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or wherever they are in the region follow suit. “Yes they can, they all can,” she added.
“Once I was a girl who was not taken seriously by anyone, and everyone was angry with me and said, 'Oh, you're just a girl, it's better for you not to continue in such things – the kitchen is where you belong' and such comments.
“But it didn't stop me. I went ahead and wanted to prove them all wrong because I wanted to be an inspiration to little girls and everyone around me. So I'm just sending a message that they can do it if I did it. I play at the Esports World Cup, the biggest stage in the world.
“That's the way the world goes. You won't get there easily. You're going to get toxic comments and stuff like that, but it shouldn't stop you from doing what you want. You just have to be patient and do your best and don't let any comment bring you down.”
Teammate fvvn, also Egyptian, echoed his sentiments. “As a child, I used to play games to pass the time doing something I really enjoyed and to make new friends,” said fvvn, real name Alaa Ayman.
“But I never thought I'd get the chance to play in a world-class tournament like this with people I love.
“I think women's sports need to be more accessible to girls and women in the Middle East – especially so the prize money allows us to be more independent and learn from experiences like this.”
She added that she praised the fans in Riyadh. “The support we've gotten has been huge,” she said. “There were fans cheering us everywhere, at the hotel and at the arena. Their support was the highlight for us during the tour.”
MWI is a significant addition to the Esports World Cup, which began at Boulevard Riyadh City on July 3 and runs until August 25. The tournament reflects the growing presence of female players, who make up 48% of the 23.5 million player community. in Saudi Arabia.
The Esports World Cup, which has a $60 million prize pool, the largest in sports history, features a unique cross-play structure that pits top clubs and players in 22 global competitions in 21 games. top.
Over 1,500 players representing over 60 nationalities are competing in this summer's Esports World Cup. Week four competitions taking place this week include “PUBG Mobile” and “Overwatch 2.”
