Saudi organisation Twisted Minds, in partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), has announced the launch of what is described as the world’s first hackathon dedicated specifically to esports.
The three-day event is taking place from 18 to 20 August 2025 at Twisted Labs, Twisted Minds’ hub in Boulevard City, Riyadh, where the Esports World Club (EWC) is being held in. It will gather participants from fields including design, game development, business and content creation, aiming to generate practical solutions and ideas that contribute to the future of the esports industry.
The hackathon offers a total prize pool of SAR 50,000 (~$13.300) and is structured around four competitive tracks: Esports Game Development – designing and prototyping competitive game concepts; Content and Live Streaming Innovation – creating tools or platforms to enhance production, storytelling, and content workflows; Young Esports Business – developing business models and start-up concepts with tangible services or products; and Esports Ecosystem – an open track for projects improving fan experiences, analytics, player development, or operational aspects of esports.
The organisers outlined several objectives for the initiative, including empowering new innovators within the industry, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 — the national programme aimed at diversifying the economy and fostering growth in sectors such as technology, entertainment and sports — and advancing the National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which seeks to position the Kingdom as a global hub for gaming by 2030 through talent development, infrastructure investment and international events.
According to a press release, the hackathon also aims to develop technical and creative skills among local talent, while connecting students, universities, companies and organisations to explore career pathways and future projects in esports. It is positioned as a new global benchmark for talent discovery and innovation in the sector, providing a pathway “for young academics to enter esports as innovators, rather than players, coaches or content creators.”
