The esports organisation RTS, owned by Qiddiya City, has become the sole proprietor of the Evolution Championship Series (Evo) after purchasing NODWIN Gaming‘s share in the property.
The move, reported by Shacknews, severs the ownership ties NODWIN had established with the fighting game tournament after acquiring shares from Sony, and places it entirely under the Qiddiya-backed firm. RTS now holds 100 per cent ownership of Evo following NODWIN Gaming’s withdrawal from the partnership.
This development concludes a period of restructuring that started in August 2025, when RTS and NODWIN Gaming became joint stakeholders, with NODWIN’s entry supported by Sony, preserving an indirect connection between the tech giant and the event series. That connection no longer exists, leaving RTS as the exclusive rights holder for the brand and its competitions.
Shacknews reports that NODWIN Gaming will continue to work with Evo in a more limited function, concentrating on promotional activities. Sony’s agreement at the time to remain involved as a global sponsor of the event until 2028 is, therefore, now uncertain.
Leadership personnel at Evo are expected to remain in their roles to ensure stability. In the announcement, RTS CEO Stuart Saw spoke about safeguarding the tournament’s history while increasing support for its community: “We are proud of our legacy with Evo that started 5 years ago. We’re going to continue investing in the things that matter to our community, elevating and empowering members of the FGC and working diligently with our game developer partners to ensure that Evo benefits all involved parties,” Saw stated, in comments carried by Shacknews.
This ownership change follows a larger integration with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). During the latter part of 2025, Qiddiya—the large-scale entertainment project under development near Riyadh—obtained full ownership of RTS. Qiddiya operates under the Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), which the PIF established in 2018 and fully funds, as part of the broader Saudi Vision 2030 initiative. With NODWIN’s exit, Qiddiya now exercises complete authority over Evo by way of its RTS subsidiary.
In previous coverage by The Esports Radar, QIC Chief Strategy Officer Muhannad Aldawood characterised the RTS acquisition as a “strategic step” aimed at reinforcing the entity’s influence within the gaming and esports landscape.
According to Shacknews, the forthcoming tournament calendar remains unchanged by the transition. Evo Japan 2026 is scheduled for May, with Evo 2026 following in June. Both events will move forward under the new ownership configuration. As previously documented by The Esports Radar, RTS and Qiddiya have vouched their commitment to Evo through 2027.
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