“As a player I was told you belong in the kitchen – now I'm a pro at the World Esports Championships”
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 become professional esports players.
Saudi Arabia's Team Falcons Vega MENA had a tough start to the MWI on Thursday, losing their matches to Russia's Victory Song Gamers, who lead Group C, and Vietnam's Zino Lilies.
But with a $500,000 prize pool up for grabs, the largest in women's esports history, the team's stars say just taking part in such a prestigious tournament on the biggest platform is an achievement – and an inspiration to others.
The tournament is played in front of more than 8,000 spectators at the SEF Arena on Boulevard Riyadh City and 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 only because we were nervous. We have the experience we need to move on and learn how we can do it much better in the future.
“The stage is huge. It's strange to play on such a big stage – it's actually wonderful. We'll take it to the grave. It's pretty good that we got here and we tried our best in the first two games, even though we didn't win.”
When 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 this viral and become this 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 24/7 job. And it's so good that we can turn something fun into something you get paid for.”
Velvet, 21, hopes girl players in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or anywhere else in the region will follow her lead. “Yes, they can, they all can,” she added.
“I was the one girl who was not taken seriously and everyone would pick on me and say, 'Oh, you're just a girl, you better not go on like that – the kitchen is where you belong' and those kinds of comments.
“But it didn't stop me. I just kept going and I wanted to prove everybody wrong because I wanted to be an inspiration to little girls and everybody around. So I'm just sending a message that they can do it if I do it. I'm playing in the Esports World Cup , the biggest stage in the world.
“That's how the world goes. You won't get there easily. You're going to get toxic comments and things like that, but it doesn't have to stop you from doing what you want. You have to be patient and try your best and not get carried away by any comments.”
Teammate fvvn, also Egyptian, echoed her sentiments. “Growing up, I played games to pass the time with something I really enjoyed and to make new friends,” said fvvn, whose real name is Alaa Ayman.
“But I never thought I would have the opportunity to play in such a world-class tournament with the people I love.”
“I think women's esports needs to be more accessible to girls and women in the Middle East – especially for prize pools to allow us to be more independent and learn from similar experiences.”
She added that they praised the fans in Riyadh. “The support we've gotten has been tremendous,” she said. “The fans cheered for us everywhere, in the hotel and in the arena. Their support was the highlight of the tournament for us.”
MWI is a significant addition to the Esports World Cup, which kicked off at Boulevard Riyadh City on July 3 and will run until August 25. The tournament reflects the growing presence of female players, who make up 48 percent of the 23.5 million player community. in Saudi Arabia.
With a $60 million prize pool, the largest in esports history, the Esports World Cup features a unique cross-game structure that pits the best clubs and players against each other in 22 global competitions across 21 premier games.
More than 1,500 players representing more than 60 nationalities are battling it out at the World Esports Championships this summer. This week's week four contests include “PUBG Mobile” and “Overwatch 2.”
