Saudi Arabia has taken full ownership of the Evolution Championship Series (Evo), the world’s largest and most prestigious fighting game tournament.
With Sony and NODWIN Gaming completely out of the picture, FGC wonders what this latest change will mean for Evo. Will Super Smash Bros. finally back to the party?
- 2026 Tekken 8 Esports World Cup slot distribution and format revealed
- The registration numbers for Evo Japan 2026 show a take on Street Fighter 6
- The Saudi Esports Federation is partnering with ROC Esports and Team Stallions
In August 2025, NODWIN Gaming, the previous owner of Evo, became the majority shareholder after acquiring Sony’s stake. At that time, NODWIN said: “We will continue [Sony Interactive Entertainment’s] great job and honor the legacy of everyone who made it what it is today, while opening the door for a new generation to experience the spirit of Evo. ”
The following month, it was announced that Qiddiya City, a major project in Saudi Arabia, received an RTS, using Evo.
“This milestone paves the way to new heights in Evo’s development to meet the aspirations of the fighting game community,” said Chief Strategy Officer Muhannad Aldawood on LinkedIn.
Now, Qiddiya City-owned RTS has taken full and complete ownership over Evo.
What does this mean for Evo going forward?
With NODWIN Gaming and Sony completely out, RTS has full control over the Evolution Championship Series format and events.
“We’re proud of our legacy with Evo that dates back five years,” RTS CEO Stuart Saw said in a press release. “We will continue to invest in the things that matter to our community, uplifting and empowering FGC members and working diligently with our game developer partners to ensure that EVO benefits everyone involved.”
Qiddiya City is managed by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC). This makes Evo another event hosted by Saudi Arabia in the sports arena. In addition to organizing the Esports World Cup and Esports Nations Cup and collaborating with sports organizations, Saudi Arabia also looked to buy MOONTON, the developer behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
Despite backlash from the esports community over Saudi Arabia’s prominent involvement, RTS has promised to keep Evo’s ‘values and identity’ the same. Of course, national disputes and the continued pursuit of ownership of the sports industry continued to bring frustration. ESL was acquired by Saudi Arabia in 2022, leading many players to believe that the country is behind the ban on ESL Impact.
It’s unclear what this latest identity update will mean for the Evo. It would mean expanding to more countries, creating a larger FGC circuit. It could mean that Super Smash Bros. Melee and Ultimate could return to the event, as it is suspected that it was because of Sony’s involvement that Nintendo cut ties.
With Evo Japan and Evo Vegas coming up in the next few months, the FGC will see firsthand if there are any immediate changes.
The post Saudi Arabia now has full ownership over Evo appeared first on Esports Insider.
