• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 08:43
CEST 14:43
KST 21:43
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Rough Waters10[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Siren's Call8[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Summer's End9Serral wins HomeStory Cup 2915
Community News
Weekly Cups (Sep 7-12): SHIN, ByuN, MaxPax double down1StarCraft open world shooter announced at BlizzCon98Weekly Cups (Aug 30-Sep 7): herO thrives amid growing schism10Official StarCraft website teases new content ahead of BlizzCon?179Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20)9
StarCraft 2
General
How do you feel about the StarCraft shooter announcement at BlizzCon 2026? Weekly Cups (Sep 7-12): SHIN, ByuN, MaxPax double down Blizzard Classic Cup @ BlizzCon 2026 - $100k prize pool StarCraft open world shooter announced at BlizzCon Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16)
Tourneys
RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event RSL goes to London! 2026 Offline Finals Nov 21-22 SC2 AI Tournament 2026 Fall Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament KSL Week #92
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
Nexus Wars 2021 GUIDE [M] (2) Industrial Park
External Content
Mutation # 543 Enhanced Defenses The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 542 The Ascended Mutation # 541 Binary Choice
Brood War
General
ASL22 General Discussion BW General Discussion a Announcement on the JEDI Ringing Syncronization issues and can't find games BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/
Tourneys
[ASL22] Ro16 Group D KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3 [ASL22] Ro16 Group C [Megathread] Daily Proleagues
Strategy
Replay Review Process - What do you do? Simple Questions, Simple Answers Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation Game Theory for Starcraft
Other Games
General Games
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread EVE Corporation Diablo IV
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Canadian Politics Mega-thread Post Your Watch!
Fan Clubs
MarineLorD Fan Club The Creator Fan Club The ShoWTimE Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion! Diablo Animated Series on Netflix
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List Northern Ireland Global Starcraft
Blogs
[meme] I finally understa…
LUCKY_NOOB
Virtual Romance, Real-Life C…
TrAiDoS
Regacy Esports:Our Goa…
regacyesports
Dreaming of BW patches (mod…
c3rberUs
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 7425 users

ESL sold for $1B to Saudi-backed Savvy Gaming Group

Forum Index > SC2 General
83 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 Next All
dbRic1203
Profile Joined July 2019
Germany2655 Posts
January 24 2022 20:46 GMT
#1
ESL sold for 1 Billion USD to Savvy Gaming Group from Saudi Arabia:

Facebook Twitter Reddit
MaxPax
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33699 Posts
January 24 2022 20:46 GMT
#2
IEM Katowice? It's IEM Jeddah now
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
Jakji
Profile Joined January 2022
1 Post
January 24 2022 20:52 GMT
#3
what?!
Bagration
Profile Blog Joined October 2011
United States18282 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-24 20:55:05
January 24 2022 20:53 GMT
#4
Saudi Arabia has been pretty serious about trying to diversify its investments outside of petro, while simultaneously trying rebrand and boost its soft power

We'll see how this goes - I have my opinions about KSA, but have to admit I don't mind more investment pouring into eSports. Just hope they don't ruin this org
Team Slayers, Axiom-Acer and Vile forever
luxon
Profile Joined August 2012
United States117 Posts
January 24 2022 21:01 GMT
#5
demuslim sweating right now about his handle choice lol
Zetter
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
Germany629 Posts
January 24 2022 21:12 GMT
#6
I really detest the increasing influence dictatorships have on the entertainment sector (and not only that sector). Why can't we have nice things? :/
Mendici sumus. Hoc est verum. | I don't mind straight people, as long as they act gay in public. | Es ist keine Tugend edel geboren werden, sondern sich edel machen | οἶδα οὐκ εἰδώς
Slydie
Profile Joined August 2013
2007 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-24 21:16:23
January 24 2022 21:15 GMT
#7
Damn. I already lost most of my interest in soccer because of rich arabs with awful values buying their way into western mainstream culture.

Political controversy is a fairly common thing in E-sports. What will be the consequenze if a player shows symphaties in one of the many wars and conflicts Saudi-Arabia is involved with?

It might be a financial move only, but I find it is sad to see this happen to ESL.
Buff the siegetank
tommey.liang
Profile Joined November 2020
United States363 Posts
January 24 2022 21:45 GMT
#8
This is quite a twist that I, or many of us, were not expecting. What does this mean? What are the implications? Saudi Arabia rising?
FF, KH, Persona, Uncharted, Yakuza | Porter, Illenium, MitiS, Dabin, Seven Lions, Petit Biscuit | Diablo II, SC2 | Pho, sushi, tacos
geokilla
Profile Joined May 2011
Canada8255 Posts
January 24 2022 21:57 GMT
#9
$1 billion? Way overpaid
Ziggy
Profile Blog Joined June 2013
South Korea2107 Posts
January 24 2022 22:11 GMT
#10
the Iron Sheik has always been my favourite wrestler
WriterDefeating a sandwich only makes it tastier. @imjustziggy
Nakajin
Profile Blog Joined September 2014
Canada8991 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-24 22:15:11
January 24 2022 22:13 GMT
#11
Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I'd preffer if no one looked to closely at us.
Writerhttp://i.imgur.com/9p6ufcB.jpg
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33699 Posts
January 24 2022 22:22 GMT
#12
On January 25 2022 07:13 Nakajin wrote:
Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I'd preffer if no one looked to closely at us.


Were there old versions of CS where the terrorists were stereotype middle-eastern? From what I've played of CSGO and source, it seemed like that was avoided pretty intentionally.
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
iloveoof
Profile Joined July 2019
12 Posts
January 24 2022 22:25 GMT
#13
I’m totally uncomfortable with this even if the new management keeps their commitment to Starcraft 2. ESL has spent so long cultivating a great and well-earned reputation and this is devastating to it.
honorablemacroterran
Profile Joined January 2022
188 Posts
January 24 2022 22:33 GMT
#14
On January 25 2022 07:22 Waxangel wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 25 2022 07:13 Nakajin wrote:
Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I'd preffer if no one looked to closely at us.


Were there old versions of CS where the terrorists were stereotype middle-eastern? From what I've played of CSGO and source, it seemed like that was avoided pretty intentionally.


CS has different skins for the teams depending on the map. Sometimes the CTs are Seal Team Six, sometimes SAS, and various other European counter-terrorist/special forces teams. One of the terrorist factions was definitely Middle Eastern themed last time I played. There's also Anarchists, Basque Separatists, etc. etc.
Telephone
Profile Joined October 2010
United States149 Posts
January 24 2022 23:08 GMT
#15
According to the article, Savvy Gaming Group is led by CEO Brian Ward, who was once Senior Vice President, Worldwide Studios at Activision Blizzard.
Nakajin
Profile Blog Joined September 2014
Canada8991 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-24 23:11:56
January 24 2022 23:10 GMT
#16
On January 25 2022 07:22 Waxangel wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 25 2022 07:13 Nakajin wrote:
Saudi Arabians becoming the main international diffusers of a game based on killing generic turban-weering middle-estern terrorist fighting the West is a trully facinating exemple of the mind-bogling realities of modern international capitalism.

But past the irony, not sure I like it for SC2, I'd preffer if no one looked to closely at us.


Were there old versions of CS where the terrorists were stereotype middle-eastern? From what I've played of CSGO and source, it seemed like that was avoided pretty intentionally.


Oh, well I gotta be honest I haven't played CS in like 10 years, but my memory of it were the terrorist on like Dust 2 and those seemed pretty much standard middle estern terrorist.
Could be totally wrong for sure.
Writerhttp://i.imgur.com/9p6ufcB.jpg
LHK
Profile Joined May 2015
204 Posts
January 24 2022 23:18 GMT
#17
i do not like this
-Laura
Chris_Havoc
Profile Joined August 2016
United States600 Posts
January 24 2022 23:44 GMT
#18
Considering this group is not only buying ESL but also FaceIT for an additional $500 million, means this deal is primarily about acquiring CS:GO assets and not so much about StarCraft 2.

Now how this deal affects SC2 obviously remains to be seen.
Owner of the SC2 Esports Anthology channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SC2EsportsAnthology
Cyro
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United Kingdom20344 Posts
January 25 2022 00:03 GMT
#19
Well, fuck. At least ESL's former owners have $$$ now
"oh my god my overclock... I got a single WHEA error on the 23rd hour, 9 minutes" -Belial88
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33699 Posts
Last Edited: 2022-01-25 01:18:21
January 25 2022 00:20 GMT
#20
On January 25 2022 08:44 Chris_Havoc wrote:
Considering this group is not only buying ESL but also FaceIT for an additional $500 million, means this deal is primarily about acquiring CS:GO assets and not so much about StarCraft 2.

Now how this deal affects SC2 obviously remains to be seen.


Well, the 2022/23 EPT plan is already laid out, and SC2 is so minor for ESL I imagine it doesn't affect the operations of the league much at all. I think the way fans will notice it most is if random Saudi ventures (NEOM, etc) become the main sponsors of EPT and are prominently displayed/ads played every break. Mind you, this is just talking about how it might affect ESL SC2 in practical terms, not the underlying issue of principle.

AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
1 2 3 4 5 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
IntoTheTV X SOOP
11:00
Monthly #1 - Day 1
herO vs SolarLIVE!
Percival vs Classic
ByuN vs Rogue
IntoTheiNu 1572
CranKy Ducklings SOOP64
Rex32
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Lowko428
Rex 36
EnDerr 1
StarCraft: Brood War
Bisu 2120
Horang2 1204
Hyuk 891
firebathero 672
EffOrt 518
Snow 350
Mini 323
Light 266
Larva 251
Rush 161
[ Show more ]
Last 154
ZerO 117
Pusan 113
Zeus 103
Hm[arnc] 72
hero 58
Mong 57
Killer 48
Sharp 38
ToSsGirL 35
sSak 28
Sacsri 16
sorry 10
JulyZerg 7
Icarus 3
Britney 0
Dota 2
Gorgc3152
Dendi994
Counter-Strike
markeloff174
zeus159
edward29
Other Games
singsing1826
olofmeister905
B2W.Neo807
hiko289
DeMusliM272
Pyrionflax228
Sick142
Mew2King110
QueenE40
ArmadaUGS36
ZerO(Twitch)8
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick816
BasetradeTV9
[ Show 9 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Jankos1721
Upcoming Events
OSC
9h 17m
Replay Cast
11h 17m
IntoTheTV X SOOP
22h 17m
Replay Cast
1d 11h
GSL
1d 22h
Replay Cast
2 days
GSL
2 days
Shopify Rebellion Sundays
3 days
Spirit vs Mixu
Replay Cast
3 days
Afreeca Starleague
3 days
Shine vs Rush
[ Show More ]
WardiTV Weekly
3 days
Monday Night Weeklies
4 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
4 days
Afreeca Starleague
4 days
Light vs EffOrt
PiGosaur Cup
5 days
Kung Fu Cup
5 days
The PondCast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Acropolis #5 - TRS
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Big Dog Cup 2026 Div 1

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3
K-JUNGMAN
ASL Season 22
Super Anchor Qualifying S3
CSL 2026 AUTUMN (S22)
Acropolis #5
Calamity Invitational
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026

Upcoming

Acropolis #5 - GSA
Acropolis #5 - GSB
Acropolis #5 - GSC
SC4ALL II: Brood War
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
Copium Cup
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
IEM Beijing 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.