Virtuocity Center Manager Ionut Stefan Negru and eSports star Ahmed Al Meghessib during the contract signing, yesterday.
Doha: Virtuocity has signed a sponsorship deal with Qatar’s top eSports player Ahmed Al Meghessib. The contract was signed by Virtuocity’s Center Manager Ionut Stefan Negru and Ahmed at Doha Festival City yesterday.
The contract is for one year and is renewable. The deal comes as part of Virtuocity’s drive to expand its support to Qatar and the region’s eSports communities.
“I’m grateful Ahmed decided to join the team, and his presence will help us attract fresh talent and educate the community on eSports. When I decided to sign Ahmed, my goal was to bring fresh talent and improve eSports in the local market. This is also the goal of Virtuocity to be the biggest hub in the local market and the region,” Ionut Stefan Negru said.
Virtuocity is the region’s first dedicated digital gaming capital that merges the virtual world with the real world in an exciting, competitive environment. The park offers an immersive digital experience for teens and adults with its full-motion racing simulators, escape rooms, and a multipurpose eSports arena.
“I have been in contact with them (Virtuocity) for years, and I have played a lot of tournaments here. I have had a great relationship with them, and I’m happy they decided to make our partnership official,” said Ahmed.
The 22-year-old who also blends playing professional football for Qatar Stars League side Al Ahli while being a top eSports star said he doesn’t want to stop at just signing a contract. However, he wants to take Qatar’s eSports scene to a more distinguished level and get more involved.
“Globally, we are a bit late, especially in the middle east. eSports is not a hobby now. It’s a job. But we need to educate people that this industry is massive.”
eSports and gaming have become mainstream in recent years, transforming into a central form of entertainment worldwide. According to Business Insider, ‘most projections put the eSports ecosystem on track to surpass $1bn in revenue for the first time this year.’ Other estimates indicate global eSports market revenue will reach almost $1.6bn in 2023.
Meanwhile, Negru said Qatar’s eSports market is still growing but noted that the demand is high. He said Virtuocity is working on projects to help get parents on board with eSports.
“One of the projects that we have is to incorporate eSports into school curriculum (university) to enhance kids’ performance. It’s a daily battle to educate kids and parents that you can do more with games. It’s a matter of perception. If you have enough information that eSports can lead to something big, then your perception shifts. The programme we are working on will motivate kids to excel academically so that they can participate in eSports under a team affiliated with their schools,” Negru added.
