On January 16, the Saudi Arabian Esports Federation hosted the SEF Awards 2023 ceremony. During this event, the region's top players and teams got their awards (souvenir statuettes) for achievements during the year. SEF Awards 2023 was broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube, attracting nearly 50K Peak Viewers.
Twisted Minds was named the Esports Organization of the Year according to SEF Awards 2023, while the Rainbow Six Siege roster of Geekay Esports was recognized as the best team. Team Falcons received the prize in the Excellence Award category, highlighting achievements on the international stage.
Saudi Arabian players were honored in multiple categories at the SEF Awards 2023. Quartz (Overwatch) was named the best shooter player, Raef (Tekken) received recognition as the best player in fighting, and Rw9 (Rocket League) emerged victorious in the "Sports" category.
SEF Awards 2023 Viewership Statistics
The SEF Awards 2023 ceremony amassed 96.3K Hours Watched, with 35K Average Viewers and 49.6K Peak Viewers. Almost all broadcasts were conducted in Arabic, with Twitch and YouTube accounting for 83% and 16% of the total hardware (HW), respectively.
In terms of channels, the official organizers' channels garnered the largest audience. In addition to them, the event was covered by some Arabic community casters such as YZNSA, tmnaa, SaudCast7, and others.
SEF Awards 2023 demonstrated a commendable audience reach, particularly considering the geographical constraints of these awards. Looking at 2023, in terms of viewership, the Saudi Arabian Esports Federation's ceremony surpassed events like the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 and the Mobile Gaming Awards 2023. Regarding overall language results, Arabic broadcasts of SEF Awards 2023 attracted more viewers than Arabic streams of The Game Awards 2023.
The SEF Awards ceremony highlights that alongside organizing major international tournaments, Saudi Arabia is actively fostering its domestic esports scene. This annual accolade recognizes the achievements of individuals from Saudi Arabia in the esports industry and the interactive entertainment segment. For example, there are special categories for streamers, hosts, and content creators. In 2023, esports athletes from Saudi Arabia achieved significant success on the professional stage, with the most notable being the national team's victory at the Overwatch World Cup 2023 in the United States.
