Qiddiya Acquires RTS, Becomes Full Owner of Evo

In a move that had been anticipated for some time, Saudi Arabia’s mega-city project Qiddiya has announced its complete acquisition of RTS, the company best known for owning the world’s largest fighting game tournament, the Evolution Championship Series (Evo).

This comes shortly after Indian company Nodwin Gaming revealed, in late August, that it had acquired Sony’s stake in Evo.

With these developments, Evo now finds itself under new management, raising questions about how the tournament’s future may be shaped.

The news was confirmed by Qiddiya’s Chief Strategy Officer, Muhannad Aldawood, in a social media post. In his brief statement, Aldawood framed the acquisition of RTS as part of Qiddiya’s efforts to strengthen its esports portfolio.

The move has sparked intense debate within the fighting game community (FGC), with many pointing to Saudi Arabia’s controversial human rights record. Conversations have emerged around what this means for the FGC, especially as more of its flagship events and community-driven gatherings fall under the control of major corporations.

Rick Thiher, the general manager of Evo, posted on social media stating that he has always been a champion of inclusivity and that he believes the future of Evo will respect that. 

Everything I have worked on in fighting games has been with the ambition of bringing our communities together. Inclusivity, community, and connectivity matter to me. It’s deeply personal that they remain part of what I work on and that the future of Evo respects that.

Evo itself has been in an aggressive expansion phase in recent years, with two new tournaments announced: Evo France, set to take place later this year, and Evo Singapore, scheduled for 2026. How this new chapter of ownership will affect the FGC and the broader discussions surrounding it remains to be seen.