Earlier today, SonicFox took home first place for Mortal Kombat 1 at Evo 2024. One key reason? Esports World Cup.
In an interview with VG247 at the post-win press conference, we asked SonicFox to share their thoughts on the Saudi Arabian government-funded Esports World Cup’s growing presence in the FGC. In response, they shared the following:
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“In terms of the eSports World Cup, I’ve been very vocal about it. Unfortunately, people like me and other trans people, a lot of people like us simply can’t compete. I don’t think it’s actually a good idea to compete with They cooperate (referring to the Saudi Arabian government) and while I think the money is great – it’s life-changing money for some people – I don’t actually think getting the government’s in the FGC Overwhelming support is a good idea because of what?
“Unfortunately, sponsors started pitching me the Esports World Cup. I don’t think I’ve ever been more humiliated than to say to those sponsors, ‘I can’t do this because I’m gay.'”
While players, commentators, and general community members agree with SonicFox on the matter, the fact is that government interest and funding in the FGC and esports in general is increasing. While Evo 2024 is not directly related to the eSports World Cup, one of its official partners is Qiddiya Gaming. Qiddiya Gaming, which is funded by the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund, not only has a booth at this year’s show but is also sponsoring the 2025 Evo Awards.
The Saudi Arabian government has been criticized for years for its treatment of LGBT+ people, as well as women and migrants at the border.
As SonicFox themselves said on Twitter earlier this year, the event in Saudi Arabia is a real concern for those with moral safety concerns. It also begs the question: Would a professional team be interested in becoming the best team in the world if one of the best players in the world couldn’t get sponsorship due to his sexual orientation or gender identity? Or is salary more important?
