The inaugural Esports Nations Cup is postponed by a year as organisers reassess the wider regional situation and work with national teams, game publishers and partners on a revised timeline.
The Esports Foundation postponed the tournament to November 2027, with the event originally scheduled to take place in November 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The decision follows discussions with national teams, game publishers and other partners involved in the tournament.
The ENC involves more than 100 countries and territories, making coordination across national teams and industry partners a significant part of the planning process. The foundation says the additional year provides stakeholders with a more stable timeline to prepare for the competition.
The Esports Foundation shared that the postponement does not affect its commitment to the tournament or its existing national esports initiatives. Funding pledged through the ENC development fund for national team partners will remain in place, while other development programme continue.
The organisation also clarifies that the delay is not related to Saudi Arabia’s ability to host large-scale events. The foundation now works with game publishers and national partners to revise qualification plans and other details for the 2027 competition.
Meanwhile, gaming spending is becoming increasingly concentrated among a relatively small group of players, according to Bain & Company’s 2026 gaming report.
The report, based on a survey of 5,339 gamers, finds that the top 20 per cent of gaming spenders accounted for 73 per cent of total gaming expenditure. The most active 20 per cent of players also generate 59 per cent of all playing time.
The findings highlight the growing importance of highly engaged and high-spending players for game publishers. Bain said publishers can increasingly assess market opportunities through spending, engagement and player behaviour rather than relying only on total audience size.
Younger players emerge as an important spending group. About 86 per cent of gamers aged 13 to 17 spend money on gaming activities in a typical month, compared with 53 per cent of players in their 50s and 27 per cent of those in their 70s.
Players who create game content for public use are also twice as likely to spend money, according to the report. The findings suggest that publishers are placing greater importance on player engagement and spending behaviour as they assess opportunities within the global gaming market.
