SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS REVEALS WINNER OF MENA’S FIRST-EVER ROBLOX ‘SPACE CUP’ FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

• The KSA team defeated Morocco in the championship to claim a product prize worth up to $10,000, led by famous YouTube player Pika Loli.
• In less than 10 days, the tournament had more than 1,500 registrations from the MENA region, and the game recorded more than 220,000 views.
• In the month since Space Cup launched, 475,000 have played the mini-games on Space Tycoon

Dubai, UAE, 20 December 2022

Samsung MENA has announced the winners of its first-ever Roblox Space Cup tournament, an exclusive closed-door event held on its virtual playground, Space Tycoon, and paying homage to the ongoing football league. The Saudi Arabian team was crowned champion of the first Space Cup, marking history in the virtual sports space.

The Saudi team was led by renowned YouTuber and gamer Pika Loli, who defeated Morocco’s (AbdelHadi) in the final match, winning $10,000 worth of Samsung products. Eight influencer-led teams from the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, and Tunisia competed over the two-day Roblox tournament to win the acclaimed trophy.

It is worth noting that in less than 10 days, more than 1,500 sports enthusiasts registered to witness the tournament, surpassing all expectations. The event was streamed on Samsung MENA’s YouTube channels and recorded over 220,000 views over the event’s two days (9 and 10 December).

Mohammed Al Azzawe, Head of Brand Marketing – MENA Regional HQ at Samsung Electronics, commented: “The first-of-its-kind virtual sports event recorded substantial interest across the region. The result was a testament to our ongoing efforts to engage with our Gen Z customers through interactive platforms while simultaneously providing an exhilarating experience. We will continue our march towards innovation and will spare no effort in empowering our consumers via our customised product experiences.”  

The Gen Z audience continues to visit Space Tycoon long after the tournament to play the new football-themed mini-games launched for sports and Roblox lovers to enjoy. With a record over 475,000 players joining to play the mini-games on Space Tycoon since the tournament was announced last month. Visits to Space Tycoon soared by 95% since the tournament’s debut, garnering 165 million impressions.

Due to Roblox’s wide appeal, and the expansive gaming community in MENA, selecting 16 finalists from 64 shortlisted players posed the biggest challenge. Space Cup was a huge success, receiving positive reactions from players and spectators across the MENA region before, during, and after the tournament.