Qiddiya City and RTS have now completely acquired fighting game tournament organizer Evo from NODWIN Gaming.
RTS, owned by Saudi Arabia's Qiddiya City, now has complete ownership over the Evolution Championship Series (Evo). After shifting between hands in recent years, one of the most prominent fighting game competitions in the world is now under the complete control of RTS and Qiddiya.
Qiddiya, RTS now owns Evo
A press release from Evo confirmed that Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) and RTS have acquired Evo from NODWIN Gaming.
This news comes shortly after the QIC bought the Evo organizer, RTS, in September last year. Meanwhile, NODWIN Gaming's stake in Evo came from Sony as the giant exited the scene in August of 2025.
Qiddiya City is pushing gaming and esports to be a big part of its development, even as far as dedicating an entire district to the industry. "This landmark transaction further reinforces Qiddiya City’s commitment to Gaming, Esports, and community-driven play as core pillars of its destination strategy," the press release read.
“Evo is a global gaming institution, built on community, competition, and creativity. Through RTS and Qiddiya City, we are committed to supporting Evo’s long-term growth in a way that respects its heritage and strengthens its role within the global Fighting Game Community. This is about investing in the future of play, and safeguarding what makes Evo special.”
Muhannad AlDawood, Chief Strategy Officer, Qiddiya Investment Company
Evo also reassured the FGC that "Evo’s traditions, values, and identity will remain unchanged, with a continued focus on serving players, fans, and publishers at every level of the industry" under the new ownership. Leadership will also remain the same with RTS CEO and co-founder Stuart Saw retaining his seat.
NODWIN Gaming will still be working with Evo, most likely as their dedicated production company. Evo is headed to Tokyo, Las Vegas, and Nice in 2026.
This partnership may also result in more fighting game presence in other Qiddiya-affiliated events, such as the Esports World Cup.
