This year’s Saudi Esports World Cup (EWC) is making waves with its unique trophy system and a staggering $60 million prize pool, setting a new global benchmark. Gamers worldwide finally have the chance to witness firsthand the impressive and extravagant Saudi esports scene.
For Chinese esports enthusiasts, the event brought an exciting twist — iDreamSky’s anime-style TPS game, Strinova, was featured in the illustrious Saudi lineup.
Consider this: most of the games featured at this event, like League of Legends, CS2, and Honor of Kings, are global powerhouses with decades-long legacies. In comparison, Strinova, which just celebrated its first anniversary this August, is still a newcomer.
However, seasoned anime game fans know that in battle series, only exceptionally skilled new talents can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the legends. In this EWC, Strinova represents a fresh, dynamic force in the shooter game arena.
According to GameLook’s observations, Strinova recently completed its first Closed Beta Test (CBT), creating a buzz among gamers and streamers in North America, Europe, and Asia. Domestically, the recent “Championship – Starlight Cup” elevated Strinova’s esports scene to new heights, marking the first time Chinese Strinova champions directly qualified for global competitions.
The Saudi EWC reflects Strinova’s rapid growth. After solidifying its foundation in the domestic market, the game is now swiftly expanding its international presence. Undoubtedly, iDreamSky, the company behind Strinova, has a golden opportunity to unlock more possibilities in the global market with this game as its spearhead.
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As the two-day event concluded, top Strinova players from China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the USA delivered three thrilling peak matches. China’s team “MMR” showcased their dominant prowess, successfully winning the trophy after two rounds of elimination matches.
It wasn’t just a victory for the Chinese players; this EWC event brought us something even more significant. Despite being Strinova’s debut on the world stage, the game’s popularity among viewers proved it truly belongs in the major leagues.
On Bilibili, the two-day event soared to the top of the live-streaming popularity charts, attracting tens of thousands of viewers. Beyond domestic streaming platforms, the official broadcasts were also simultaneously live-streamed globally on YouTube and Twitch. The chatrooms sizzled with comments in various languages: fans cheering for their favorite players, live critiques of the matches, and more. It was a lively gathering of fans from around the world. Post-event discussion threads emerged on Reddit and Twitter, with fans analyzing and reviewing the matches—clearly showing that Strinova has already garnered its first wave of dedicated fans even before its official overseas launch. This is undoubtedly a positive sign.
In Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, the atmosphere was even more electric. In the audience, fans from across the globe sat together, waving glow sticks. Cheers erupted frequently as players made stunning plays.
A North American fan personally delivered a cake to the development team to celebrate Strinova’s first anniversary, expressing gratitude for their heartfelt dedication in creating the game. Even Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, attended the event to cheer on the players.
Why did this event ignite such excitement both at home and abroad? GameLook believes that Strinova offers a unique and exhilarating viewing experience that’s distinct from other esports games. In one word: “thrilling.”
Strinova’s high mobility and flexibility lead to incredibly fast-paced combat. Players, with their exceptional skills, use abilities like Stringification to scale walls and navigate quickly, creating dynamic and ever-changing gunfight scenarios. Teams gain advantages through precise skill combinations and clever use of throwable items to gather intel and secure optimal positions, gradually tightening their grip on the opposition. This blend of strategic depth and unexpected twists keeps the matches brimming with excitement and highlight moments.
What also sparked an incredible sense of excitement was the glory that epitomizes the spirit of esports. Many international players, despite stepping onto a major tournament stage for the first time, were fueled by their desire for victory. After the event, players from the American team “Super Shuai” highly praised Strinova’s competitive nature. They admitted that the Chinese players’ skills created a noticeable gap but felt inspired to establish a formal professional team back home and continue competing in Strinova tournaments in the future. A player from the Saudi team expressed his intention to shift his primary training focus to Strinova after experiencing the event and committed to advancing in this direction.
Players from China’s MMR team personally thanked the Strinova development team for giving them the opportunity to showcase their skills on a global stage. They expressed their hope to achieve even greater success next year and bring the championship trophy back to China. This international exchange of enthusiasm and competition fired up all participants’ passions.
In a way, “thrill” is a universal emotion shared among gamers worldwide. This is why the Strinova event captured the attention of audiences from various countries. Following this globally watched EWC event, Strinova, which previously focused on domestic tournaments, has now successfully entered the global TPS player community, establishing itself as an international esports brand.
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The recent EWC event marks the third major breakout moment for Strinova over the past year and a half.
Fans who have been following this game might remember the first round of buzz during Strinova’s domestic beta test and initial launch. However, what might be less known to domestic players is that as iDreamSky began promoting Strinova overseas, the game captured the collective attention of global players and KOLs during its CBT phase with its high-quality, trendy style.
In Japan, top TPS streamers like “SHAKAch” and variety streamers like “k4sen” joined the Strinova streaming lineup after the initial test began. Countless VTubers also made teaming up in Strinova part of their content, turning it into another phenomenon in Japan following Apex Legends.
On the Twitch platform in Europe and North America, Strinova ranked as the overall Top 9 game on the first day of testing and peaked at number 4 in the shooter category. At its highest point, over 35,000 Twitch viewers were watching Strinova streams simultaneously.
Popular streamers like “DokiBird” and “BTMC” also participated in live streams during the testing phase. “Tuonto,” a prominent North American Genshin Impact streamer with millions of followers, not only live-streamed his deep dive into the game but also created a beginner’s guide for new players on the international server. “Kariyu,” a Valorant streamer with hundreds of thousands of followers, initiated a “100 Days of Strinova” challenge and even got Valorant champion “aspas” to join him, effectively becoming Strinova’s international ambassador.
GameLook believes that the overwhelming international enthusiasm secured Strinova a spot at the EWC, even earning praise from Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan. These repeated breakthrough moments, both domestically and internationally, prove that Strinova isn’t just enjoying its “15 minutes of fame.” Instead, it has genuinely filled a gap in the shooter game market, attracting a large user base with its unique product style.
For gamers outside the traditional sphere, the “anime + shooter” combo—previously unexplored but highly fitting—leaves a strong first impression. The Stringification mechanism, which transforms characters into paper-like figures, deeply embeds a sense of distinctiveness in players’ minds, making the game unforgettable at first glance. In fact, GameLook noted that short videos and tweets about “Anime Girls Turning Into Paper Figures” sparked significant organic virality on social media platforms like X.
However, compared to the traditional hardcore FPS/TPS audience, this breakout path tends to attract a more casual and generalized player base. Strinova addresses this by creating a gameplay system that is “easy to learn, hard to master” through various design elements. For anime fans new to shooter games, Strinova’s features like fixed bullet spread and stable shooting while moving allow them to quickly grasp the basics needed for matches. This provides a faster sense of enjoyment compared to the high learning curve of CS-like shooters.
As players gain a deeper understanding of the system, character skills, team coordination, the use of throwable items, and the in-match economy offer nearly endless opportunities for strategic exploration. This not only keeps high-level players engaged over the long term but also enhances the overall appeal of esports events.
In a way, much like how Apex Legends gained traction in Japan and PUBG took off in China, Strinova is expanding the shooter genre to a younger anime-loving audience, fostering rare growth within the genre. With its unique theme and trendy style, Strinova has quickly become a popular choice among new-generation players and streamers worldwide.
Looking ahead, characters like “Flavia” and “Kanami” from Strinova are poised to become iconic figures, creating cherished memories for an entire generation of shooter game enthusiasts.
Sparking an Anime Craze in Global Shooter Gaming
When we look back at this year’s Saudi EWC in the future, we might realize it marked a significant milestone in Strinova’s journey to becoming a top-tier global esports title. Leveraging this premier esports event platform, Strinova’s anime aesthetics have reached a broader audience.
Driving Strinova’s rapid growth is iDreamSky’s swift global expansion. In May, iDreamSky announced at the 2024 Strinova Global Launch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that they would establish their Middle East headquarters in Riyadh and further expand their global footprint.
Strinova’s explosive popularity in multiple countries across North America, Europe, and Japan largely followed this global launch event. For iDreamSky, this unexpected success was a welcome surprise.
The rapid spread on social media has once again demoncupted the immense potential behind iDreamSky’s flagship self-developed product. Its potential audience extends far beyond the Middle East and China. With the right marketing strategies, Strinova could easily become a global hit, transcending cultures and regions. Promoting this game will also enable iDreamSky to gain valuable insights into various international markets, further expanding their global business landscape.
Reportedly, the PC version of Strinova is set for a global release in the fourth quarter of this year. Riding the wave of excitement from both anime enthusiasts and hardcore shooter fans, Strinova is primed to be the “key” that unlocks the global market for iDreamSky.
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Company Name: Shenzhen iDreamsky Technology Co.,Ltd
Contact Person: Tina Sun
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Country: China
Website: https://en.idreamsky.com