Harbour, Hollywood Star Praises Exciting, Gorgeous Esports World Cup 2025
David Harbour, hollywood star, consistently dives headfirst into bold, uncharted territory and thrilling, from battling the horrors of the Upside Down as Chief Hopper in Stranger Things to stepping into the spotlight as Red Guardian in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, adventures.
At the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, the lifelong gamer and esports fan has been blown away by the size and scale of the event, the quality of the venues, and the masses of fans coming to Saudi Arabia to be a part of the world’s biggest celebration of esports and gaming culture.
“It’s a really wild event; I didn’t expect it to be this huge,” David explained. “It’s enormous. People have put a lot of love and care into this whole thing and it shows, you can feel it.”
“The venues are so gorgeous, I just keep raving about the production design. It just feels electric.”
“The esports world is just so big here in Saudi Arabia and in Riyadh, it’s fun to see. It’s been really exciting to be a part of the whole thing.”
As a passionate gamer who enjoys playing Last Epoch, World of Warcraft, StarCraft and other titles, David was excited to talk to players from around the world about his favorite games, and witness competitive gaming take center stage while elite players from all over the world converged in Saudi Arabia for esports’ biggest showcase.
“I’m a Bronze League Hero [in StarCraft]. I’m definitely terrible at all the games you will see played here, the ones that matter and are important,” says David. “League of Legends, Dota 2, Honor of Kings, StarCraft II, all these games that require teamwork, expertise, talent and skill, I have none of those.”
“I played those games back in college, like StarCraft and World of Warcraft, and we started watching competitive play in those games. I would try to play too but my brain just doesn’t work that way. I mostly play single player games. Now I’m into action RPGs, and I played a little bit of Last Epoch. I really like young companies coming on to the scene because it’s fun to get new ideas into the gaming world.”
Expressing admiration and appreciation for the skills of esports athletes, David is convinced that esports will continue to grow globally and become more mainstream, as the culture develops and the world begins to appreciate the talent that’s required to become an elite esports player.
“In all eras of time we’ve deified various artists,” David explains. “If you think back to the Renaissance, it would have been painters and sculptors, in the Viennese court at the turn of the century it was musicians, now there’s something in the culture with these guys.”
“They have the same sort of artistry, proficiency and skill, and they’re prodigies. I think they’re incredible. I would call them athletes and artists.”
Recognizing the elite skills of esports players, David highlighted the shared qualities of focus, pressure and performance that connect the world of esports and acting.
“When I’m acting or doing something really exciting in a scene, it’s almost as if time has a different quality. It slows down,” David explains.
“My perception of my scene with a partner changes, the way I see them react, their emotions, the way my emotions change. You might just watch it and it goes by in an instant. I think it’s the same thing with these players, you get into something of a flow state and time slows down.”
“Getting into that creative state allows you to perform at the highest level. I think what’s interesting with esports players and with actors, I never got into acting to be famous; it’s lovely but I didn’t do it to make money. I think these esports players are the same, I don’t think any of them get into it thinking I will win millions of dollars, I think they do it because they just love playing these games, and that love of it, I think, will put you in the creative state.”
Despite being an avid gamer and self-confessed nerd, it wasn’t only esports that caught David’s attention during his first visit to Riyadh. Away from the excitement of the tournaments, David has expressed his love of Saudi culture and fondness for the people he has interacted with during his stay.
“I’ve gotten to meet some incredible people. There’s just something about the culture and people here, they’ve been so gentle and they take time for you, they’re willing to engage with you. To meet with all these kind people is really nice.”
For more information and tickets, including access to all tournament days and festival experiences, are available now at esportsworldcup.com.
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