Tony Hawk Impressed by Esports World Cup’s Scale in MENA Region

From skateboarding in drained swimming pools to becoming the global face of the sport, Tony Hawk has witnessed the incredible growth of an industry. Skateboarding has evolved from backyard sessions to the Olympic Games during his lifetime. Similarly, gaming and esports have rapidly transformed into global phenomena, captivating millions worldwide. At the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, even Hawk felt astonished by the scale of this ambitious event.

“This is my first time ever in Saudi Arabia and in Riyadh at the Esports World Cup. I think the most surprising thing is the size of it,” explained Tony Hawk. “I thought it would be one arena with games coming in and out. It’s multiple arenas, thousands of competitors, and it kind of takes over the whole city. It’s very impressive.”

Upon arriving in Riyadh, Tony seized the opportunity to check another country off his skating bucket list. He broke out his board to carve the streets of Saudi Arabia and explore the local skate scene.

“I think there’s a lot of potential here, especially in skateboarding or action sports,” Tony said. “I see a growing passion for skateboarding. They could really seize the opportunity and create a thriving skate scene very quickly.”

Engaging with Local Fans

Soaking in the atmosphere and touring the Esports World Cup Festival, Tony Hawk attracted significant attention from local fans eager to interact with a skateboarding icon.

“I am surprised any time I get recognized, especially in foreign countries that are not very skate-centric. It’s always a shock because I never got into skateboarding to be famous. No one was famous in skateboarding; in fact, it was the furthest thing from fame you could do when I started.”

“All these interactions I just think are entertaining because I get recognized, but people don’t expect me to have gotten older since they last saw me, usually from a video game. They’re like, ‘It looks like that guy, but he can’t be that old.’ And that’s fine with me.”

Parallels Between Skateboarding and Gaming

Having been at the forefront of an industry that accelerated from a niche activity to a global sport, Tony Hawk sees significant parallels between gaming and skateboarding. He believes esports will continue to grow, providing passionate gamers worldwide with opportunities to pursue impactful careers in the industry.

“I see a lot of parallels between skateboarding and gaming,” Tony said. “Especially in the early days, you did it because you loved it. It was the furthest thing from cool; there was no future, no career,” he added. “Mostly, you were told you shouldn’t be doing that, especially by adults.”

“Gaming is the same. When playing games as a kid, I’m sure parents thought you spent too much time doing it. They believed it wasn’t productive and that it ate into your homework or social life. Now it’s a huge industry, and you can become a professional, just like skateboarding.”

“I feel like the people who were there in the earlier days understand it on a deeper level because they were chastised for it. These days, if someone gets into skating or gaming, they know they could make a living out of it without question. Their parents might even encourage it. That’s kind of wild to me. No parents were really encouraging skateboarding in my day.”

Opportunities in the Gaming Industry

With the gaming and esports industry thriving globally, alongside the growth of streaming and social media, pathways into the gaming industry have emerged. These pathways create opportunities for young people to forge careers in the industry they love.

What seemed impossible a few years ago is now becoming a reality. The gaming industry continues to grow, offering opportunities for those with the ability, dedication, and creative spark to become professionals.

“My parents were the rare exception; they were supportive of my skating, but they didn’t think it would be a career either,” Tony said. “They wanted me to go to college. I was a professional skateboarder, buying a house in my senior year of high school, and they wanted me to enroll in college. So, they didn’t believe it would be my future either.”

“Kids who aspire to game for a living have a chance now, and their parents may support that decision. I don’t know if it’s going to happen every time, but it’s kind of like skateboarding in that way too. There are so many ways to do it. You can be a streamer, have your own niche, or create your own brand or personality. With skateboarding, it’s the same. You don’t have to compete. If you’re making good content and putting it out there, you can still thrive.”

The Legacy of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Upon release, the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series became one of the most popular video game franchises of all time. It defined a generation and accelerated the growth of skateboarding and gaming culture worldwide.

More than 20 years later, the re-release of the original titles and updates to the franchise continue to capture gamers’ imaginations. These updates connect them to the nostalgia of the originals while engaging a new generation of gamers.

“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 just came out, and it’s a remake of our third and fourth games from over 20 years ago,” Tony said. “I think the reason we even get to do those now is that there is a very deep nostalgia for these games. For people, I think it defines a time in their lives where they formed their taste in music and learned about something other than mainstream sports, specifically skateboarding, but also other fringe and alternative sports. I hear a lot of people say that it was their best days playing that game or that it’s the reason they failed college. Either way, I take it as a compliment.”

“I think what set Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater apart in the early days was that it was authentic. It represented skateboarding in all its forms: the culture, the music, the fashion, the skaters, the tricks, and the renegade attitude of hopping fences. To bring it back in 2025, we had to update it in all respects. I wanted to reflect how skateboarding is now, how much more inclusive and international it is, and I think we did that well. We chose some new skaters, brought back most of the iconic legends, and even added three new levels. I feel we’ve entered a new era.”