How eSports Are Changing the Way Saudi Students Learn

From Hobby to Skillset: The Rise of eSports in Saudi Arabia
Over the past few years, eSports has taken root in Saudi culture. From major tournaments held in Riyadh Boulevard to national championships featuring games like Fortnite, FIFA, and Roblox, competitive gaming is now a recognized and respected activity.

I’ve worked closely with students who don’t just play for fun — they train, strategize, and compete. Through after-school gaming camps, we prepared teams ahead of national robotics and gaming competitions. These weren’t just casual players. They followed structured routines, ate healthy meals, took physical breaks, and even practiced mindfulness after stressful matches. Gaming taught them more than how to win — it taught them how to grow.

Simulators, Strategy & STEM: A New Learning Arena
Gaming isn’t just confined to traditional eSports titles. In the world of STEM education, we’ve also used gaming platforms to prepare students for high-level robotics competitions.

Take the FTC and VRC competitions, for example. Before students ever touch a real robot, they begin with a virtual simulation. These simulations allow students from across Saudi Arabia to practice the game rules, scoring systems, and team strategy in a virtual environment. They control virtual robots, learn how alliances work, and prepare for the exact game they’ll face in real life.

In these early stages, students focus not on creativity or building, but on driving skills and tactical decision-making. It’s incredibly effective. By the time they transition to building real robots and programming them, they already understand the challenge deeply. They’ve already played the game.

And it's not just VEX or FTC — even WRO and FLL offer virtual simulation tracks. In some, students program their robots using block-based coding and test the outcome in a digital arena. This mirrors real-world engineering: design, simulate, improve, and apply.

Healthy Gamers, Happy Learners: Training With Purpose
One of the most common concerns about gaming is health — and it’s a valid one. That’s why, as a coach, I put structure first.

During our training camps, I advised students to limit intense gaming to five hours a day, with scheduled physical breaks, healthy snacks, and even music interludes to reduce stress. After each match, especially the tough ones, we encouraged movement exercises to release tension and improve focus.

This routine didn’t just protect their health — it boosted their performance. Students became calmer, more resilient, and more team-oriented. Gaming taught them how to balance pressure and passion.

Beyond Fun: Using Gaming Across All Subjects
What excites me most is that gaming’s impact isn’t limited to robotics or eSports. Today, we’re integrating gaming elements across all core subjects.

In science and math, we use simulation games and VR to teach concepts like velocity, gravity, and geometry. In Arabic and Islamic studies, we design interactive stories and game-based quizzes to bring lessons to life. For English, students explore story-driven games that enhance reading comprehension and vocabulary.

The key? Engagement. Gaming makes learning feel like a choice, not a chore. And when students are having fun, their minds are open to so much more.

Conclusion: A Game Plan for the Future
If we want students who are collaborative, adaptable, and tech-savvy — we need to meet them where they already are: in the game.

Whether it’s learning game rules through simulators, preparing for robotics challenges, exploring subject content through interactive games, or competing in national eSports tournaments, students in Saudi Arabia are already proving that gaming and education aren’t separate paths — they’re part of the same journey.

Let’s support them with the right tools, the right structure, and a vision that sees beyond the screen — to the skills, values, and confidence they’re building every time they play.

About the Author
Eng. Hiba Ekhlassi is the Robotics and STEM Coordinator at Al-Faris International School in Riyadh. She is a certified gaming coach from the Saudi eSports Academy and a passionate advocate for integrating technology, gaming, and innovation into education.