Festival Favorites: Week 2 Review
Jul 18, 2025.
From nostalgic gaming throwbacks to hands-on anime fun, Week 2 of the 2025 Esports World Cup Festival brought excitement, thrills, and giveaways to attendees.
The Esports World Cup is more than just a singular tournament series; it’s a celebration of all things esports and gaming. Across EWC 25’s sprawling venue, dozens of showcases, events, and demonstrations filled Week 2, amping up the festival atmosphere and bringing excitement galore.
Here’s a showcase of some of the best moments and attractions from Week 2 of the Esports World Cup Festival.
Pepsiman Tournament
In a collaboration that perhaps never could have happened without Pepsi’s strategic partnership with the Esports World Cup, 1999’s most popular beverage-inspired character made its return. Friday, July 18th, marked the start of a one-of-a-kind Pepsiman tournament at Retro Park, where fans and visitors flocked to compete and see who could pull off the longest run in the cult-classic game.
Gundam Building
Anime fans are spoiled for choice at the 2025 Esports World Cup’s Japan Park, with performances, exhibitions, and unique experiences. However, for those mecha-minded among us, the biggest draw was the huge display models of the RX-78-2 Gundam and gMS-Ω GQuuuuuuX. Luckily, there was no need to just stand and stare.
All this week and for the duration of the festival, visitors are able to sit down, build, and take home their very own Gundam at the Gunpla Building station. Whether it’s your first model kit or you’re a veteran builder buried in sprues, this is the destination for Mobile Suit Gundam fanatics.
ML:BB Publishers Booth
Visitors to the STC Gaming Hall this week could get their hands on the latest features Moonton is set to add to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. From a Mobile Legends 1v1 tournament to the opportunity for players to try out the exclusive PRO-I skins before they’re released, there were a host of reasons to check it out. And each participant scored a giveaway just for trying them. Attendees were also able to dive into the thrilling new Magic Chess: Go Go autobattler mode for ML:BB and experience the next level of strategy and fun.
MOC Traditional Food Festival
Outside the Esports World Cup Festival’s multiple venues, the virtual thrill of gaming meets real-world excitement. These vibrant spaces buzz with energy, creating that festival atmosphere from first arrival ’til after dark. Organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the MOC Traditional Food Festival – hosted in the common areas of the grounds – offers a taste of local flavor with authentic, natively produced cuisine. Our favorite? The rich, aromatic shay (Arabic tea), served hot and brimming with tradition. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss.
Riot Games Publishers Park
Coinciding with VALORANT and League of Legends at EWC 25, Riot Games has taken over Publisher Park to offer a series of unique experiences to their dedicated players. While there’s cool merchandise for TFT, VALORANT, and League of Legends, the thing that stood was the LoL Skin Wishing Tree. Players can write down their Riot ID and preferred skin on a tag, make a wish, and tie it to the Wishing Tree. After this season ends, their wish could come true.
With hundreds of matches set to take place over the next few days, and an entire festival of attractions, there’s something for everyone at the 2025 Esports World Cup. Watch EWC 25 live or check out the ticket options to watch in-person this week!
