Riyadh-based Vanguard has invested in Blackmagic Design solutions to elevate the scale, efficiency and quality of esports production in Saudi Arabia. Vijaya Cherian explores how the company is using the technology to power the next phase of live gaming.
Esports in Saudi Arabia is no longer just a pastime; it has evolved into a sophisticated ecosystem where high-octane competition meets cutting-edge production. The broader esports ecosystem in the Middle East and Africa, for instance, is on a rapid growth trajectory, with the regional market valued at $69m in 2024 and projected to reach nearly $190m by 2030, according to Grand View Research. Within this landscape, Saudi Arabia is emerging as a powerhouse, with the country’s gaming and esports sector forecast to generate $13.3bn by 2030, driven by national investment and initiatives such as the Savvy Games Group and the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
Vanguard is one Riyadh-based company that has capitalised on this and dedicated itself to working exclusively on esports. Its mission spans the full lifecycle of an esports event, from concept and rules enforcement to graphics, packaging, production and live execution.
Leading the live production efforts at the company is Mohammed Nasser, Head of Live Production. With a background in post-production, he transitioned into live esports when he joined Vanguard in 2017, a move that would define his career. “Although I started out in post, when I joined Vanguard in 2017 I moved into live production. It was a steep learning curve, but also incredibly rewarding.”
The company has a team of roughly 100 professionals working across live production, facility management and communications. “Our focus is on consistency and scalability. Unlike traditional sports, which may be seasonal or have one-off events, esports operate nearly every weekend of the year. We have to be ready for any game, any format, every week,” Nasser explains.
One of Vanguard’s key differentiators is its ability to tell the story of a match from multiple angles. The team captures every player’s point of view, weaving together the individual and team narratives that unfold within the game.
“In esports, the story unfolds differently than in traditional sports,” says Nasser. “We don’t just focus on a central action area. We capture individual players’ POVs, their interactions and critical in-game moments. Observers embedded within the game help us switch perspectives seamlessly, so the audience always gets the full experience.”
To manage the complexity of constant production cycles, Vanguard turned to Blackmagic Design for its simplicity and scalability. Nasser says the decision was driven largely by ease of use and the company’s unique staffing model. Most of Vanguard’s team had never worked in production before, so a system that could be quickly learned and deployed was essential.
“One of my main concerns was that a lot of the other production equipment is very complicated compared to Blackmagic, especially since our team is not made up of production professionals with prior experience,” he says. “We train our teams from the ground up. Over 95% of my production employees are first-time production employees. We start them on a contractor programme, then hire them full-time to develop them into producers and directors.”
Availability and compatibility also played a major role. Much of the equipment is readily accessible in the Saudi market, allowing the company to move fast and stay self-sufficient. Nasser says this agility is key to operations. “Most of the equipment is available in the market, so we don’t have to wait for long lead times like with other manufacturers. For us, lead time is always short and we prefer to decide within days.”
The company’s flagship initiative, the Saudi League, showcases the full scale of Vanguard’s technical operations. Unlike most sports leagues that focus on a single discipline or run for a few months, the Saudi League spans multiple games throughout the year. Each week, production shifts between different formats, from one-on-one fighting games to massive battle royales and team-based tournaments, each requiring different setups, overlays and workflows.
“One of the main challenges with production is the scale of the project and the frequency of events,” Nasser says. “Some games are one versus one, others are 64 players at the same time, which requires us to scale differently every week and be ready to change within days.”
Blackmagic Design has been central to keeping pace with this dynamic schedule. Nasser explains that other solutions might take months to integrate, but with Blackmagic, Vanguard can deploy new systems within a week or two. “It helps us expand or deploy new solutions that we never did before, such as converters or switches It’s also easier to stay within the ecosystem because it works, it’s compatible and it’s reliable. I rarely have any issues with it, so we don’t feel the need to risk switching to someone else.”
The Saudi League covers around 15 games in total, each with a different number of matches and distinct production requirements. A single Street Fighter event might involve 12 live matches in one day, while a PUBG Mobile tournament could have 15 per event. With competitions happening four times a year, the league delivers more than 150 matches per season, running from February through November.
Vanguard also manages all audiovisual and lighting operations for the Saudi Esports Federation’s purpose-built arena. Designed with activations and community areas, it features about 700sqm of LED walls. “We have static cameras on stage for the host, moving cameras on a gimbal for players and audience shots, and multiple cameras on the analyst and commentator desks,” says Nasser. “Finally, we have POV cameras for each player – those are Micro Studio cameras – while the URSA Broadcast is used for stage, analyst and commentator coverage.”
Behind the scenes, a permanent control room anchors the operation. Located within the arena complex, it houses the playrooms, IT hub, talent studios, media production offices and the main control suite. “The building behind the stage houses everything we need, from playrooms and IT to talent and production offices.”
At the core of Vanguard’s workflow are ATEM Constellations – two 4 M/E HD units and one 4K. One serves as the main switcher for cameras, graphics and replays, while another supports a smaller studio. “The 2 M/E is used as support for extra cameras, especially POVs,” Nasser says. “Once the 4K is free from the other venue, we’ll bring it back and replace the HD.”
ATEM Mini Extreme ISO units are also used as backups and for in-game observer feeds. “For example, in Overwatch we have four or five observers in the game,” Nasser explains. “The game director switches perspectives using the ATEM Mini, which then feeds into the 4 M/E for broadcast.” HyperDecks, newly integrated into the workflow, record multiple feeds for both backup and content creation, while Remix Replay handles live replays during events.
Vanguard broadcasts on YouTube, Twitch and Twitter, with LED walls in the arena fed directly from the ATEM switchers. “Graphics are done with Resi, and the broadcast feed is shown to the audience at the venue,” says Nasser.
Reliability remains a cornerstone of Vanguard’s choice of technology. Blackmagic systems, Nasser says, are not only dependable but also intuitive. “It’s very reliable. We never had issues with it. It does all the jobs that other brands do, but in a user-friendly way. That is the biggest advantage for us, along with availability, affordability and short learning curves. We can learn a new piece of equipment in one or two days and be ready for production.”
The Saudi League, he notes, was designed to develop talent across every level of the ecosystem, from players to production teams. “The special thing about the Saudi League is that it’s built by the federation to create everything locally, from players to talents to the operator team, developing them to a global standard for esports.”
Saudi Arabia’s esports ecosystem is expanding rapidly, drawing international attention and investment. Vanguard’s model of combining robust infrastructure, adaptable technology and an in-house talent pipeline positions it as a leader in the region. Its approach contrasts sharply with traditional sports production, which often relies on long lead times and specialised crews. Esports, by contrast, demands agility, rapid adaptation and a deep understanding of diverse game mechanics and formats.
“Every week presents a new challenge,” Nasser reflects. “We might switch from a 1v1 fighting game to a massive battle royale tournament. Each format has unique requirements for cameras, graphics and production workflows. Blackmagic gives us the flexibility to scale instantly and maintain consistency across all events.”
Vanguard’s multi-camera setups, immersive LED walls and integrated graphics ensure fans – whether in the arena or watching online – experience every critical moment. “We strive for production values that rival global esports tournaments. Our goal is immersion, reliability and an experience that keeps viewers returning week after week.”
Looking ahead, Vanguard plans to expand its technical capabilities, explore emerging esports titles and refine workflows to maximise efficiency.
“The Saudi League is just the beginning,” Nasser concludes. “We’re building a complete ecosystem from players and production teams to technology. The industry is evolving fast, and we’re proud to be leading that transformation.”
