- Gamers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt spent $2 billion in video games in 2024.
- They view video games as a social task and are open to world IPs, if localised correctly.
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“Gaming is turning into a strategic pillar in virtual economies” within the MENA area, in keeping with Niko Companions analyst Mohamed Zaher.
Talking on the Pocket Gamer Connects Dubai GameExpo Summit 2025, Zaher involved in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, which make up “the majority of the area’s gaming earnings and userbase”.
In 2024, the ones 3 nations generated $2 billion in video games earnings with over $1bn coming from cell, throughout a complete playerbase of 70.3 million. Maximum avid gamers within the area are underneath 35, grew up with telephones and the web, and feature prime disposable source of revenue.
“We’re witnessing year-on-year enlargement, in order that way the marketplace isn’t but saturated – it’s nonetheless rising. Particularly in cell and esports-led tasks that we’re seeing within the MENA area.
“One of the crucial defining characteristics we’re seeing for avid gamers within the MENA area is they deal with gaming as a social task, no longer simply as a type of solo leisure.”
Zaher additionally highlighted an build up in feminine avid gamers in those 3 MENA nations, now at 35% of overall gamers. This proportion is simply 2% not up to is observed throughout Asia general.
Thus, he famous elements builders will have to believe to be able to take advantage of the rising marketplace.
The depths of localisation
“Assume globally, act in the neighborhood,” Zaher mentioned. “This sentence is particularly related with regards to the MENA area. We’re seeing around the area a large number of focus from gamers, they usually’re open to world IPs.”
He indexed Fortnite, Name of Responsibility, PUBG Cellular and Genshin Have an effect on as “vastly fashionable” examples, however advised good fortune in MENA doesn’t merely imply introducing pre-established video games to the marketplace. Relatively, Zaher mentioned MENA gamers reply best possible to video games that really feel like they don’t seem to be simply translated, however “made for them”.
That may imply Arabic voiceover, locally suitable advertising and marketing campaigns, figuring out native values and humour, and adapted monetisation methods with the area’s fee strategies.
Zaher went on to speak about MENA’s outlook going ahead, the funding alternatives, and investor-friendly tax and rules. There are over 40 zones within the United Arab Emirates with tax exemptions, for instance.
Be informed extra in regards to the MENA marketplace at Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba on November eighth and ninth.
