How Dubai is positioning itself as the Middle East's gaming hub

MenaTech Entertainment chief executive Mario Perez speaks to The National about how the emirate's latest moves are shaping the future of the industry in the region

Dubai aims to create 30,000 new jobs in the gaming sector by 2033. Pawan Singh / The National

Gaming is becoming a serious business in the Middle East. This month, the Esports World Cup started in Saudi Arabia, kicking off seven weeks of tournaments to crown the world's best gamers across 21 games.

The global event is of benefit not only for to Saudi gaming industry, but the wider Middle East as well.

In an interview with The National, Mario Perez, the chief executive of regional esports pioneer MenaTech Entertainment, said the event would “not only position Saudi Arabia as a leader in digital entertainment but also signal a significant economic shift”.

He added: “With the region hosting 377 million gamers and experiencing an annual revenue growth of 23.3 per cent in esports, the event is more than a mere competition. It's a catalyst for technological innovation and economic development.”

Perez expects the Esports World Cup to dramatically increase tourism and create new job opportunities, embedding esports into the cultural and economic landscape of the region.

“Projections indicate that the number of gamers in the Mena region will increase from 67.4 million in 2022 to 88 million by 2026,” he said.

The tech boss has been living in Dubai for the past four years after moving from South America, having worked on several gaming start-ups across the continent. His company, MenaTech, is part of the global gaming conglomerate GG Tech, which oversees esports tournaments as well as invests in video game production.

Speaking on how Dubai is positioning itself as the Middle East's gaming hub, Perez says the city is implementing innovative policies and hosting pivotal industry events.

“Gaming industry top publishers are flocking to Dubai, drawn by its dynamic business environment, investment-friendly policies, and high digital engagement,” he explained.

One of these gaming initiatives is the DMCC Gaming Centre, which hosts around 100 gaming companies.

Perez also hails the different gaming expos and summits that Dubai hosts as a driver of growth in the industry, adding: “Through these initiatives, Dubai aims to create 30,000 jobs in the gaming sector and contribute $1 billion to its GDP by 2033, solidifying its role as a regional leader in the gaming industry.”

Gaming has been experiencing near exponential growth over the years, but markets have shown that the growth could be plateauing. But Perez is unfazed.

“I don't see that these changes that we've been feeling since the beginning of this year as us reaching that limit that the gaming industry can offer,” he said.

“I think it's just a way of the market to balance a little bit. We were growing so exponentially in a way that was not sustainable and a lot of money was put into the gaming industry without even thinking.”

Mobile gaming is perhaps the only sector within gaming that rarely sees slowdown. A study by market intelligence platform data.ai found that mobile gaming was projected to remain the industry's most lucrative segment, with consumer spending hitting about $108 billion in 2023.

“It is the biggest way of gaming there is,” Perez said. “Almost all of us have a cell phone. Targeting that audience, even if it's just casual gaming and being able to monetise through that audience, even if it's just a dollar, it's huge.”

The future of gaming, he adds, could see a convergence of mobile and console gaming as technologies like remote play and cloud gaming mature, facilitated by advances in 5G and Wi-Fi 7.

“This integration would allow seamless gaming experiences across devices, addressing the current fragmented mobile gaming ecosystem,” Perez said.

“To achieve this, mobile games will need to continually evolve in quality, mirroring their console counterparts, and simplify access through unified platforms.”