According to a recent report by Niko Partners, the games market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA-3), encompassing Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, experienced a significant increase of 7.8% year-on-year, reaching $1.92 billion in 2023. Forecasts suggest this figure will continue to climb, reaching $2.65 billion by 2027.
Notably, Saudi Arabia emerged as the primary contributor to this revenue, accounting for more than half of the region’s gaming income, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 31.9%, and Egypt with 10.5%.
This growth surge was attributed to heightened investments from both public and private sectors, coupled with the region’s affluent disposable income and a growing demand from its youthful demographic.
The number of gamers in the MENA-3 region rose to 68.4 million in 2023, marking a 2.9% increase from the previous year, with projections indicating a further increase to 79.6 million by 2027. Egypt boasted the highest proportion of players, constituting over half of the gaming population, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates accounted for 30.4% and 11.1%, respectively.
Furthermore, the report highlighted the flourishing esports scene in the region, with 71.5% of players actively participating, a trend bolstered by government backing.
Smartphones emerged as the primary gaming platform, with 87.2% of gamers utilizing these devices. On average, players spent 8.7 hours per week engaged in gaming activities.
Lisa Hanson, CEO and president of Niko Partners, emphasized the significance of the MENA region in the global gaming landscape, given its vast Arabic-speaking population, ranking it as the fifth most spoken language globally.
She underscored the importance for companies to understand the nuances of the MENA gaming markets, advocating for a localized approach to capitalize on the growth opportunities, particularly in key markets like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other GCC countries.
