UAE gamers want in on multi-billion-dollar industry
From a new facility here, gamers are hosting virtual regional e-sports competitions sponsored by global brands as they shoot to become major players in the multi-billion-dollar industry.
Indian expat Saad Khan said he realised there was “huge opportunity” in e-sports in the region four years ago when he saw people crowding into rapidly-sprouting cybercafes here, one of the United Arab Emirates’ seven emirates.
That was when Khan, who has a strong background in technology, decided to found Gamers Hub Media Events (GHME) to host eSports tournaments in the Middle East and North Africa.
“We’re here for the gamers, we are here for our sponsors, and we are here to give the best experience possible,” said Khan, 45, who is GHME chief executive officer.
To diversify its oil-dependent economy and boost its soft power, the UAE and its legion of young expats have in recent years jumped into a range of sectors, including sports and technology.
The global games and interactive media industry grew 12 per cent to US$139.9 billion last year, according to United States-based data analytics company Nielsen.
In the Gulf, the gaming market is expected to reach US$821 million this year, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia the biggest players, according to consulting firm Strategy&.
“There’s a huge sponsorship value that has increased... the number of gamers has increased, and I’m also seeing a lot of teams being formed, which was not happening before,” said Khan.
GHME has partnerships with Intel, Dell Alienware, Lenovo Legion and Omen by HP. Last year, GHME landed a deal with German luxury automaker BMW, which sponsors gaming tournaments in the region.
And GHME is set to expand its reach further, opening offices in Spain, India and South Africa.
For Ghazi Beydoun, 29, a gaming enthusiast heading business development at GHME, the future of e-sports in the Middle East is promising, with major talent emerging in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“We have a lot of players here with a lot of talent that are lacking support, but this support is now coming,” the Lebanese expat said.
Dubai-based Boss Bunny Games is now part of that “ecosystem”, with plans to launch what the UAE says is the first video game inspired by Gulf culture.
Set for release this year, the game will feature Emirati characters from the popular local children’s cartoon Freej, which revolves around four old Emirati women in full traditional dress, living in modern-day Dubai.
“It’s 100 per cent a private initiative, but we do have massive support from the government,” said Boss Bunny Games chief executive officer Geraint Bungay.
The British expat, with 25 years’ experience in the industry, said he co-founded the company here because of the emirate’s thirst for technology, its international engineers and proximity to major game consumer Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi is the number five market in the world for games in terms of revenue, so it’s absolutely a huge market. A lot of people... don’t realise the size of the games market in the region at all.”