Pandemic gives spark for progress in Arabic cellular video games trade
The cellular video games trade is arguably one of many fastest-growing industries within the Center East and North Africa. There was an increase within the variety of cellular avid gamers in recent times, which leapt additional after the worldwide pandemic struck in 2020.
It was one of many few industries that really boomed because of lockdown restrictions. The well being disaster accelerated the expansion of the trade and has prompted buyers to take a more in-depth have a look at MENA cellular video games corporations.
Gaming income within the Center East, North Africa and Turkey surged 15 p.c yearly to $6.5 billion in 2021, in line with consultants Redseer. Saudi Arabian avid gamers accounted for $1.3 billion of this market.
Around the globe, there are about three billion avid gamers, with MENA gamers accounting for 15 p.c, or 434 million avid gamers, in line with gaming market information platform Newzoo.
However ten years in the past, folks didn’t perceive the huge alternative introduced by the cellular video games trade throughout the area. This was primarily as a result of Arabic content material on-line was extraordinarily restricted and Arabic cellular video games have been virtually non-existent.
There are over 400 million Arabic audio system, however there was lower than 1 p.c of Arabic gaming content material out there a decade in the past. A large hole available in the market was clearly being neglected. However in 2012, entrepreneurs similar to Hussam Hammo — CEO & founding father of Tamatem Video games — realized there was a possibility to entertain native Arabic audio system with content material they may perceive.
Regardless of an enormous want within the gaming trade, the trade’s progress within the MENA area was on a comparatively regular incline. Traders have been nonetheless reserved about investing in MENA cellular video games, regardless that the hole was huge.
The market has grown constantly over the past decade however it wasn’t till the pandemic struck that every part modified. Throughout lockdown, most individuals turned to their cell phones for leisure, predominantly to play cellular video games. In 2020, 85 p.c of cell phone homeowners within the area performed cellular video games to move the time, in line with the Coronavirus Influence Survey.
Forcing tens of millions of individuals to remain at dwelling modified the best way folks used know-how and consumed content material. Thousands and thousands of latest gamers joined the cellular video games world, lapsed gamers got here again and current gamers spent extra money and time on gaming.
The pandemic accelerated the expansion of the trade within the area, and people who as soon as doubted its artistic potential are actually taking an curiosity. Because the pandemic eased, the MENA cellular video games market witnessed a flood of funding. South Korean video games developer Krafton, the agency behind the blockbuster PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, was a majority investor in Tamatem Video games’ Sequence B funding spherical that raised $11 million in Dec. 2021.
Now that the MENA cellular video games market has lastly attracted some much-needed consideration, the trade gamers will be capable to deal with entertaining the Arab world with the most recent and greatest cellular video games.
• Elena Hinnawi is a PR specialist at Tamatem Video games.
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers on this part are their very own and don’t essentially replicate Arab Information’ viewpoint
