Esports In Mena
Olympic Esports Games in Saudi Arabia delayed to 2027
The IOC did not provide a reason for the delay, but confirmed that qualification will begin this year
Jordan Investments
Jordan eyes significant investment to grow local games and tech sectors
Speakers at the online event Expanding Horizons: Doing Business in Jordan discussed establishing private businesses in Jordan, employment law and more
Africa Mobile Market
Mobile leads the charge in Africa’s $1.8 billion games market
The continent added an estimated 32m new gamers in 2024, bringing the total to 349m, up from 317m in 2023
Esports Integrity
Olympic Esports Games 2025 in Saudi Arabia delayed
Concerns have been raised about the tight 2025 timeline, uncertainties over game titles, venues, dates, and qualification methods
Marvellous Mena
Games Majlis unites experts to transform Middle East mobile games industry
The initiative is led by industry veteran Mohamed El Sheakh alongside 20 founding members
Funding For Games
Exel by Merak gaming accelerator is now accepting applications for first cohort
The program includes a two-week virtual boot camp and a 16-week acceleration phase
New Partnerships
Carry1st partners with Stellar Gate Games to boost Blood Strike MENA with new payment solutions
Steller Gate Games was formed by Sandsoft and NetEase in March 2024
Africa Is Mobile
Mobile growth drives Africa’s games industry to $1 billion in revenue
Candy Crush and PUBG Mobile lead Africa’s mobile games revenue with $50m and $40m, respectively
New Office
Audiomob opens MENA headquarters in Abu Dhabi
The new office is located on Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates
Marvellous Mena
"Our ultimate goal is to make web gaming seamless, scalable, and more accessible for developers worldwide"
Playgama founder Dmitry Kachmar talks funding, HTML5 popularity, influx of investment in the MENA region and more
Best Of 2024
Isa Muhammad's top stories of 2024: Nazara's $100m M&A push, Gamathon 24, MENA's gaming boom, and China's license rebound
PocketGamer.biz MENA reporter Isa Muhammad highlights some of the top stories of 2024
New Partnerships
NEOM Media partners with Kwalee, Sandsoft, Tamatem and others to launch games publishing network
This is part of its Level Up accelerator program to bolster the gaming ecosystem in Saudi Arabia
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Kayfo's Doumgou Tibiang Yeshua on how to get a career as a developer
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Mena Market
EsportsXO partners with Abu Dhabi Gaming to open regional headquarters in the MENA region
The partnership is expected to create new job opportunities over the next five years
Funding For Games
Beam Ventures launches in Abu Dhabi with $150m fund to support game studios
The firm will also launch an accelerator program that focuses on early-stage web3 gaming and AI start-ups
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Rababa Games' Mohammad Al-Aghar Rawashdeh on how to get a career as an environment artist
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Mena Market
UAE leads MENA start-up investments in November with $146m across 11 deals
Saudi Arabia followed with 23 startups raising $94 million
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Usiku Games' Rolex Oduor on how to get a career as a sound designer
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Marvellous Mena
"Cultural authenticity is at the core of our design process"
Chroma Pixel CEO and founder Edwin Kapesa discusses the company’s shift away from traditional storefronts and game-based learning programmes
Accelerator Program
Bahrain's Riyada Business Accelerator Program is now accepting applications for tech start-ups
The program is offering entrepreneurs six months of guidance and support with funding opportunities
New Studio
Monopoly Go developer Scopely opens new studio in Saudi Arabia
The new division, called Mirai, is led by industry veteran Charity Joy
African Esports
Behind the scenes of the Carry1st Africa Cup: A bold new chapter for African esports
MENA insider Stephen Sandmann speaks with Carry1st community manager Oluwaseun Aladelo on the growing competitive gaming scene in Africa
Industry Spotlight
Jobs in Games: Game Hub Senegal's Marie Pierre Thiam on how to get a career as a game designer
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Funding For Games
Merak Capital launches $80 million fund to support MENA games start-ups
The accelerator consists of a brief virtual bootcamp, followed by a 14 to 16 week core program
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Dash Studios' James Ohia on how to get a career as a chief technology officer
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Mena Market
MENA start-up investments decline 52% to $134 million in October
UAE start-ups raised $61.8m across 15 deals, while Saudi Arabia-based start-ups secured $50m from over 21 deals
Universal Appeal
Why the universal language of games means you don't have to rely on localisation
Angry Birds, Tetris and Candy Crush Saga are examples of gameplay attracting global appeal, says YallaPlay CEO Kareem Seddik
Mena's Rising Star
How government investment is fueling rapid growth in the MENA region
The fast-growing market is levelling up its gaming ecosystems and development talent
New Game
Garena and Tencent team up to publish tactical FPS Delta Force in MENA, Southeast Asia and South America
The game will feature cross-progression for PC and mobile when it launches next year
Esports In Mena
British International School Riyadh partners with NES to propel esports education in Saudi Arabia
The partnership is in line with the KSA's Vision 2030 initiative
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Steer Studios' Jamil Dar on how to get a career as a lead artist
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Esports In Mena
YaLLa Esports invests $12.5 million to accelerate growth in the MENA region over the next two years
YaLLa Esports will host five major esports tournaments in Qatar and UAE by 2026
Marvellous Mena
"Africa needs an educated society, and EdTech is a vital tool for achieving that"
Enechawet Games’ CEO and co-founder Abiy Hailu talks opportunities in EdTech, leveraging emerging technologies in game development and publishing challenges
Marvellous Mena
Table Knight Games' co-founder Ghada A. AlHudaithi talks MENA challenges, company expansion and exploring new genres
"There has been a lot of vast opportunities for funding and support from Saudi Arabia and other venture capitals in the MENA region"
New Studio
Mobile games company Digital Dunes launches in Media City Qatar
The company says it will bring Arabic content and culture to the world through its projects
Strategic Growth
Redwood acquires majority stake in Indian games streaming start-up Loco for $65m
The deal will see Loco expand to global markets
Marvellous Mena
Kayfo: Web gaming "has been a game changer"
Kayfo Games founder Julien Herbin and COO Thierno Ndiaye discuss the opportunities in web-based games, the rise of Edtech in Africa and monetisation challenges
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Usiku Games' Kevine Nzayanga on how to get a career as a game developer
In our Jobs in Games series, we highlight the talented team members currently working in the games industry
New Offerings
Ampverse Group launches new marketing agency to connect brands with gamers
Brands can engage with games and entertainment communities across Southeast Asia, India and the MENA region
Jordan Games Industry
Finalists for the inaugural Jordan Games Awards 2024 are live!
Winners will be revealed on November 10th, as part of Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan 2024
Mena Market Growth
UAE games market revenue could reach $492 million by 2027
Sector forecast to hit $421m by the end of 2024
Industry Spotlight
Jobs in Games: UMX Studio's Ammar Yasser Alrashoudi on how to get a career as game director
In our Jobs in Games series we highlight the talented team members currently working in the games industry
Mena Market
MENA investments recovers after 63 startups raised $282 million in September
This marked a 234% increase month-on-month and a 607% rise year-on-year
Investment News
UMX Studio secures $4.5 million investment from Jetapult to expand portfolio
Funding will "accelerate" developer's expansion in Saudi Arabia
Funding News
UAE-based Web3 gaming startup PiP World lands $10 million in seed funding
The startup is combining video games, education, and Web3 technology to provide a platform for improving financial literacy
Mena Market
MENA start-ups secure $1.3 billion despite investment decline
Funding activity has remained "relatively resilient" despite the decline in investments
No Longer Welcome
Turkey blocks Discord in latest social platform ban
"We are determined to protect our youth and children from the harmful publications of social media"
Road To Jordan
Rababa Games CEO talks being self-funded, exploring new platforms and expansion opportunities
"Mobile games, especially in the MENA region, have a high demand, so they remain a primary focus"
Mixed Messaging
Saudi Arabia cuts Nintendo stake despite suggestions it could increase it
As of June, Saudi Arabia's PIF owned 8.58% of Nintendo, which is now down to 7.54%
Africa Is Mobile
Africa's video games market projected to rise from $2.14 billion to $3.72 billion by 2029
Mobile penetration in Sub-Saharan Africa is set to reach 50% by 2030, with an expected 475 million connections by 2025