2 days ago
Game on: How Saudi is ‘poised to be a major driving force' in gaming
While the gaming industry feels incredibly fresh and cutting-edge, it is easy to forget its origins stretch back further than the 1972 launch of the Magnavox Odyssey, a product often cited as the first home-gaming console. It's been an incredible half-century of video game development since, and yet there is no better time to be involved in the field.
The industry now stands at the threshold of an exhilarating future. Thanks to significant advances in technology and artificial intelligence, tomorrow's gaming will be defined by more immersive experiences, expanded content and greater social connectivity. It's no exaggeration to say the coming years will push the boundaries of what is possible – not only within gaming, but across a range of tangential industries – and Saudi Arabia is poised to be a major driving force.
First, some context. The global gaming market is huge, valued at $178bn in 2024. This is almost three times larger than the movie box office and music industries combined, which are valued at $30.5bn and $29.6bn respectively. The market is experiencing robust growth, with its value projected to rise to $198bn by 2027. Of course, sustained growth translates into opportunities for developers, designers, imagineers, esports organisers and players across the world. And here in Saudi Arabia, gaming is rapidly evolving from a popular pastime into a national priority and strategic economic pillar.
An estimated two thirds of the Saudi population – about 25 million people – enjoy gaming. Initiatives such as the Esports World Cup, which will be held in Riyadh over seven weeks in the summer this year, and the first ever Olympic Esports Games, which will be hosted in the Saudi capital in 2027, will further boost the Kingdom's gaming industry. While this presents a massive long-term opportunity for Saudi Arabia, it also presents a mid-term challenge.
Currently, more than 90 per cent of the money spent on games by young Saudis makes its way into the pockets of overseas game developers and publishers. As most games are developed abroad, the majority of consumer spend flows internationally to those respective firms. Economists have a term for this outflow of capital – 'economic leakage' – and it positions Saudi Arabia as a net importer rather than a net exporter of games, despite its massive consumer market.
''The most rewarding aspect of our work is witnessing young gaming developers forge meaningful connections with their peers and mentors.'
It's no surprise, then, that developing the local gaming industry is a priority for the Kingdom. This is where NEOM – the Public Investment Fund (PIF)-backed giga-project located in the northwest of the country – comes in. As a core contributor to the Kingdom's National Gaming and Esports Strategy, under Saudi Vision 2030, the gaming division at NEOM is playing a crucial role in nurturing the first generation of Saudi game developers.
NEOM's gaming initiatives include the Game Dev Challenge, a recurring three-month high school programme which teaches 15- to 17-year-olds about the industry and the tools used in game development, offering them the chance to win a physical game development lab for their school. 'She Jams' is an international game development hackathon which encourages young women to form teams and develop game prototypes.
These two initiatives drive career interest, feed into relevant higher education programmes, promote connectivity and ultimately spark the formation of game development teams. This is where NEOM's accelerator programme, 'Level Up,' makes its mark, providing pre-seed funding and ongoing mentorship from industry veterans to game development start-ups.
The Level Up accelerator has so far supported 23 Saudi gaming studios, invested in 10, and is already notching up a range of accolades within its portfolio. For example, in December 2024, Fahy Studio made history as the first Saudi gaming startup to secure an international publishing deal, which was signed with UK-based publisher Kwalee.
More recently, on 8 May this year, Majestic Mind Games secured the MENA Games Industry Award for 'Best Games Startup.' This success marked the second year running that a 'Level Up' startup has taken the number one spot, with Starvania setting the standard in 2024.
But it's not just the wins that count. The most rewarding aspect of our work is witnessing young gaming developers forge meaningful connections with their peers and mentors. We're seeing first-hand that gaming can be a transformative force, fostering a happy and connected society. This is not just a lofty ideal; it is the bedrock of economic growth and a core pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.
It is immensely fulfilling to be part of this thriving global industry, right here in Saudi Arabia, at this transformative time. Just as the Magnavox Odyssey once captivated the world, we anticipate a future where groundbreaking games labeled 'Made in Saudi' will generate similar excitement, born from the ecosystem of talent we are nurturing.
By Toby Evan-Jones, Gaming Executive Director, NEOM
