The Middle East has been identified as a major contributor in the fast growing electronic gaming industry which is predicted to grow from USD 11.1Billion to USD 15.4 Billion by 2011 in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Wilkofsky Gruen Associates.
In addition to a young, technology-hungry population, the region is also benefiting not only from an increasing rate of internet penetration but fast broadband connections, which enables players to fully participate in the new generation of multiplayer games. Sales of games and game systems also spike sharply during the summer, as players look to keep entertained during the hot summer months, creating an important revenue stream for retailers during a traditionally slow season.
Major companies are keen to create regionally-relevant games and gaming opportunities to reflect this intense interest. Dubai World Trade Centre(DWTC), organiser of GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK, has unveiled plans to spearhead the Middle East’s largest eSport forum, GITEX Digital Game World, organised in collaboration with Europe’s leading online, gaming league, Electronic Sports League (ESL).
Several major industry sponsors will support and provide some of the most advanced networking platforms for the event, enabling high speed gaming and providing access to potentially thousands of gamers across multiple sites.
Visiting Dubai this week, Jens Hilgers, CEO, Turtle Entertainment, operator of the ESL, said he believed that gaming is on its way to becoming a major spectator sport in the Middle East. “The growth in the Middle East gaming industry is being driven by the extraordinary expansion of economic activities in the UAE and its overall growth is predicted to surpass the percentage of growth in Europe,” said Mr Hilgers, who further commented, “The high rate of Internet penetration globally is promoting a new trend of connected lifestyles among urban youths around the world and this lifestyle is fuelling the growth of electronic gaming.”
Gamers in the region can either participate in tournament play or take part in free play. An exclusive Pro Gaming Arena deploying the most advanced technology in electronic gaming will be created for tournament players. While around 200 PCs will be set up in a free gaming area where participants can play without prior registration and will test their skills with the latest game titles.
Consumers will be able to watch or participate at the GITEX Shopper event, held at Dubai Airport Expo, while GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK will host specialist industry-focused sessions, designed to encourage greater collaboration between hardware, software and design specialists.
“The UAE has the creativity, the positioning and the dynamism to play an important role in the emerging gaming industry coupled with a growing developer community and wealth of talent. We’re aiming to use GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK’s positioning at the heart of the regional IT industry to bring together many of the world’s most important technology brands with a view to creating new areas of business opportunities,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, DWTC.
“Gaming is now one of the most important areas of technological development, revenue-generation and networking innovation for many leading technology groups, so it is important that regional companies expand their role in these areas,” he added.
Throughout the summer, camps are being organised as part of the training and selection process for participants. The limited tournament spaces necessitate that only expert gamers can make it to the tournament stage, but will also provide a testing ground for skills development and create anticipation for the tournament at GITEX Digital Game World.
