UAE gamers look to become increasingly mobile

Gaming on the go is on the rise in the UAE, with thrill-seeking users looking to augment traditional console outlets with increasingly immersive and credible smartphone experiences as well as quick-fix, diversionary app-based games.

According to a study published by the Arab Media Forum last week, 38% of the 100 top paid apps in the UAE are games-based.

The findings feed into a wider online gaming trend that has seen the Massively Multiplayer Online games MMOG space grow from 47 titles in 2010 to 95 in the region by November 2011. There has also been a rise in popular card game portals across the Arab world such as Kammelna 1.35 million registered users, koutbo6 1 million registered users and Jawaker with 0.5 million registered users¹.

Fully attuned to the UAE’s burgeoning appetite for gaming, Motorola ATRIX 2 has been purposefully built for fun, delivering blazingly fast connectivity and packing a 1GHz dual-core processor for faster browsing and video. A stunning 4.3 inch qHD screen offers the perfect stage for photos and videos, advanced 3D graphics and smooth, crystal-clear game play.

Launching last month in the UAE, the device has plenty of ammunition to prove its gameplay prowess, coming with smartphone access to ten boredom-obliterating EA games, including Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, Need for Speed Shift, Dead Space, EA SPORTS FIFA 10, THE GAME OF LIFE, MONOPOLY, The Sims 3, Tetris, Worms and Bejeweled 2².

Insatiable gamers can also browse over 500,000 games and apps on Google Play and store them on 4GB of on-board memory or up to 32GB of optional MicroSD card storage³.

“As smartphones continue to evolve into sophisticated, converged mobile devices, we are starting to see consumers use them for more than just casual gaming,” said Raed Hafez, managing director for Motorola Mobility, Middle East & Africa.

“This is incredibly exciting for a company like Motorola Mobility as it chimes with our ceaseless drive to innovate and create a range of smartphones with PC and console rivaling specs and performance. And this is just the beginning - the whole concept of gaming on the go is being radically redefined, and we are proud to be firmly in the driving seat.”