Niko Partners: Gulf Cooperation Council markets accounted for $2.24bn in player spending in 2023
Market firm forecasts growth of 7.7% in player spending to reach $3.48 billion by 2028
A new report from Niko Partners, in partnership with the Saudi Esports Federation, says that markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council accounted for $2.24 billion in player spending in the Middle East and North Africa last year.
The Localisation in the MENA Region white paper provides "insights about approaches to localisation" in MENA countries, with a specific focus on GGC markets which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The report forecast that the compound annual growth rate of player spending will grow by 7.7% to reach $3.48 billion in 2028, while the number of gamers is estimated to reach 38.9 million with a growth rate of 2.9%.
It also predicted that Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be the fastest growing markets by revenue, and "will account for nearly 80% of all player spending across all six markets".
Conducted in December 2023, the report surveyed 1,225 respondents and found that the majority of gamers play games on smartphone devices (91.7%), followed by PC (61.9%), and console (55.3%).
Focusing on localisation, 41% of respondents said they "only play games with an Arabic localisation or are more likely to play games with localisation", with more than a quarter (27.4%) stating that they'd be less likely to or stop playing a game because of poor localisation.
Three quarters of those surveyed (74%) said it was "very or somewhat important" to see Arabic representation in games, through aspects such as characters, stories, culture, and settings.
The report also found that 10% of those who played a game with an Arabic setting or theme found them to "either often or always be disrespectful of Arab culture."
"Arabic localisation is a strategic game-changer for developers aiming to broaden their audience and revenue streams," Niko Partners said. "Embracing the rich and diverse Middle East and North Africa market allows developers to take their games to new heights, captivating a wider audience and unlocking fresh opportunities.
"Localisation breaks down language barriers, delving into cultural intricacies to create experiences that deeply resonate with Arabic-speaking gamers."