Xsolla and Savvy partner to strengthen games industry in Middle East
3,600 games jobs should be created in the region by 2030 thanks to the partnership, the firms claim
Savvy Games Group and Xsolla have announced a partnership aiming at strengthening the games industry in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East.
The memorandum of understanding between the two companies will lead to the creation of an incubator, an accelerator programme, and the Xsolla Savvy Game Development Academy. The latter will be "nurturing talent and promoting game development as a viable career path" in Saudi Arabia, the announcement said.
Events should also be created, the companies said, both for games professionals and consumers, though no further details have been announced at this stage.
Ultimately, around 3,600 games jobs are expected to be generated in the region by 2030, the two firms claimed.
As part of the partnership, Xsolla will be opening an office in Riyadh to better the Middle East.
Savvy CEO Brian Ward commented: "This partnership with Xsolla represents a significant step forward in our mission to elevate Saudi Arabia's games and esports ecosystem to global prominence. By combining our resources and expertise, we are creating jobs and building a vibrant, sustainable industry that will drive opportunity and creativity for years to come."
Last week, Savvy Games Group also announced a memorandum of understanding with Pokémon Go developer Niantic, to strengthen the studio's presence in the MENA-3 region (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt). As part of the partnership, Savvy will support Niantic in establishing a regional presence and hiring local talent.
We talked to Savvy's Ward last year, about building a legitimate games business in a country known for human rights violations.