Dubai is to get a major video gaming hub as the industry is set to reach a $5bn revenue mark by 2025, reports state news agency WAM.
DMCC, the flagship free zone in the emirate, announced the launch of the DMCC Gaming Centre in support of the increasingly growing global and regional video games industry.
Gaming currently generates $1.8bn of revenue in the MENA region and the figure is expected to surge to $5bn by 2025.
Dubai Gaming Centre
Launched during the Dubai Esports Festival, the DMCC Gaming Centre formalises DMCC’s efforts in the gaming and esports space, creating a supportive environment in which all gaming and esports companies can thrive.
DMCC is currently home to more than 50 gaming companies, from game developers and producers to esports teams and tournament organisers.
The DMCC Gaming Centre will be based in DMCC’s award-winning free zone, providing unparalleled access to a vibrant community of gaming industry peers to unlock new opportunities for collaboration.
Gaming companies looking to expand their global reach and connect with audiences across the world will also benefit from DMCC’s fully digital setup process, world-class infrastructure, and commitment to increasing the ease of doing business.
Under the DMCC Gaming Centre, members will have access to the wider esports community through regular events and esports tournaments and industry support from DMCC’s ecosystem partner YaLLa Esports, a leading esports organisation in the UAE.
Earlier this year, DMCC partnered with the global VC firm Brinc to provide members with access to $150m in funding through their accelerator programmes ZK Advancer and The Sandbox Metaverse.
Those programmes will also be open to DMCC Gaming Centre members developing games on blockchain and web3 technologies.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO of DMCC said: “Gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, with nearly 3.2bn people playing and spending a combined total of $196.8bn in 2022.
“The size and growth of the industry today is staggering compared to when video games first appeared in the 1970s”.
DMCC says eight out of 10 Gen Zs and millennials are gamers, and that gamers between the ages of 25 and 40 spend as much as seven hours gaming each week.
“These passionate communities are constantly looking for greater immersion and storytelling in their chosen form of entertainment,” added Bin Sulayem.
“As our roster of gaming companies expands rapidly and as we see more of our DMCC Crypto Centre members enter the blockchain gaming space, there is no better time to formalise our efforts by opening the DMCC Gaming Centre.
“Through this facility, we will solidify Dubai’s position as a global hub for all forms of gaming and esports.”
Esports is also a rapidly growing industry, with 68 percent of the online population watching gaming-related content and 10 percent being esports enthusiasts.
Esports has grown to become watched more than many traditional sports leagues such as the NBA and MLB.
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