A new report from Niko Partners, in partnership with the Saudi eSports Federation, found that Gulf Cooperation Council markets accounted for $2.24 billion in player spending in the Middle East and North Africa last year.
The white paper Localization in the MENA region provides “insights into localization approaches” in MENA countries, with a specific focus on GGC markets including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The report forecasts that the compound annual growth rate of gamer spending will grow by 7.7% to reach $3.48 billion by 2028, while the number of gamers is estimated to reach 38.9 million with a growth rate of 2.9%.
He also predicted that Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be the fastest-growing markets in terms of revenue and will “account for almost 80% of all player spending across the six markets.”
Conducted in December 2023, the report surveyed 1,225 people and found that most gamers play on smart devices (91.7%), followed by PCs (61.9%) and consoles (55.3%).
Focusing on localization, 41% of respondents said they “only play games with an Arabic localization or are more likely to play games with localization,” and over a quarter (27.4%) stated they would be less likely to play a game or stop playing it due to poor localization.
Three-quarters of respondents (74%) said it was “very or somewhat important” to see Arab representation in games, across 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 felt that it was “often or always disrespectful towards Arab culture.”
“Arabic localization is a strategic game-changer for developers looking to expand their audience and revenue streams,” said Niko Partners. “Addressing the rich and diverse Middle East and North Africa market allows developers to take their games to new heights, captivate a broader audience, and open up new opportunities.”
“Localization breaks down language barriers and delves into cultural complexities to create experiences that resonate deeply with Arabic-speaking gamers.”