MENA-3 to continue its growth in the gaming market from $1.8 billion in games revenue in 2022 to $2.8 billion with 87.3 million gamers in the next 5 years with lots of public and private investment
SILICON VALLEY, Calif. – January 30, 2023 – Niko Partners, a market research and consulting firm covering video games, esports, and streaming in Asia and MENA, today announced the release of the second annual MENA-3 Games Market Report & Five-Year Forecast about this vibrant and fast-growing market for games and esports. MENA-3 includes Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
Key takeaways from the report includes:
- MENA-3 games revenue is estimated to be $1.8 billion in 2022 rising to $2.8 billion in 2026 at a 5-year CAGR of nearly 10%, and 56% higher than the value at the end of 2022
- MENA-3 gamers are estimated to number 67.4 million in 2022, rising to 87.3 million in 2026 at a 5-year CAGR of nearly 6% indicating ARPU will rise over time
- Egypt has the largest gaming population and is the fastest growing market in the MENA-3 region. Saudi Arabia is the largest market by games revenue and is considered the gaming powerhouse of the region, while the UAE has the highest ARPU of the three markets
- Growth will be driven by mobile gaming, public and private sector investment and esports, and likely to catapult the region alongside global esports giants such as Singapore and China
- 76% of gamers in the MENA-3 region are under the age of 35, with Egypt having a significantly higher percentage of gamers under 25 years old—who are considered digital natives—compared to Saudi Arabia and UAE
- 73% of gamers in MENA-3 engage with esports in some capacity such as watching esports content, playing esports games or competing in amateur or professional tournaments
“The MENA region has emerged as a powerhouse gaming and esports market in a very short time,” said Lisa Hanson, president of Niko Partners. “As we watch Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt collectively grow 56% from 1.8 billion in 2022 to $2.8 billion in 2026 gain $1 billion, the world will also watch and participate in MENA’s high revenue esports tournaments that are putting the region on the map.”
The MENA-3 Games Market report is 101 slides and includes a comprehensive market model and 5-year forecast through 2026 by games segment, key data on companies, gamers and the market, growth drivers, and trends. This includes details on esports, payments, government support, and qualitative and quantitative analysis on gamer demand, spending, and behavior—tracked by Niko’s regionally-based analysts. The methodology includes a survey of 1,126 gamers in MENA-3 as well as interviews with industry professionals in the region.
For more information visit:
MENA-3 (Middle East North Africa) Games Market Report
ABOUT NIKO PARTNERS
Niko Partners is the leading market research firm covering video games, esports, and streaming in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. With native speaking analysts in each of the countries covered, Niko delivers local expertise with a global perspective. Founded in 2002, the firm conducts syndicated and custom research studies on China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Japan, South Korea, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and United Arab Emirates on the topics of PC games, mobile games, consoles and console games, regulatory issues, piracy, development, game publishers and developers, distribution, internet cafes, esports and more. Niko Partners also offers consulting services including focus groups, partnership selection, IPO and market opportunity analysis, custom surveys and customized data analysis. The company is based in Silicon Valley with offices in Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta and London, and its clients include worldwide leaders in game software, hardware, and services, as well as consumer brands, investors, media companies, trade associations, and management consulting firms. www.nikopartners.com