The gaming market in the Middle East has experienced significant growth, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates leading the charge. Those who seize the early opportunity to adapt to these markets can benefit greatly. However, understanding the audience and how to effectively engage with them is crucial to succeed in this growing market.
In this guest post, Tactical’s Head of Innovation, Gaynelle Brautigam, provides insight into how to effectively communicate with Middle Eastern gamers and deliver relevant messages, innovative ideas, and experiences that appeal to the region’s gaming community.
The Middle East boasts a robust and rapidly expanding gaming audience, with approximately 60% of the population identifying as avid gamers.
This surge positions the region as a leader in mobile gaming, with app downloads exceeding the global average by 10%. Additionally, streaming in the Middle East is experiencing a significant 24.5% annual growth, projected to reach 200 million users by 2025 – three times more than gaming giant China.
This upward trend is not just a passing fad. Saudi Arabia has recently launched a gaming and esports strategy, and the UAE plans to establish two gaming centers to attract global companies.
Spending Power
This surge presents a diverse and lucrative audience. With nearly three-quarters of the population in Saudi Arabia under the age of 30, there is a strong market of big-spending digital natives, particularly drawn to indoor activities due to the desert climate.
For many, the growing market and dedicated gaming hubs make the region attractive to both local and international brands, providing a unique opportunity to extend their reach. Those who act early stand to make the biggest impact.
However, for outsiders with little experience, engaging with Middle Eastern customers can be challenging. It requires ambition and willingness to understand the market and culture. The rewards for those who put in the effort can be significant.
So, how can marketers effectively connect with Middle Eastern gamers?
From a cultural perspective, it’s vital that messages are highly relevant.
Gaynelle Brautigam
New game: Loading
Successfully reaching this audience requires a deep understanding of three key factors: culture, context, and impact.
From a cultural perspective, messages must be highly relevant and speak not only the language of the platform but also the language of the people, which, in this case, is Arabic. Engaging gamers requires a nuanced approach, as the gaming community is an untapped market, especially in the Middle East.
Marketers should move beyond traditional advertising and TikTok to embrace platforms like Twitch and Reddit for in-game activations, as these are key to capturing the attention and hearts of gamers.
Time to Play
Creating impactful campaigns requires immersive, cross-platform activations and innovative creatives that align with gamers’ behavior. Gamification and collaborations with game creators are effective strategies to integrate campaigns within the gaming experience and appeal to the sense of play of Middle Eastern gamers.
Relevant cultural themes and events like the Awafi Festival or the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix can enhance the appeal of campaigns. Amplifying activations through platforms like Twitch and YouTube can also broaden engagement and improve effectiveness.
By understanding the uniqueness of each platform, brands can align their campaigns to gamers’ behavior.
Gaynelle Brautigam
De-Buff the Competition
The Middle Eastern gaming audience is highly active online, providing marketers with an ideal canvas for creativity and innovation. Tailoring campaigns to each platform and adding real value to the gamer experience can set brands apart in the competitive global marketplace, creating a lasting impact beyond the platform.
It’s game on for marketers looking to engage Middle Eastern gamers and get ahead of the curve.
Edited by Paige Cook
Discover more about the MENA market, latest trends, and updates at Pocket Gamer Connects. In this video, from Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2023 Ahmed Sharif, CTO at Sandsoft, talks about the awakening of MENA gaming: Empowering talent, harnessing tech, and making markets.
