DUBAI: Webedia Esports Agency has acquired Saudi-based gaming and e-sports platform SaudiGamer.com through its local arm Webedia Arabia Group, which is based in KSA, UAE, and Lebanon.
“Although we had multiple offers in the past, I found that Webedia Arabia Group is the only company that can take SaudiGamer.com to the next level. The new wave of gaming capabilities and expertise for our dedicated gamers is going to be spectacular,” said Mashhour Aldubayan, founder of SaudiGamer.com.
Through the partnership, Webedia Arabia aims to strengthen SaudiGamer.com and its social channels to establish it as the premium hub for gamers. This will involve bolstering the platform’s content creation and monetization capabilities.
In fact, SaudiGamer.com was one of the partners of UTURN – a video entertainment network under Webedia Arabia Group – when it was a young startup, Kaswara AlKhatib, Chairman of the Board at Webedia Arabia Group and Founder of UTURN, told Arab News.
Today, Webedia Arabia’s strategy is to expand and grow by acquiring existing platforms that increase its reach and add value to its portfolio.
“We saw a huge demand and increase in audience and participation of gamers, so instead of going and recreating a platform from scratch, SaudiGamer.com was there,” said AlKhatib. “We know the founders (of SaudiGamer.com), it is in line with our vision and it is part of the e-sports and e-gaming vertical.”
Moving forward, SaudiGamer.com will feature coverage of local and regional e-sports tournaments and events; new shows on YouTube with gaming celebrities; and exclusive content from the top gaming influencers in the region among others.
Webedia Arabia will be also tapping into the Saudi gaming community and connecting brands with the gaming audience through branded gaming content, tournaments, influencer collaborations as well as regional sponsorships. “There are multiple revenue streams for a gamer, but not everybody knows it. That’s why you need the likes of UTURN and Webedia Arabia that how to monetize,” said AlKhatib.
FAST FACTS: GAMING IN SAUDI ARABIA
• It is the 19th biggest gaming market in the world
• Its gaming market has grown1 percent year-on-year
• There are more than 21.1 million gamers in the Kingdom
• It is expected to generate $1.09 billion in 2021
GAMING BY DEVICE IN SAUDI ARABIA
• Mobile gaming is the leader with 19.3 million players
• Console gaming comes 2nd with 13.9 million users
• PC gaming comes in 3rd – not far behind consoles – with 13.4 million players
• Laptop gaming grew by 57 percent in KSA and 49 percent in the UAE in 2020
• In fact, 57 percent in the UAE and 55 percent in KSA would consider purchasing a laptop for gaming by mid-2021.
• Console gaming went up by 63 percent in KSA and 55 percent in the UAE in 2020
