RIYADH: A new report co-published by the Saudi Esports Federation and Niko Partners, the global video game market intelligence specialist, highlights the importance of localizing gaming content in Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Middle East and North Africa region.
The report, “Speaking the Language: Localization in the MENA region,” provides insights for developers and publishers seeking to take their games to new heights, particularly in the GCC region, one of the world’s fastest growing esports markets. The findings cite Arabic localization as a “strategic gamechanger” for those aiming to broaden their audiences while meeting their demands.
Turki Alfawzan, CEO of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “The MENA region’s present-day status as a vibrant home to millions of gamers is driven by a variety of factors — heightened government investments in the sector, the rise of multi-platform gaming, and a tech-savvy, digitally native population among them. Collectively, these factors have instigated the unprecedented growth of the gaming community — so much so that gaming has become a way of life, ingrained in local culture.
“With this transformation has come new demands and expectations from gamers. Given recent technological advancements and how developers have pushed the boundaries of innovation to present end-users with previously unimaginable possibilities and never-before-seen experiences, it’s apparent that localization is becoming increasingly important to avid gamers in this part of the world.”
According to the report, total player spending in the GCC region will reach $3.2 billion by 2028, increasing from the $2.24 billion registered in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate of 7.7 percent.
Rising from 33.7 million in 2023, the number of gamers across GCC markets is set to reach 38.9 million in 2028 at a five-year CAGR of 2.9 percent. While game localization for Arabic markets has progressed in the past decade, the industry’s popularity can attain greater heights if gamers’ demands for Arabic localization are accommodated.
As highlighted in the report, a survey found that more than 75 percent of gamers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar consider the portrayal of Arab culture as very or somewhat important. Moreover, 41 percent of regional gamers said they play only games with Arabic localization or are more likely to play localized games. As such, there is an untapped opportunity for developers and publishers to welcome new audiences to the regional gaming community — one they are gearing up to explore significantly in future.
Lisa Cosmas Hanson, president and CEO of Niko Partners, revealed: “As companies think about the value and return on investment of localizing their games, they consider how many gamers have not yet tried their games, perhaps because they were not relatable, or they were intimidating, or simply inaccessible. The goal is to welcome local gamers in target markets by incorporating appropriate levels of translation and culturalization, which in turn allows for the ocean of games to rise.
“With Arabic localization, not only will global developers reach more gamers in the Middle East and North Africa, but MENA-based developers take the same lesson and localize for other markets, so that their games and stories can be told and played around the world.”
Already, the foundations for a new era of localization are in place — with several use cases illustrating success in breaking down language barriers and creating experiences that resonate with Arabic-speaking gamers.
PUBG Mobile is one example of this kind of success story. Launched in 2018 and published by Level Infinite, it has become the most popular mobile game in the region, as well as the leading title by player spending.
In this instance, Level Infinite employed a dedicated community management team to gather feedback and insights from the region — contributing to a deep understanding of GCC countries’ linguistic and cultural landscapes. Fast-forward to today, PUBG Mobile is localized in GCC markets with region-specific language and customizations with Modern Standard Arabic used as the in-game language option.
