Tech News
The Future of Gaming in the MENA Region
By Mario Pérez, CEO MENATech (a company of GGTech Entertainment)
The MENA region is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse in the global gaming industry. Its gaming ecosystem is now the second fastest-growing worldwide, driven by an increase in the player base, investment from governments, and innovative trends like esports and game development. This region is not only shaping the future of gaming but positioning itself as a global hub for gaming innovation.
In recent years, gaming has undergone a radical transformation. Multiplayer games and increased interaction among players have made gaming a social activity rather than a solo pursuit. This evolution has democratized gaming, attracting millions of new players. Streaming platforms, virtual reality, and web3 are enhancing gaming experiences, making them more immersive and accessible. With all these innovations, the gaming industry is evolving rapidly, and MENA is at the forefront of this change.
MENA’s Gaming Market Growth
The MENA gaming industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, positioning itself as a key player in the global market, with the video games market projected to reach $2.9 billion in revenue in 2028. The region’s player base of 377 million rivals that of Europe and the US, making it one of the most dynamic regions for gaming growth.
Several factors contribute to this surge. First, the region’s young population—55% of which is under 30—is highly tech-savvy. The proliferation of mobile gaming and increased internet penetration has further accelerated growth. Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading this charge, boasting some of the highest engagement rates in the world. In fact, nine out of ten adults in the UAE are gamers, according to Statista’s Global Consumer Survey.
The region’s rapid growth and tax-free earnings have made it attractive for global gaming companies and investors, cementing its place as a crucial player in the global gaming landscape.
Government Support and Strategic Initiatives
Governments across the MENA region are fully backing the growth of the gaming and esports sectors. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, for example, has a clear focus on developing the gaming industry as part of the nation’s broader economic diversification efforts. Its National Gaming and Esports Strategy aims to create 39,000 jobs by 2030 and contribute to the kingdom’s growing digital economy.
The UAE is equally committed to this vision, with initiatives like the ‘Abu Dhabi Gaming’ program, designed to foster talent and establish year-round gaming events. Dubai, through its Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 (DPG 2033), is introducing long-term residency visas for gaming professionals to nurture a vibrant gaming community. The city also aims to generate 30,000 jobs in the gaming sector by 2033, adding $1 billion to its GDP. DMCC Gaming Centre in Dubai, which houses around 100 gaming companies, also shows how governments are creating environments that encourage innovation and collaboration.
Esports: The MENA Region as a New Hub
In 2023, the global esports audience reached 540 million, with the MENA region playing a pivotal role in its growth. Saudi Arabia has become a major player in this space, hosting the Esports World Cup this year and preparing to host the Esports Olympics in 2025. These events are not just about competition; they represent an economic shift, driving tourism, creating jobs, and embedding esports into the cultural fabric of the region.
With 60% of global esports revenue coming from sponsorships, the MENA region is well-positioned to capitalize on this booming market. Professional leagues and international tournaments are gaining traction, and global brands like Coca-Cola, Toyota and Amazon are increasingly partnering with local esports teams and organizations, providing sponsorships that fuel the industry’s growth.
Local studios and developers are creating content that reflects the region’s culture and values, with publishers releasing Arabic language versions of their games to cater to the growing market.
Streaming has revolutionized how people consume games, offering opportunities for both participation and spectating. The rise of elite leagues and professional players has further driven the esports scene, making gaming a central part of entertainment in MENA. Full-time gaming careers are now a reality, with players earning through live streaming, tournament prizes, and merchandising.
Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
A cohesive governing structure is needed to align popular games and create a unified competitive landscape, like the MENA Tech’s annual UNIVERSITY Esports competition, which hosts multi-game tournaments for college students in the region.
Monetization remains a challenge, as esports is often viewed as a marketing tool rather than a profitable industry. Increased collaboration, regulation, and innovative revenue-sharing models are key to unlocking the region’s gaming potential. Technologies like NFTs, blockchain, and the Metaverse are infusing the arena with fresh monetisation prospects.
The future of gaming will largely hinge on technological advancements, with key trends leading the way. These include the rise of sports and fitness gamification, AI-driven transformations, and the resurgence of handheld gaming devices. Emerging technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality will also play a significant role, particularly with the development of extended reality, which blends the former two to blur the line between physical and virtual worlds.
MENA’s Path to Global Influence
With strong government support, rising player engagement, and a growing esports scene, the MENA region is well on its way to becoming a global leader in the gaming industry. As the region continues to invest in technology and infrastructure, its influence on the global gaming stage will only grow. The future of gaming in MENA looks incredibly promising, and its potential to shape the industry’s future is undeniable.
Tech News
AI and Data Roles Drive Gulf Hiring Growth: RemotePass report
Hiring growth in the UAE and Saudi Arabia remains among the strongest globally, at 39% and 26% respectively in 2024–25, but the expansion is increasingly concentrated in a narrower set of roles, according to the RemotePass 2025 Hiring Report.
Data from the report shows outsized growth in specialised roles, with Data Scientist hiring up 43% and AI Product Manager demand rising 37%. The concentration of growth in these functions indicates that organisations are directing hiring investment toward specific capabilities rather than expanding uniformly across all technology roles.
This pattern reflects a shift in regional workforce strategy, with employers increasingly directing resources toward roles that support data-driven decision-making, AI deployment, and product execution, rather than scaling traditional technology teams.
AI and Data Roles Redefine Hiring Priorities
The UAE leads globally in AI hiring growth, rising from 32% in 2023–24 to 48% in 2024–25. The acceleration is among the sharpest recorded in any market and is being fuelled by enterprise AI adoption, fintech automation and large-scale digital infrastructure projects. Saudi Arabia shows a similar direction of travel, though at a steadier pace, as AI talent demand expands across both public and private sectors.
RemotePass Co-founder and CEO Kamal Reggad, said the data shows organisations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia moving decisively from experimentation to execution. AI is no longer confined to innovation teams, he noted, but is increasingly embedded into core business functions, making workforce planning a critical lever of competitiveness.
MENA Talent Hubs Continue to Power the GCC
While demand is strongest in the Gulf, the wider MENA region remains central to meeting it. Egypt continues to lead hiring volume across nearly every major tech role, including software engineering, backend, frontend, data science and QA, confirming its position as the region’s largest tech talent exporter. Pakistan ranks second across several engineering categories, supported by a large and cost-effective developer base.
Egypt’s AI hiring growth, after surging by 112% in the previous year, has stabilised at 28% in 2025. In contrast, Gulf markets have accelerated, reinforcing a regional realignment in which the UAE and Saudi Arabia are emerging as the primary centres of advanced technology hiring, supported by a broader MENA talent ecosystem.
Tech News
GCC RESIDENTIAL SMART SECURITY MARKET SET TO ADVANCE AS SCREENCHECK PARTNERS WITH BAS-IP
ScreenCheck, a subsidiary of Centena Group and a key player offering end-to-end identification and security solutions in the Middle East, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with global security technologies company, BAS-IP to officially expand its security and identification capabilities into GCC’s residential security market.
The agreement signed during Intersec 2026, aligns with ScreenCheck’s ongoing efforts to establish a robust position in the rapidly growing smart security and digital transformation market. Currently, the market is projected to reach USD 907.12 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 25.7 per cent between 2025 and 2032. This growth is mainly propelled by large-scale urban development, smart infrastructure investments and surging demand for connected security ecosystems in the residential sector.
Olga Shamilova, Chief Executive Officer at BAS-IP, said: “We are delighted to partner with ScreenCheck and support their entry into this new vertical of security systems. During our participation at Intersec 2026, we witnessed increased interest for our Open API, especially for its ability to create seamless, customised ecosystems and ease to integrate into existing building management systems. Our mobile-first application also received significant attention, as its intuitive interface was proven ideal for both complex multi-apartment projects and luxury private villas. With ScreenCheck’s market expertise in the region and their top tier client base, we look forward to providing a safe and secure environment for communities.”
The collaboration with BAS-IP will address the surging demand from developers for connected home and community security solutions across apartments, gated communities and large residential developments in the region by delivering integrated IP-based audio and video intercom systems combined with access control solutions.
Faisal Mohamed, CEO of ScreenCheck, said: “As cities continue to develop and digital infrastructure becomes an inevitable part of everyday lives, security is equally important for people and systems. We are delighted to work with BAS-IP to serve this evolving market.”
“With the Middle East region experiencing one of the fastest-growing property markets across the globe, our collaboration helps to distribute integrated residential security and home automation solutions. We will be delivering cutting-edge biometric identification, RFID solutions, AI-powered surveillance, and next-generation smart access control to homes, critical infrastructure, and technology-driven enterprises. Our goal is to enable safer, more resilient spaces that highlight the capabilities of the modern security landscape,” added Faisal.
ScreenCheck’s partnership with BAS-IP positions the company at the forefront of the region’s ongoing shift, enabling the delivery of intelligent, connected residential security ecosystems that align with the region’s smart city ambitions and evolving urban landscape.
Tech News
VERTIV INTRODUCES NEW MODULAR LIQUID COOLING INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTION TO SUPPORT HIGH-DENSITY COMPUTE REQUIREMENTS IN NORTH AMERICA AND EMEA
Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, today announced new configurations of the Vertiv™ MegaMod™ HDX, a prefabricated power and liquid cooling infrastructure solution engineered for high-density computing environments, including artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) deployments. The new configurations give operators flexibility to support rapidly increasing power and cooling requirements while optimizing space and deployment speed. The models are available globally.
Vertiv MegaMod HDX integrates direct-to-chip liquid cooling with air-cooled architectures to meet the intense thermal demands of AI workloads, supporting pod-style AI environments and advanced GPU clusters. The new compact solution has a standard module height and a maximum of 13 racks and power capacity up to 1.25 MW; the combo solution has an extended-height design with a maximum of 144 racks, supporting power capacities up to 10 MW. Both can support rack densities from 50 kW up to more than 100 kW per rack. The hybrid cooling architectures integrate direct-to-chip liquid cooling with air cooling for efficient, high-density thermal management, while the prefabricated modular designs enable accelerated deployment and allow customers to scale their data centers as demand grows.
“Today’s AI workloads demand cooling solutions that go beyond traditional approaches. With the Vertiv MegaMod HDX available in both compact and combo solution configurations, organizations can match their facility requirements while supporting high-density, liquid-cooled environments at scale. Our designs deliver what data centers need most—reliable performance, operational efficiency, and the ability to scale their AI infrastructure with confidence,” said Viktor Petik, senior vice president, infrastructure solutions at Vertiv.
The Vertiv MegaMod HDX models feature innovative hybrid cooling architecture, combining direct-to-chip liquid cooling with adaptable air systems in a fully integrated, prefabricated pod. The solutions feature distributed redundant power architecture enabling continuous operation even if one module goes offline. Additionally, the buffer-tank thermal backup system allows GPU clusters to maintain stable operations during maintenance or load transitions. This factory-integrated design enables repeatable precision in deployment while providing cost certainty for planning and scaling AI infrastructure.
This prefabricated design, combined with factory integrated and fully tested components and Vertiv’s global service network, provide dependable end-to-end support.
Vertiv’s extensive portfolio of power, thermal, and IT management solutions supports a wide range of data center architectures, enabling customers to meet rising density demands with scalable, high-performance infrastructure. Both configurations draw on this broader portfolio, including the Vertiv™ Liebert® APM2 uninterruptible power supply (UPS), Vertiv™ CoolChip CDU cooling distribution unit, Vertiv™ PowerBar busway system, and Vertiv™ Unify infrastructure monitoring.
Vertiv also offers IT rack infrastructure designed to seamlessly accommodate and support IT systems, including Vertiv™ racks and Vertiv™ OCP- compliant racks, Vertiv™ CoolLoop RDHx rear door heat exchanger, Vertiv™ CoolChip in-rack CDU, Vertiv™ rack power distribution units, Vertiv™ PowerDirect in-rack DC power system, and Vertiv™ CoolChip Fluid Network Rack Manifolds.
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