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
TALLY SOLUTIONS OPENS NOMINATIONS FOR THE 6TH EDITION OF TALLY MSME HONOURS, CELEBRATING INSPIRING ENTREPRENEURS

Tally Solutions, a leading international technology provider of business management software, has announced the launch of the sixth edition of its flagship annual initiative, Tally MSME Honours. With an aim to recognize and celebrate emerging entrepreneurs, the initiative builds on the momentum of five successful years and continues to champion the future of the UAE’s MSME ecosystem by spotlighting innovation, resilience, and meaningful impact.
Over the last five editions, Tally MSME Honours has received more than 70,000 nominations globally, with over 20% of entries from women-led ventures, making it one of the biggest global platforms to celebrate MSMEs. This year, Tally expects 20,000 nominations across categories. The honours will also bring forth MSME success stories from across India, Africa, Bangladesh, and Nepal, in addition to the Middle East. The entries can be submitted by interested businesses or people who know such businesses via this link.
As part of this year’s edition, participants can submit video entries, ensuring representation from different emirates across the UAE. To further strengthen the evaluation process, Tally is also deploying an AI-led shortlisting framework that will help validate and assess entries more comprehensively by analyzing publicly available business information, ensuring deserving businesses receive due recognition for their impact and growth.
Speaking about the initiative, Vikas Panchal, General Manager – MENA, Tally Solutions, said, “MSME Honours is not just an award platform; it is a celebration of the resilience, ambition, and entrepreneurial spirit that drives small businesses forward every day. Across the UAE and the wider MENA region, we continue to witness inspiring MSMEs building innovative businesses, creating employment, and contributing meaningfully to economic growth. This becomes even more relevant as the UAE continues to place strong focus on strengthening its SME ecosystem as a key pillar of the country’s long-term economic vision. Through MSME Honours, we aim to spotlight these stories of determination and impact, while encouraging more entrepreneurs to share and celebrate their journeys.”
With a strong focus on enabling long-term growth and visibility, Tally MSME Honours extends beyond recognition to create a platform that continuously supports entrepreneurial journeys. Over the years, past winners have become part of a growing network of business leaders and changemakers, gaining opportunities to participate in industry discussions, ecosystem forums, and business-led conversations. These engagements help entrepreneurs showcase their journeys, build meaningful collaborations, exchange insights, and further strengthen their impact within the broader MSME ecosystem.
Tally MSME Honours 2026 will feature the following award categories:
- Business Maestro: Established businesses that have mastered the art of thriving and sustaining success.
- Wonder Woman: Outstanding women-led businesses making a remarkable impact.
- NewGen Icon: A new generation of business owners innovating and paving the way for exponential growth.
- Tech Transformer: Businesses leveraging new technology to drive efficiency and scale.
- E-preneur Icon: Purpose-driven businesses contributing meaningfully to society and the environment
The entries will be judged by an esteemed panel comprising experts from the field of technology, the MSME domain, and the media.
Tech News
BELKIN’S LILYPAD IPAD CASE TURNS THE FAMILY IPAD INTO A FUN, FRIENDLY SIDEKICK INSPIRED BY DISNEY AND PIXAR’S “TOY STORY 5”

Belkin, a global leader in consumer electronics for over 40 years, today announced a real-world special edition iPad case inspired by Lilypad, the high-tech frog-shaped smart tablet character from Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” in theaters June 18.
Designed to transform an iPad into a fun character companion, the Lilypad iPad Case blends protection with subtle character-inspired features, turning tablet use into an imaginative, playful experience connected to the world of “Toy Story 5.”
“Lilypad represents a modern take on how kids interact with technology,” said Steve Malony, CEO of Belkin. “With this collaboration, we wanted to create an accessory that captures the character’s personality while still delivering the quality, durability, protection, and thoughtful design families expect from Belkin.”
Turning an iPad into Lilypad
Designed, for families and Disney collectors, the Lilypad iPad Case combines durable EVA foam construction with character-inspired details like a built-in carry handle and foldable kickstand, allowing users to comfortably hold, carry, and use their device for watching, drawing, or learning on the go.
Key features include:
- Official Lilypad Character Design – Inspired by Lilypad from Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” the case gives iPad (10th and 11th generation) expressive eye details and a character-inspired design.
- Kid-Proof Protection – Durable EVA foam construction helps absorb bumps and drops during everyday play.
- Soft, Grippy Edges – Easy for small hands to hold securely, helping reduce slips and accidental drops.
- Built-In Carry Handle – Integrated handle provides easy portability, designed to keep up with everyday use.
- Built-In Kickstand – Foldable kickstand supports hands-free viewing for drawing, watching, or playing.
- Exclusive Digital Wallpapers – Each case includes a QR code to download complimentary Lilypad-themed wallpapers for home and lock screens, making the iPad feel even more like the character.
- Safe & Parent-Approved Materials – Made with non-toxic materials and wipe-clean surfaces for easy maintenance.
Tech News
VERTIV EXPANDS LIQUID COOLING PORTFOLIO IN EMEA TO ACCELERATE AI‑READY DATA CENTER DEPLOYMENTS
Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, today announced the expansion of its end-to-end thermal chain with the availability of the Vertiv™ CoolChip CDU 2300 and Vertiv™ CoolChip Fluid Network Row Manifolds in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). These liquid cooling technologies support the growing demands of AI and high-density, next-generation compute to help customers deploy high-density infrastructure faster and operate more efficiently.
The Vertiv CoolChip family is a core building block of the Vertiv thermal chain, an end-to-end portfolio including direct-to-chip cooling, immersion cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, coolant distribution, heat rejection, intelligent controls, and lifecycle services into a single, cohesive thermal management system.
The newly announced solutions will be on display at Datacloud Global Congress in Cannes (June 1–4), where Vertiv will participate as a Patron Sponsor and showcase its latest technologies at booth n. 123.
“The rapid growth of AI workloads is driving a fundamental shift in how data centers are designed, cooled, powered and operated,” said Paul Ryan, president for EMEA at Vertiv. “At Datacloud Global Congress, we’re showing how Vertiv is expanding its end‑to‑end portfolio, combining high-density power solutions, liquid cooling, heat rejection, intelligent controls, and lifecycle services, to help customers deploy AI-ready infrastructure faster and operate more efficiently over time.”
As a critical link in the Vertiv™ thermal chain, the Vertiv CoolChip CDU 2300 is a liquid-to-liquid coolant distribution unit delivering 2.3 MW of cooling capacity in a compact footprint, offering one of the highest capacity-to-footprint ratios available in the market. Its smaller cabinet supports flexible placement, including in‑row or in adjacent mechanical areas, helping operators reduce floor space requirements and the number of CDUs needed in large‑scale, high‑density deployments.
Vertiv™ CoolChip CDU systems span from 100 kW to 2.3 MW and support direct‑to‑chip liquid cooling as well as rear‑door heat exchangers. The integrated Vertiv™ CoolChip CDU controller allows temperature and flow to adapt to workload demands, while features such as redundancy, unit‑to‑unit communication, and remote monitoring help enhance system availability and simplify operations. This controller-level intelligence enables the CDU to operate in coordination with other elements of the thermal chain, enabling consistent thermal performance across the entire infrastructure.
Complementing the CDU within the thermal chain architecture, the new Vertiv™ CoolChip Fluid Network Row Manifolds provide the physical connectivity layer between coolant distribution units, server-level cooling hardware, and heat rejection systems. Each manifold assembly is flushed, passivated, pressure-tested, and sealed to deliver superior cleanliness, corrosion resistance, and leak-free performance. The configurable design provides full system compatibility across direct-to-chip cooling, immersion cooling, and rear-door heat exchangers while simplifying coolant routing. It also enables fast deployment for new builds or retrofits, helping operators scale liquid-cooling infrastructure in weeks rather than months.
Vertiv complements its portfolio with Vertiv™ Liquid Cooling Services, covering design support, installation, and ongoing maintenance. This lifecycle approach is designed to help customers maximize efficiency, maintain system availability, and support consistent performance as liquid cooling becomes an integral part of modern data center operations.
Vertiv experts will be available throughout Datacloud Global Congress at booth #123 to discuss Vertiv’s end‑to‑end portfolio of power, cooling, and converged infrastructure solutions designed to support high‑density, AI‑ready data centers. Explore insights and resources at Vertiv.com/AI.
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