The 5 Most Popular Video Games in the Middle East
Over the last few years, the gaming scene in the Middle East has been changing. In line with their Vision 2030 plan, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund allocated $38 billion into the gaming centre. Similarly, Ras Al Khaimah, in Dubai, is set to open the Wynn Al Marjan Island by 2047, with several multibillion casinos opening in the country for the first time.
This has been in the air for a while now. Currently, online casino gambling is legalised in Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and Lebanon, and other Arab countries are likely to follow suit, with some of the best gambling sites for real money already operating in the Middle East.
If the Middle East is going to become a real hub for gaming, however, you might want to know a little more about the community.
For those of us involved in the gaming community, we enjoy coming together at the end of the year to discuss our favourite – and most successful – video games released in the previous 12 months. Lists and rankings, however, are often influenced by the US and China – the two biggest gaming markets in the world.
So what about the Middle East? What games were enjoyed by Arabic players in 2023, and what made them such a hit? Here are the five most popular video games in the Middle East, and the reasons behind their success.
EAFC24
It’s no surprise that EAFC24 is top of the list. Over the last few years, the Saudi Pro League has ascended to “top five” league status, with 30 million viewers and a 24% viewership increase from 2022 to 2023. Football is a big part of the Saudi Vision 20230 plan, and the love for the sport is strongly linked to the rise in the eSports scene in the Middle East, which is rapidly becoming one of the strongest markets.
Romans: Age of Caesar
This city building game was a big seller in 2023, and the success of world-building games in general could be the reason why Saudi Arabia recently entered a partnership with The Sandbox – a blockchain-based platform that offers an open-world, immersive experience.
Loved for giving players the ability to build and strategise, with countless opportunities to express creativity, Romans: Age of Caesar is a strong indicator of how decentralised games might look like in the future – and the Middle East could be influential in the building of them.
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage
Released in October, Assassin’s Creed: Mirage looked to transport players to Baghdad in the 9th century, and its treatment of Arabic culture and history grew heavy acclaim, not least by the people who actually live there.
By returning to its roots, Assassin’s Creed: Mirage drew back in the Arabic players that it had lost along the way, and it demonstrates how important it is to practise authenticity and Middle Eastern representation – not least because it has put Ubisoft back in favour with a market they were steadily losing.
The King of Fighters XV
The King of Fighters XV is popular around the world. With its cross-platform availability and engaging gameplay, players in the Middle East have also jumped on board, making it one of the big sellers throughout 2022 and 2023. Just recently, it was announced that there will even be an SNK Global Qualifier taking place in Saudi Arabia, with the other two taking place in Peru and South Korea.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Thanks to its thrilling narrative, dramatic visuals and fun combat, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has been another big seller. One of the main reasons why the Middle East has fallen in love with this game is due to the second-to-none online experience.
With the ability to play and communicate with other people around the globe, players in the Middle East have become more closely involved with the gaming community, which is good news for this blossoming gaming hub if the discussed plans come to fruition.
Building Toward the Future
As for the plans themselves, it is unclear just how big of a gaming hub the Middle East will become. As mentioned before, Saudi Arabia has invested almost $40 billion to become a video game powerhouse, but to overthrow the US and China is a hefty challenge.
The appetite for gaming in the Middle East is clear, however. According to recent statistics, the Middle East gaming market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.02% over the next six years, rising from $5.71 billion in 2023 to a projected $9.6 billion by 2028. The Arabic gaming industry is only going to get bigger, and we can’t wait to watch it soar.