Video game firms eye Middle East’s market

Video game developers and distributors are lining up in droves to cash in on an industry that is growing by leaps and bounds in the Middle East. Industry analysts believe sales in the regional gaming industry, from consoles and hardware to online digital gaming products, are worth $10 billion (Dh36.7 billion) annually in market value. For four days beginning today, thousands of enthusiasts, from developers to gamers, will descend on the Dubai World Game Expo 2011 to take in the latest offerings by 144 exhibitors from 52 countries. The fourth annual show will open to industry members for the initial two days and to the general public for the remaining two days at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Article continues below Tariq Al Madani, managing director of organisers Index Conferences and Exhibitions, said the biggest aim of the conference is to connect an expected 3,200 gaming industry insiders to help grow the fledgling gaming industry from within the Middle East. "The focus here is on the business, it's about the industry growth here in the region," Al Madani told Gulf News. "It's a new industry in the Middle East." Only recently, for example, did Ubisoft, one of the world's leading gaming software developers, confirm that it was setting up the first digital gaming studio in the Middle East at the twofour54 media zone in Abu Dhabi to help create Arab content. Interest in this year's game expo is wide with the largest show pavilion coming from Iran to showcase 12 of the country's games developers. Spain and South Korea have also set up large exhibits to showcase their latest video gaming products.