INTERNATIONAL FACTFILE Saudi Arabia
MCV looks at the games market in Saudi Arabia and the negative effects of its strict censorship restrictions
In association with Wholesaler and distributor of video games, consoles and accessories
THE FACTS Population: 29,149,690 Currency: Saudi riyal GDP (Per Capita): $24,246 Capital City: Riyadh Language: Arabic
KEY RETAILERS Eagle, Extra, E-Max, Jarrir Bookstore, Tokyo Games
MAIN DISTRIBUTORS LS2 Pluto, Modern Electronics, Red Entertainment, Viva Entertainment
TOP DEVELOPERS Index, Kammelna Games, Semanoor
International/Semaphore
PUBLISHERS WITH A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE REGION
Microsoft, Sony Computer Entertainment
ABOUT THE MARKET
VIDEO games are becoming big business in Saudi Arabia and the sector is one ready to be tapped in to by Western publishers. The market is estimated to be worth in excess of $1bn in terms of both software and hardware sales. But that’s according to official avenues only, and realistically the figure is projected to be much closer to around $1.7bn taking into account the country’s grey market. Most of this growth can be attributed to the internet and the rise of social media in the region. Saudi consumers are using sites such as Facebook and Twitter more than ever, particularly when it comes to gaming. The DDA estimates that 65 per cent of Saudi internet users do so for online gaming. Saudi Arabia’s market remains besieged by strict censorship guidelines and a large number of
46 Around the World
titles remain banned in the county due to their sexual and violent content, or negative portrayal of Arab people. The games banned within the county include some of the industry’s biggest sellers such as Modern Warfare, God of Warand Grand Theft Autofranchises.
The market is worth between $1bn and $2bn in terms of hardware and software sales.
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But this censorship is having a more detrimental effect on the country’s games market. Saudi consumers are increasingly turning to piracy to get their hands on these banned titles.
It’s no coincidence that many of the countries that impose heavy restrictions on games such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and China all maintain the world’s highest rates of piracy. According to the DDA, piracy rates across the pan-Arab region are close to 90 per cent. Within the US and Europe, the ratio of games to consoles sold stands at eight to one. But in Saudi Arabia, these figures are inverted as the number of console sales greatly outpaces the amount of boxed games sold in the country. Saudi Arabia is home to the Dubai
World Game Expo, which enters its seventh year in 2014. The trade show is the largest event for the games industry across the Middle East and North Africa regions and is estimated to have attracted over 24,000 visitors, including publishers, developers and distributors alike.
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