ABU DHABI: In a dynamic landscape where innovation is paramount, Abu Dhabi is staking its claim. As the emirate navigates the shifting tides of the knowledge economy, the video game industry is emerging as a transformative force, proving to be a powerful catalyst for progress and innovation.

With the potential to redefine entertainment, education, and technology, gaming presents a unique opportunity for Abu Dhabi to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and digitized world.

To put it bluntly, gaming is the future and Abu Dhabi has a major role to play in making this future a reality. By staying ahead of the curve, we will attract global talent to the emirate whilst creating new career paths for aspiring local talent to realize their dreams.

Next phase of the knowledge economy

As the global gaming industry became mainstream, Abu Dhabi was right there beside it. This growth dates to Ubisoft’s arrival in the UAE capital in 2010. As data began to show the speed at which the Middle East’s gaming market was growing, more companies took advantage of this growth by settling in Abu Dhabi.

The industry is now thriving and growing at pace, with highly skilled jobs being created that encompass the latest trends in game development technology such as AI, machine learning and game analytics.

Each year, we push the boundaries of learning and development even further. We have started 2025 strong by hosting Global Game Jam, the world's largest game jam event, which takes place simultaneously around the globe. One of the locations this year was Berklee in Manarat Al Saadiyat hosted by Abu Dhabi Gaming, where game developers and enthusiast had 48 hours to develop and showcase their projects in a safe and welcoming environment.

Every initiative matters, as Abu Dhabi leads the way in driving forward the growth of the knowledge-based economy.

With revenues forecast to rise from $455 billion in 2024 to $625 billion by 2028, the global gaming industry continues to grow at a healthy rate, with the UAE and its legions of tech-savvy gamers now accounting for 30 percent of revenue in the MENA region.

Recognizing the creative potential of the gaming industry at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), we’ve actively pursued strategies to leverage its power. This involved adopting a comprehensive approach with three key pillars: developing the local talent pipeline and creating a second home for the global talent pool; bringing a healthy mix of game developers to Abu Dhabi and supporting the local home-grown development studios; engaging with the esports and gaming community across the globe.

We can point to immense progress on all three of the strategy’s pillars.

Talent development

Establishing a robust talent development pipeline stands as one of our top priorities, and we are making significant strides in this regard. Our initial move involved forging more than a decade-long partnership with Unity Technologies to enhance the skill set of our workforce. With its Middle East and Africa headquarters based in Abu Dhabi, San Francisco’s Unity is a leader in the industry, powering 80 percent of mobile games globally. Undertaking Unity training enhances employability prospects significantly and helps keep early-career talent in Abu Dhabi.

Bringing game developers to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is now home to more than 80 video game companies, the largest such community in the region. These companies and organizations, such as MY.Games, Sperasoft and Ninjas In Pyjamas, are drawn to Abu Dhabi by its reputation for delivering results. Last year, leading esports company NIP Group entered into a five-year term gaming subsidy agreement with DCT Abu Dhabi, with an aim to elevate its presence in the region.

Facilitating this growth is Abu Dhabi Gaming, serving as a vital connector within our community. Through initiatives like internship events, Abu Dhabi Gaming matches students with companies, streamlining the process for founders who can conduct multiple interviews in a single evening.

In the words of the late Steve Jobs, “Real artists ship.”, as in, deliver their products. Innovation has the potential to yield incredible results, but action is essential to realize its full potential – and Abu Dhabi Gaming is our channel for action in gaming.

Esports

Esports events pack arenas and have huge global viewership – over 540 million people worldwide by the latest estimates. At the local level, these big-tent events activate the gaming community by creating occasions that draw gamers together – which then paves the way for the success of further community gatherings such as Gaming4Good and the Yas Gaming Festival.

Increasingly, Abu Dhabi-based esports teams are making their mark on the global stage. Take, for example, Nigma Galaxy, a mainly Arab Dota 2 team that clinched a world championship title ahead of setting up their HQ in Abu Dhabi. With a support team comprising of a psychologist, strategist and analysts, they exemplify the professionalism in esports. Additionally, local talent like Amjad Al Shalabi, also known as AngryBird, emerged victorious at the 2023 EVO (Street Fighter) world championship in Las Vegas. We are also seeing a surge in the number of esports academies across the emirate to bring rising local stars to the forefront of competitive gaming.

Recognizing the growth opportunities the emirate has to offer, more teams are establishing themselves in Abu Dhabi: the emirate is poised to become a leading regional hub for esports, fostering heightened competition levels as teams train local gamers, and a burgeoning fan base as tournaments highlight local venues.

The future is ours

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is for Abu Dhabi Gaming to be a key player on the global stage. We believe it is important to tell more stories about the region through gaming, akin to how Dynasty Warriors presents Chinese imperial history. This is starting to happen. For instance, Ubisoft's team collaborated with multiple museums and historians covering Islamic art, architecture and history to ensure the authenticity of Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s portrayal of medieval Baghdad, highlighting its historical significance as a center of science and mathematics during that period.

In years to come we will witness more local success stories in game development. These energies are bubbling up at companies like Kashkool Games. Founded by three Emirati brothers, they have been working on their game called Sheba: A New Dawn for years and are now under the umbrella of Abu Dhabi Gaming. The game was successfully published last year, and they are already working on their second title with an increased focus in showcasing Emirati culture and preserving heritage.

AI is also an essential consideration as we move forward. AI and machine learning can transform games so that every time you play, the game is different. The monster around the corner this time won’t be the same monster as last time. Speech can be crafted so that every interaction is unique for every player. Developing games using AI technology is a skillset that needs to be leveraged and one for which the demand is only going to grow.

The opportunity in front of us is endless. Here in Abu Dhabi we are harnessing the power of creation, welcoming the dreamers and creating a world class ecosystem for the gaming industry.

RIYADH: The victorious Saudi Arabia team, who claimed victory on Dec. 8 in the inaugural FIFAe World Cup, featuring Rocket League, have been sharing their pride at securing the crown.

Cheered on by a raucous home crowd, they delivered a commanding performance to secure the title at the SEF Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City last Sunday.

Team captain Mohammed Al-Otaibi, known as TrK511, reflected on the triumph and said: “It’s an indescribable feeling to finally become world champions, winning the FIFAe Rocket League World Cup in our homeland, with our fans behind us every step of the way, makes the achievement unforgettable.”

Saudi Arabia dominated their opponents, topping the group stages before defeating Chile 4-0 in the quarter-finals, Brazil 4-0 in the semifinals and France 4-1 in the final.

Yazid Abdullah Bakhashwin, known as “Kiileerrz,” described the pride of representing Saudi Arabia on a global stage.

“This is the greatest achievement of my career,” he said. “What makes it even more significant is that it was the first Rocket League tournament for FIFAe, held here at home. The energy from the fans inside the SEF Arena was electrifying. Their cheers after every match and goal pushed us to perform at our peak.”

For coach Abdulrahman Al-Saad, the victory was the culmination of relentless preparation.

“We’ve been working towards this tournament for so long,” he said. “Being the first of its kind and hosted in our homeland made it even more meaningful. It marked the end of a long year of tournaments — around 10 in total — where we learned from every match and improved on our mistakes, especially in international competitions.”

The victory was particularly sweet for the Saudi team, who had often come close in previous tournaments without taking the top prize.

“Reaching the finals and semifinals only to fall short was tough,” said Saleh Abdullah “Rw9” Bakhashwin. “But my family and friends never stopped believing in us. This win feels like the perfect reward for all our efforts, and I’m proud to have made them proud,” he added.

His teammate and captain, TrK511, echoed the sentiment.

“After so many close calls, this victory feels especially meaningful. We’ve learned from our past experiences, practiced relentlessly, and stayed focused as a team,” he said.

Eighteen nations competed in the tournament, one of three in the FIFAe Finals 2024. The event was part of a growing number of competitions hosted in Saudi Arabia, which included the inaugural Esports World Cup earlier this year. With 23.5 million gamers — almost 70 percent of the population — the Kingdom is rapidly establishing itself as a global leader in esports.

“The esports industry in Saudi Arabia is expanding at an incredible pace,” said coach Al-Saad. “The Kingdom is investing heavily in infrastructure and nurturing young talent. This win reflects the passion our country has for gaming and esports.”

For Saudi Arabia’s world champions, this victory is just the beginning.

“We’re living in an era of esports, with tournaments happening year-round and so much support from our country,” said TrK511. “I’ve always wanted to achieve something for my family and my country, and now I’ve achieved the most important title of my career — but it won’t be the last.”