Esports in MENA: Thriving in Saudi Arabia and UAE
summary
Region sees major change in five years: game publishers open Dubai HQs, regional leagues launch (Riot, Tencent, PUBG Mobile), and Saudi hosts the Esports World Cup plus planned Esports Olympic Games in Riyadh. Governments and sovereign funds fund tier‑one events and teams, create leagues that mandate Saudi players, and hire locals and internationals, but small and medium operators report squeezed margins. Grassroots moves include 14 local clubs and school programs; sustainability and return‑on‑investment remain the central unresolved question.
AI-written summary · about