Esports and Gaming in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East

Two-thirds of Saudi Arabia's population is under 35, and most of them play. That simple fact sits behind one of the boldest economic bets in modern entertainment: a national decision to turn gaming and esports from a pastime into an industry, with studios, jobs, arenas and global events of its own. It is a central thread of Vision 2030, alongside tourism, sport and technology.

In September 2022 the Kingdom launched its National Gaming and Esports Strategy: 86 initiatives, carried out by more than 20 government and private bodies, aimed at adding about SAR 50 billion (roughly US$13 billion) to the economy and creating 39,000 jobs by 2030. The plan also calls for more than 30 globally competitive games made in Saudi studios and a place among the top three countries for professional esports players. Our guide to the Saudi gaming strategy and Savvy Games Group explains how it works.

The engine of that plan is Savvy Games Group, founded by the Public Investment Fund in 2021. Savvy owns Scopely, the maker of MONOPOLY GO!, whose catalog now includes Pokémon GO; ESL FACEIT Group, the world's largest esports operator; and Riyadh's own Steer Studios. In August 2026 a consortium led by PIF completed its US$55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts, the publisher of EA SPORTS FC, Madden NFL and Battlefield, making the Kingdom the owner of one of the most recognized names in American gaming.

Saudi Arabia leads, but it is not alone. Abu Dhabi launched AD Gaming in 2021 and now counts more than 70 gaming companies on Yas Island, including studios from Ubisoft and MY.GAMES and a Unity Centre of Excellence. Dubai's Program for Gaming 2033 aims to place the city among the world's ten leading gaming hubs, with 30,000 jobs and a dedicated gaming visa for creators; nearly 500 gaming companies were based in Dubai in 2026. Doha, meanwhile, opened the world's first esports lounge inside an Olympic museum in 2026. Our guide to the gaming hubs of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar covers each in detail.

Behind all of this is a wider push into technology. The same Gulf funds backing game studios are investing in data centers and artificial intelligence, and the two worlds increasingly overlap, from AI-driven game design to cloud gaming. Our page on the Middle East as an artificial intelligence hub tells that story, and Startups and Venture Capital follows the money.

For American fans, Riyadh is now easier to reach than ever. Saudia flies nonstop from the US East Coast, and Delta plans its first nonstop from Atlanta to Riyadh for March 2027; see nonstop flights from the US. US passport holders can apply online for the Saudi tourist eVisa, and the city's finest hotels sit within a short drive of Boulevard City. Summer events run in the heat of July and August, so plan days indoors and evenings out.

For investors, the momentum is real: new studios, new free-zone licenses and new talent programs in every Gulf capital. Our guides to investing in the Middle East and free zones and company setup are the place to begin.