The Gaming Hubs of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar

While Saudi Arabia's gaming strategy works at national scale, its Gulf neighbors are building focused, city-sized hubs. Abu Dhabi set out first, launching Abu Dhabi Gaming (AD Gaming) in March 2021 through twofour54, its media free zone. In 2023 the initiative joined the Department of Culture and Tourism, and the emirate now counts more than 70 gaming companies, the largest concentration in the region, most of them at Yas Creative Hub on Yas Island.

Dubai followed in November 2023 with the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, which aims to place the city among the world's ten leading gaming hubs, create 30,000 jobs and add about US$1 billion to the economy. Growth has been quick: the number of gaming companies rose from about 368 in 2024 to 495 in 2026, and Dubai brought its biggest pavilion yet to Gamescom in Germany in August 2026. A long-term Dubai Gaming Visa is open to talented creators aged 25 and over.

Qatar's scene is younger and more community-led. The Qatar Esports Federation, under the Qatar Olympic Committee, runs national competition, and Media City Qatar supports a new wave of Doha studios, six of which exhibited at Gamescom 2026. In May 2026, the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum opened the 321 Esports Lounge, a dedicated esports space inside an Olympic museum.