Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 is backed by Dubai Future Foundation. The initiative focuses on three aspects including talent, content, and tech. It also expands to housing job opportunities, partnering with international companies, universities, and academic institutions. Meaning, the program is a “full-scale” operation to make Dubai a global gaming hub.
The global market size of the video game industry is massive. The market was calculated to generate almost 281.77 billion USD and it will boast with a value of approximately 665.77 billion by 2030. The Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, from what it is titled, is also targeting the goal and grabbing a large share of it. However, if the program goes well with all the calculations “to a major extent“, then the target will be achieved for both the whole industry and the program.
The Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 in a brief
With a target to position Dubai among the top 10 cities in the global gaming industry, the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 was initiated in March 2023. Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 seeks to create 30,000 new jobs and place the city among the top 10 cities in the global gaming industry. Besides, the program is also looking to contribute a significant amount to Dubai’s GDP, the goal is to generate approximately USD 1 billion by 2033.
“Our objective is to establish an incubating environment for developers and to draw leading technology companies from across the globe. The program will offer support to developers, designers, programmers, as well as entrepreneurs and startups in the creative industries,” said H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation.
The impact will be across several fields, embracing the gaming world to build a stronghold
The gaming industry is already a huge market for the global economy. As technologies and digital products are becoming an integral part of life, people tend to receive entertainment via digital means will increase a lot. Thus, the saga will continue, boosting the market size and technological advancements. Besides, job creation, impact on GDP, and connected fields will receive extra care. Dubai saw the potential here and thus took steps to become a center hub for gaming.
Economic Impact and Industry Growth
The gaming market is already huge, and so is its approximate size in the days ahead. The Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 is an ambitious initiative. Looking at the economic impact, the first one is what the program can contribute. Well, the authorities are looking to generate 30,000 jobs and approximately USD 1 billion in the city’s GDP.
The overall growth of the MENA regional market is blooming now. We witnessed the rise of the market, at least when the lead was taking place, after the Gamers8 program. The first esports event took place in 2022, followed by the next edition in 2023. Saudi Arabian esports and Savvy Games Group announced an investment of USD 37.9 billion in 2023. Moving forward, the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2024 is the next baton holder now in the race. All the major esports titles are showcasing including mobile and other platforms are moving and expanding into the MENA market.
And that is doing the trick. The plan to generate such a huge amount is slowly but steadily becoming possible. The economic impact and industry growth are spotted here wholely. We can call it a successful walk till now, and the pace looks promising.
Partnerships, investment, and collaboration
The projects for making the goal possible took three projects under the Dubai Metaverse Strategy namely the Metaverse Alliance, Metaverse Guidelines, and Metaverse Pioneers. More updates within the framework include other initiatives like Create Apps in Dubai, Amazon’s UAE store, and the Metaverse Accelerator Program.
Looking at the value of MENA’s gaming market, the value was USD 5,670.9 Million in 2022. Now, the compound annual growth rate is approximated at 21.1% during the forecast period (2023-2030). Key market players will be leading game companies like Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts (EA), FACEIT Ltd, Gameloft, Gfinity PLC, Netmarble, Nintendo, NVIDIA Corporation, Tencent, etc.
In a post on LinkedIn, Kishan Deepak Palija, Chief Executive Officer at Geekay Group, said, “This is an interesting development. I would like to see what path Dubai takes on gaming and how regional companies like Geekay could benefit from this.” So, the interests of investors, contributors, people, etc. all focus on the program.
The investment is mostly focused on creating infrastructure, building cities, supporting players, buying gaming companies, and more. To be exact, Abu Dhabi is being developed in the gaming industry culture by bringing in game studios, esports programs, etc. As billions are coming into the city, Dubai is becoming a hub for gaming and esports across all platforms.
Challenges in the road
The key challenge in the pathway will be housing the leading companies. Besides, it is also worth noticing that the city has been able to take a return on the investment. This doesn’t only concern the city, but also the companies and investment partners.
There are more challenges on the road. The city houses an Islamic culture. Thus, diversity in overseas culture will affect the fabric and emotions of the people. This cultural barrier needs to be overcome. The concerning issue is LGBTQ+ support as well. During the last Gamers8 program, Saudi Arabia’s strict rules regarding the approach caused several controversies.
Another issue the program may face is the regulatory problem. The governing rules may not be always the same and the political wind may change as well. Besides, the regulatory board should overcome all the obstacles to cross the barrier in the path.
Final Thoughts
To bind the strings together of the world of video games with open arms, the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 is going to lay a sustainable impact. The impact of mobile gaming is going to play a crucial part as it is already a major driver in Saudi Arabia.
Besides, not only will it accumulate the organizations, investment, and developers together, but the future of gaming will grow more as a complete industry. Filling the loopholes, the growth of small-scale developers, and will altogether get exclusive and intensive care. Moreover, the overhaul that the program will bring will also provide the face of gaming with a whole new look.
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