IGN Middle East explains why its region could be the next blockbuster market for gaming

This TV show — broadcast from Dubai on UAE television a couple of days ago — brings with it a message that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region could be the next big market for gaming - not just for the 340+ million audience in the region, but for game developers and the growing games industry itself.

With a guest appearance from Nick Rego - senior editor of the newly launched IGN Middle East edition — the morning show led with a 6-minute segment focusing on the latest gaming trends and expectations in Middle Eastern countries, including UAE and Saudi Arabia, where games development is noticeably on the rise.

It came as a pleasant surprise to find the TV show posted on Facebook, and to see that IGN is clearly positioned as the voice of gaming in the region, having launched only two weeks ago as the latest in the international expansion programme, which recently included Sweden back in March.

I share the belief that the Middle East is the next big deal for industries like gaming and media, and as such I was really pleased to work with the great team in Dubai to push out the first multi-language edition of IGN, which is proving extremely popular with gamers in both English and Arabic.

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I’m pretty stoked be a media brand about the world’s #1 rising entertainment form “global” — and I hope to be saying a few words here about each of the new launches as they’re announced.

The launch press release on IGN Middle East can be read here, and we’ve already revealed exclusively in MCV that Asia is next (image, right). If you’re interested in talking about IGN’s global expansion plans, feel free to get in touch with me via LinkedIn.

Update, here’s another great IGN Middle East video: