This 60 page Annual Report provides an understanding the current landscape of the game development industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It illustrates common characteristics and main challenges of game developers, as well as ideas around creating a better ecosystem for local game development to flourish.
Some Key Findings
- The number of game startups in Saudi Arabia almost doubled in 2022
- The majority of companies employ 1-5 or 6-10 staff
- 67% of respondents stated financial risk and lack of safety net as obstacles from establishing a start-up
- 80% of those who established a studio found the experience of founding the company relatively easy
- Most developers don’t usually pay monthly salaries to staff or themselves (part time founders)
Despite having a few small success stories in this very young industry, so far no game developed locally has made an impact outside of Saudi Arabia. All success stories are, at best, limited to the MENA region, and nearly all of these are multiplayer mobile games designed to appeal to local culture.
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