Zain KSA CEO says online gaming market grows 22% annually, PLAYHERA MENA platform to leverage sector

Sultan Al-Deghaither, CEO of Mobile Telecommunication Company Saudi Arabia (ZAIN KSA)

The online gaming market is witnessing significant annual growth of 22%, with a market value of SAR 2.6 billion, said Sultan Al-Deghaither, CEO of Mobile Telecommunication Company Saudi Arabia (ZAIN KSA).

“We look forward to driving growth in the gaming market in the region and at the same time, we are certain that PLAYHERA MENA will raise the level of the services in this sector that caters to a large segment of users and businesses,” Al-Deghaither said, adding that the same goes for the Kingdom’s expanding gaming market that currently hosts over 19.8 million gamers.

Zain KSA and Zain Group partnered with a global gaming platform, PLAYHERA to launch their new regional esports platform PLAYHERA MENA to target the Middle East’s markets. 

Headquartered in Saudi Arabia, PLAYHERA MENA will create a suitable environment for innovators, content creators and esports amateurs, besides fostering the capabilities of professional gamers. The exclusive joint venture (JV) agreement was signed, during the beginning of this year, in LEAP 2022 tech event held in Riyadh. 

PLAYHERA CEO, Naif Mulaeb, said, “We are proud to be a Saudi-born brand that has gone global with a fast-growing partner like Zain KSA who share our same passion and enthusiasm toward digital entertainment.”

Targeting the region’s lucrative market of an estimated 100 million gamers, PLAYHERA MENA will be a gaming powerhouse that fosters countless opportunities for regional competitions and championships. It will also incorporate new gaming services such as cloud games backed by Zain KSA’s state-of-the-art 5G infrastructure to attract digital entertainment stakeholders.

Zain will notably celebrate the launch of PLAYHERA MENA platform by announcing a regional PUBG Mobile tournament from Aug. 29 to Oct. 3. It is estimated that the tournament finals will attract around 7,000 participants from across the MENA market.