Dubai: The world’s flagship free zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has launched the DMCC Gaming Centre in order to support the growing global and regional video games industry.
The DMCC Gaming Centre, which was introduced during the Dubai Esports Festival, formalises DMCC’s efforts in the gaming and esports sector by fostering a positive environment in which all gaming and esports firms can grow.
DMCC is currently home to over 50 gaming companies, from game developers and producers to esports teams and tournament organizers. The DMCC Gaming Centre will be based in DMCC’s award-winning free zone, offering unparalleled access to a thriving network of peers in the gaming industry to open up new possibilities for collaboration.
Gaming companies looking to engage with audiences worldwide can also gain from DMCC’s fully digital setup process, world-class infrastructure, and dedication to enhancing business performance. Under the DMCC Gaming Centre, members will have access to the wider esports community through regular events and esports tournaments as well as industry support from DMCC’s ecosystem partner YaLLa Esports, a leading esports organisation in the UAE, as per the reports.
Members will also have the chance to join acceleration and market entry programs tailored specifically for the gaming industry through our ecosystem partner, AstroLabs, a top builder of the tech ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. According to the statement, the revenues from the gaming sector in the MENA region, which are currently valued at $1.8 billion, are anticipated to increase to $5 billion by 2025.
Earlier this year, DMCC associated with the global VC firm Brinc to offer members access to $150 million in funding through their accelerator programs ZK Advancer and The Sandbox Metaverse. Those programs will also be open to DMCC Gaming Centre members developing games on blockchain and web3 technologies.
“Gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, with nearly 3.2 billion people playing and spending a combined total of $196.8 billion in 2022. The size and growth of the industry today is staggering compared to when video games first appeared in the 1970s,” Mr. Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, remarked.
“These passionate communities are constantly looking for greater immersion and storytelling in their chosen form of entertainment. As our roster of gaming companies expands rapidly and as we see more of our DMCC Crypto Centre members enter the blockchain gaming space, there is no better time to formalise our efforts by opening the DMCC Gaming Centre. Through this facility, we will solidify Dubai’s position as a global hub for all forms of gaming and esports,” Mr. Sulayem further added.
Games have overtaken other forms of entertainment in popularity around the world due to their rich storyline and a stronger sense of immersion. DMCC’s research shows that eight out of 10 Gen Zs and millennials are gamers and that gamers between the ages of 25 and 40 spend as much as seven hours gaming each week.
With 68 percent of online users accessing gaming-related content and 10 percent of them being esports enthusiasts, esports is also a rapidly growing sector. More people now watch esports than many traditional sports leagues, including the NBA and MLB.