Tag: gaming

Saudi Arabia’s Sandsoft to Cater Gaming to Middle Eastern Players

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Seeking to address the lack of localization in video games and capitalize on the growth of gaming in the MENA, Sandsoft has announced it will begin producing games tailor-made for the region’s players. The company plans to start with mobile games, a very popular playing format in the MENA. 

Producing culturally sensitive games should see Sandsoft, led by CEO Mo Fadl, avoid the controversies international gamemakers face when presenting content that does not respect regional specificity. Earlier this month, Tencent’s PUBG caused outrage across the region due to the inclusion of a totem worship feature. 

Many equated the feature to idolatry, viewing it as disrespectful to the teachings of Islam and, in particular the Tawhid. Tencent eventually removed the feature, but some players deleted the game over its inclusion.

A strategic choice 

Gaming in the MENA has a growth rate that is double that of other markets, something upon which Sandsoft is hoping to capitalize. CEO Fadl says, “I believe within the next three to four years, the big players will understand that MENA is one of the world’s major markets.” Sandsoft hopes to be well established by that time, gaining a strategic edge on the competition. 

Underwriting Sandsoft is one of the MENA’s largest private sector employers, Ajlan & Bros Group. The group can assist Sandsoft with the critical infrastructure it needs to be a success including retail presence and cloud and payment infrastructure. The group has recently expanded into the entertainment sector with gaming at the center of their plans. 

Abdulaziz Alajlan, managing director of Ajlan & Bros Group and a board member of Sandshoft sees the project as part of the broader modernization of the region, stating that the “MENA is going through an incredible transition, with the region being modernized and video games will play a key role.” 

Gaming has already seen phenomenal growth in the region, with the MENA being the fastest-growing gaming region in the world. Growth is expected to triple in size to an estimated $4.4 billion by 2022. 

To benefit from the regional dynamism, Sandsoft is putting together an expansive team. Currently, the team has 24 four employees across three offices and is looking to grow to 64 over the coming months. Sandsoft will offer a suite of publishing services across mobile, PC, and console platforms. In addition to producing original games the company will all localize foreign content and work on marketing and user acquisition. 

Whilst the immediate goal is to conquer the MENA region, the arrival of Sandsoft could see regional perspectives introduced into other markets too, educating American and European audiences about local societal and cultural values through gaming. 

Popular Game PUBG Sparks Controversy Over Idol Worship in MENA

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The recently-released “Mysterious Jungle” version of the popular mobile game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) has caused controversy across the Middle East for the inclusion of idol worship. In the new version, players are incentivized to “pray” in front of totems. Doing so awards players with additional health and weaponry. 

The inclusion of idol worship in the game which is popular with children is a source of concern for Muslim scholars with fears it may teach them to embrace polytheism.

Idol worship refers to the practice of worshipping an idol or person in the place of God. Idolatry is forbidden in Islam and is considered to be in contradiction of Tawhid and a sin. Tawhid, the belief in the indivisibleness and oneness of God, is a central pillar of Islam, with the acknowledgment of the oneness of God forming the first part of the Shahada, or declaration of faith. 

Muslim players have taken to social media to express their disappointment with PUBG, and some users have gone as far as deleting the game. 

While less prominent in contemporary discourse, idol worship is also forbidden in Christianity. The Christain Broadcasting Network defines an idol as any “person, object or activity you give a higher priority in your life than a relationship with God.” As in Islam, the centrality of God is key to understanding the issue of idol worship.  

In the Christian understanding, idolatry can be directed towards both material and immaterial possessions such as a relationship, home, job, or vehicle. Idol worship, such as that included in PBUG, is explicitly outlawed in the Bible. It is unclear whether the inclusion of the totem prayer feature has sparked similar controversy among Christian players. 

Video games often lack localization for audiences in the MENA region. However, the game’s producer Tencent issued a statement to Gulf News apologizing for the inclusion of the totem worship feature, which they have now removed.

Middle East Games Con Announces Free 2020 Virtual Event

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Now in its fourth year, the Middle East Games Con is the GCC’s largest gaming event. In previous years YouTube personalities including MatPat, Ali-A, and Miniminter have attended the event. Ticket holders were allowed a front row seat to official e-sports tournaments, trialling untested games, and participating in cosplay competitions. 

Scheduled for October 29-31, this year’s event will be free for anyone who registers. Whilst organizers have yet to release details, they are promising e-sports, special guests, exclusive reveals, gaming awards, and more.

The decision to hold the event virtually follows Saudi Arabia’s announcement of the Gamers Without Borders event. As previously reported by Arabia Policy, the seven-week-long tournament has a unique charity element with the $10 million dollar prize pool to be donated to the COVID-19 charities of the winner’s choice. 

Gaming and e-sports booming in MENA

Online gaming and e-sports are expected to reach a worth of $159 billion in 2020, far outstripping the value of both the music and film industry. The market in the MENA region is the fastest growing in the world and is expected to triple in size to an estimated $4.4 billion by 2022. 

Despite a growth rate two times that of other regions, players from the MENA region face a number of challenges. Key among these is the lack of dedicated servers in the region. Currently, players from the Levant and North Africa use European servers whilst those in the Gulf rely on servers from Asia. This puts players from the region at a disadvantage as lags in response from the servers can cause them to lose vital points.  

The lack of localized content, including games using the Arabic language, presents both a challenge for players and an opportunity for entrepreneurial developers.

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