In the middle of Esports

With firmly established tournaments and markets in the United States and Asia, a question mark hangs above the Middle East region regarding how it will elevate itself to compete in the global eSports arena. With the launch of a new gaming venue, the first of its kind in the region, people in the gaming world are sitting up and paying attention.

In a recent report by ESPN, it said that the group organizing the 2024 Olympic bid for Los Angeles, would try to harness the popularity of eSports as part of a way of connecting with the millennial generation. The reported added that, LA 2024 Chairman Casey Wasserman said 'we view eSports' immense global popularity and continued advances in digital technologies as tremendous tools for reconnecting with millennials with the Olympic movement.' With this in mind it is clear that eSports has a major foothold in North America. Packed arenas, sponsorship deals and world-travels have become synonymous for many professional gamers in the US and in Europe.

The Middle East has however struggled to establish its own name in the eSports world. This is not to say the community of gamers in the region is one that doesn’t exist, it is simply an untapped market and can be seen in the formation of campaigns such as GCC Majors run by Fahad Freeman or Cyber Sports League, manned by Karim Mousa and Nassim Ghaith.

More recently in the Middle East region, in Doha, the announcement of a fully dedicated eSports arena, in the form of Virtuocity , set for launch in 2017 has gotten gamers and eSports leaders interests piqued. From numerous website registrations and social media inquiries, the excitement in palpable at the launch of the arena.

Still, is the Middle East ready for its eSports arena? Regional gaming manager, Mohamed Sirelkhatim says it’s a resounding yes for him. The community leader who has been brought on board to help with the launch of Virtuocity (thanks to his own gaming experience in the region) says, “People want to game more in the region, and there is a drive by community leaders to do it together but without major backing tournaments can often lack the ‘wow-factor’ and sustainability as seen at tournaments in other regions.”

The gaming industry in the Middle East region would clearly like to be recognized and taken seriously when you consider that it hosted the Doha Film Institute’s Ajyal Youth Film Festival last year, in order to create a mini hub/exhibit for gamers, artists and fans of games and anime. There were videogame tournaments, karaoke nights of Arabic dubbed anime songs, cosplay competitions, idea ‘pitchathon’ for aspiring game/app developers and workshops on game development.

With these sorts of events, top of mind for many gamers, you can see why the region is primed for more events, arenas and tournaments. But it isn’t always that easy. Speaking to the National in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), says Mousa, “No one’s really thinking of creating a consistent, structured scene.' Agreeing with this sentiment says Mohamed Sirelkhatim : “Tournaments in the region needed to be taken to the next level, with all the bells and whistles we see in at arenas in other parts of the world.”

“The benefit in that would be massive to everyone involved: the sponsors, the players, the network cafes. The potential is there. In the Middle East we’ve got one of the youngest populations in the world, one of the highest gamer bases in the world, one of the highest penetration rates in the world, one of the highest monetisation rates in the world,” adds Mousa

Perhaps, what many see as a challenge in the region is related to cultural nuances often misunderstood by the West. For example, the perceptions around how women and men would compete or even view a tournament together. Says, Sirelkhatim: “There is a definite interest from women in the Middle East,on the periphery, at least, to attend gaming events, but not necessarily to participate just yet. I think women in this region, much like other women around the world, are looking for icons who can lead the way. The Virtuocity venue, for example, will be a mixed venue, but it could also be used as springboard to launch women-only tournaments.”

With the growing formation of companies organizing tours in the region and with the exciting launch of Virtuocity in the Middle East region, it is clear that this market is one that needs to be tapped into, not just for the sake of the opportunity, but the need for the community to have spaces in which to play and access gaming on an international level.