Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Driven by strong incubation programs, Saudi gaming startups double in 2022 

Driven by strong incubation programs, Saudi gaming startups double in 2022 

Reflecting Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become one of the world’s major gaming centers, the number of games startups in the Kingdom almost doubled to 24 in 2022 from 13 last year, according to a report by Nine66. 
The company, an integrated support system for game developers, said this growth was driven by incubation programs.

The report went on to add that most of the companies employ one to five, or six to 10, staff, putting them in the independent studios category. However, only six companies employ more than 10 people.

Nine66 is a Savvy Games Group company, which is owned by the Public Investment Fund. It offers global infrastructure, skills development, network, capital, publishing and advisory services to game studios and developers. 

About 80 percent of those who have set up a game studio in Saudi Arabia said the experience was “relatively easy,” according to the report. There is also a strong collaborative spirit in the Kingdom’s gaming industry.

The report stated that almost 84 percent of the respondents have linked up with other local developers at some point.

The survey report interviewed 51 game developers from a mix of solo developers, mid-sized teams, and large companies between April and June. 

Even though gaming is extremely popular in the region, there is a comparatively small number of studios compared to the 5,000 across Europe and more than 3,000 in the US, the report said.

Nearly 67 percent of respondents said financial risks and the lack of a safety net prevented them from establishing startups.

Almost 35 percent stated that the lack of knowledge of how companies work is a significant factor in why developers cannot start new studios.

The report noted that access to funding has been challenging for some developers as investors either do not fully understand the sector or have been hesitant to invest in gaming companies, the report said.

The fact that all game developers interviewed in the report were self-funded indicated a lack of investor support.

The report stated that most developers — 65 percent — have never tried to seek investment, with the most common reason being that they were not ready to pitch their games. 
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
×