DMCC announces launch of its gaming centre

DMCC – the UAE’s free trade zone has announced the launch of the DMCC Gaming Centre in support of the increasingly growing global and regional video games industry.

Currently standing at $1.8bn, revenues generated by the gaming industry in the MENA region are expected to reach $5bn by 2025.

Launched during the Dubai Esports Festival, the gaming centre formalises DMCC’s efforts in the gaming and esports space.

DMCC is currently home to over 50 gaming companies, from game developers and producers to esports teams and tournament organisers.

The DMCC Gaming Centre will be based in DMCC’s free zone, providing unparalleled access to a community of gaming industry peers to unlock new opportunities for collaboration. Gaming companies looking to expand their global reach and connect with audiences across the world will also benefit from DMCC’s fully digital setup process, infrastructure and commitment to increasing the ease of doing business.

DMCC has announced the launch of the DMCC Gaming Centre, a dedicated space for #gaming and #esports companies to expand their business growth. With a revenue of USD 1.8 billion in MENA, read about DMCC’s plan to position #Dubai as the next gaming hub: https://t.co/sEuvSNDmQF pic.twitter.com/lN1GIgyRHL

— DMCC (@DMCCAuthority) December 12, 2022

Under the new centre, members will have access to the wider esports community through regular events and tournaments. Furthermore, members will have the opportunity to join gaming specific acceleration and market entry programmes through AstroLabs, a tech ecosystem builder in the MENA region.

Earlier this year, DMCC partnered with the global VC firm Brinc to provide members with access to $150m in funding through their accelerator programmes ZK Advancer and The Sandbox Metaverse. Those programmes 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  $196.8bn in 2022. The size and growth of the industry today is staggering compared to when video games first appeared in the 1970s,” said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman and CEO, DMCC. He added, “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.”