While many companies in the games industry continue to concentrate on Europe, the US and Japan, Stanton-Jones states that when combined, these emerging territories represent a market far larger than you might expect.

“One thing that is in no doubt is their size and growth potential,” he told MCV. “Think emerging markets, think big numbers. With the right channelled effort you can literally double your business in a year, something that you could only dream of in the more mature Western European markets.”

And although these  territories present problems, they are not insurmountable. “The first wrong perception is that piracy means it is impossible to have a legitimate software business in these markets. Take Dubai for example – rife with piracy ten years ago and now completely clean."

“Where there is money, nice air-conditioned shops, anti-piracy support and some reasonably priced software, you will have a good software market. In most markets, however, piracy directly affects software business, which we have to respond to,” added Stanton-Jones.

- Read the full, exclusive report in this week's MCV