Abu Dhabi plots games market growth

The Abu Dhabi Government has set up content creation firm Twofour54 to drastically improve the Middle East games market – and is keen for UK companies to help achieve its aim.

The new initiative is designed to assist companies and people to create TV shows, films and video games aimed at Arab audiences. Publishers around the world have already teamed up with Twofour54 in order to tap into the potentially lucrative Middle Eastern games market.

We are establishing a media and content hub to service the broader Arabic, Middle East and North African region,” said Twofour54 COO Wayne Borg.

This region represents about 320 million people, with about 60 per cent of those people under the age of 25. We are one of the youngest populations in the world, and that age group is the sweet spot for leisure and entertainment expenditure.

These territories haven’t been well served by quality content for the Arabic world. The role of TwoFour54 is very much about building the industry ecosystem, by
making sure we have got the physical and intellectual infrastructure in place to support a growing industry.”

Twofour54 offers vocational courses, in-house studios, support and training facilities to help companies produce the sort of content that will appeal to Middle East consumers. And Borg feels this is key to succeeding in the region.

We want to develop a skilled workforce of game developers, so we can publish games initially for the region,” he added.

We want to create a consumer market for great Arabic-based games. Localised content is important. People want to experience their own content and have their own stories told. They want material they can relate to.”