The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the fastest-growing markets for video games, and Saudi clothing and real estate firm Ajlan & Bros Group, one of the biggest family-controlled companies in Saudi Arabia, has seen an opportunity to capitalize on that trend and help push it further.
The company has unveiled Sandsoft Games, a new game publishing outfit dedicated to the MENA region. It will start with three offices — one each in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and China — with plans to open a fourth in the coming months.
The MENA region has more than 500 million people, and it’s long been considered an emerging market for video games. But it has few domestic video game publishers and developers, and most game makers simply localize games for the region, modifying them for language and local tastes.
The Middle East boasts a young population, high purchasing power and it is an emerging tech hub with solid infrastructure. Sandsoft wants to capitalize on this ecosystem and integrate its local expertise and offer the culturization of products to ensure games are launched in a way that will resonate with players.
