The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is becoming a robust marketplace for games due to strong internet penetration and the popularity of mobile devices. Games featuring the local culture in mind are able to attract more users.

Gaming industry in the MENA region, and the role of culture

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is increasingly poised to become the next big market for the gaming business. The revenue of the gaming industry is expected to reach 3.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, said Telecommunications Minister Boutrous Harb. The gaming market in MENA has a faster growth rate than the rest of the world due to high internet penetration rates in the area. Additionally, it has a large population of young people that see gaming as their major source of entertainment.

However, the gaming audience in MENA want to see their culture reflected in the games that they play. Given the popularity of Western games, consumers in the MENA region are looking for those that were tailor-made for their consumption. Players want games that feature their history, traditions, their native settings, or use characters that look like them. Developers need to take into account the importance of local culture to leverage the growing demand for games in MENA.

Boyaa Interactive is one example of a game developer that understands the importance of culture in creating video or online games. Established in 2004, Shenzhen Dong Fang Bo Ya Technology Co. Ltd, is a developer and publisher of social applications in China. Now, it is working with Paymentwall, a global payments service provider, to expand its business worldwide. With a goal “to share happiness everywhere,” Boyaa has created games that suit different tastes; such as Texas Holdem, Happy Baby, Real Estate Tycoon, and others. For the MENA region, Boyaa has developed a mobile app featuring Tarneeb, an Arab traditional card game. Known as iTarneeb, Boyaa’s app can be downloaded from Google Play.

Since Tarneeb is a card game played by families and friends, Boyaa has ensured that iTarneeb supports online-multiple player mode. The interactive game is in Arabic language and adheres to Arabic customs and rules. By creating iTarneeb, Boyaa wants people to be able to play the card game with their friends and family wherever they are.

Creating games that pay

The MENA area can bring game developers to the next level as there are players there who are willing to pay to enjoy better access on games. In the Gulf region, the average daily revenue of games per user is 8 U.S. cents, as compared to the average revenue of 6 U.S. cents for users in the U.S. and Europe, said Peak Games co-founder Rita Onur.

To leverage the paying capacity of gamers, developers should know the payment methods used in the MENA region. About 80% of customers pay with cash on delivery (COD) for online purchases because they value face-to-face business transactions. Meanwhile, 10% of customers pay online through mobile, but the percentage of mobile payments may double soon due to the popularity of smartphones. This year, smartphone penetration is expected to rise by 8.3% in MENA, with the number of users increasing from 67 million to 112.2 million, according to the Global Media Intelligence Report.

Therefore, mobile phones can soon become the most popular payment method in MENA. For developers, they need to know how they can activate payments through mobile in their games.Mobiamo, a mobile payments service provider, can help them accept payments through SMS. It works with more than 180 mobile carriers and is available in over 80 countries. In MENA, Mobiamo collaborates with local carriers such as Viva, Zain, Inwi, Nawras, Vodafone and many more.

With mobile payments, MENA players have a secure way to pay for their games. Another safe payment option is through prepaid payments, such as MINT. To use it, gamers need to pay at any MINT reseller first, and then they will receive an E-pin that they can enter in exchange of virtual credits for games or apps.

To successfully seize the MENA market, game developers need two things:

  • Integrate local culture in the game
  • Consider the technologies available to provide suitable payment methods for their users.

With games featuring cultural elements, developers are able to respond to the demands of players in the region. With SMS and prepaid payment methods, they make the payment process easier and safer, and encourage online purchases. Through these, developers can ramp up their game in the MENA region.

Do you want to launch games in the MENA region? Leverage the area’s appetite for gaming with Mobiamo and MINT. For more information, contact us at bizdev@paymentwall.com.