RIYADH: 黑料社区 has secured the second-highest global ranking for average daily time spent playing video games, signaling a significant shift in leisure activities, according to a report.
The US-based online gaming platform Mobile Premier League has revealed that gaming culture is booming in 黑料社区, with over half its population partaking in video games.
The data supports the听Kingdom鈥檚 National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which听aims to ensure听the sector creates jobs and contributes $13 billion to the country鈥檚 gross domestic product.
鈥淭he rise of gaming content creators and streamers on platforms like YouTube and Twitch is driving greater engagement within the Saudi gaming community,鈥 said an expert at MPL.
This听follows the Kingdom鈥檚 Team Falcons soaring to victory in a historic moment for the nation鈥檚 esports scene, claiming the Call of Duty: Warzone championship at the Esports World Cup held in Riyadh on July 3.
The local favorites, comprising Shifty, Soka听and听Biffle, clinched the grand final with a commanding performance, securing a prize of $200,000.
Moreover, there is a rising enthusiasm for virtual reality gaming driven by advancements in technology, accompanied by an increase in Arabic-language content tailored to meet the needs of local audiences.
Egypt ranked first, as the gaming culture is experiencing rapid growth due to a rising middle class and increased internet accessibility.
Popular genres include first-person shooters, sports games like FIFA Soccer, and multiplayer online battle arena games like Player Unknown鈥檚 Battlegrounds Mobile, also known as PUBG.
The report noted that Egypt鈥檚 gaming population is predicted to increase as more culturally relevant material is generated.
Last week, the Esports World Cup was launched, featuring听a cross-game format of 22 competitions across 21 premier titles.听There is a prize pool of听$60 million听at stake, the largest in the sport鈥檚 history.
During a press conference held on July 2, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said the event would boost the sport in the country.
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