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Declining Gaming Revenues Bring Middle East Opportunities

The global gaming industry faces plenty of challenges, but the Middle East’s investments have resulted in growth opportunities and regional resilience.

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declining gaming revenues bring middle east opportunities
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Ask a casual observer about the state of the gaming industry, and they’ll likely tell you that it’s in fine health. After all, this vast landscape of big-studio and indie developers, consoles, and cloud-based services rakes in billions each year.

However, despite headline-grabbing news such as Microsoft’s recent $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a closer examination reveals several underlying challenges. Despite initial surges during the pandemic, gaming usage and revenues have declined due to factors like inflation. Business Insider recently reported a 2.3% decrease in US gaming revenue in 2023 compared to the previous year, signaling a shift in consumer behavior that includes reduced gaming hours per week.

Analyst Matthew Ball’s assessment of the industry’s state highlights a concerning trend of layoffs, with a significant increase observed in 2024. Substantial cuts within Microsoft Gaming have impacted approximately 8% of its workforce. Meanwhile, key departures from Blizzard add to the industry’s instability.

While these layoffs have global implications, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region presents a unique opportunity amidst the industry’s challenges. With a rapidly growing gaming market and substantial government investments, countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are aiming to establish themselves as global hubs.

Also Read: Top 10 Best Video Games Set In The Middle East

Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group, backed by a $38 billion investment from PIF, seeks to bolster the Kingdom’s gaming industry and emerge as a global leader. Similarly, the UAE’s ambitious Dubai Program for 2033 aims to position Dubai among the top 10 cities in the gaming industry by boosting its digital economy and GDP.

These initiatives could offer insulation against the industry’s turbulence while creating growth opportunities for regional gaming companies. By diversifying their economies and investing in long-term development, Middle Eastern countries are demonstrating a strategic approach distinct from the short-term profit-driven motives seen elsewhere in the industry.

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LUVED Is A New Curated Preloved Marketplace For The UAE

Sellers keep 100 percent of every sale and AI can build a listing in five seconds — though the app’s smartest tools are still coming.

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luved is a new curated preloved marketplace for the uae

Secondhand shopping has become mainstream in the UAE, but the experience is still scattered across resale sites, social media and informal group chats. LUVED, a mobile-first marketplace that launched in Dubai this month, is betting it can pull that activity into one place — and that the thing buyers and sellers actually want is not more inventory, but trust.

The app trades in what it calls circular luxury: preloved fashion and lifestyle pieces across men’s, women’s and children’s categories, bought, sold or given away peer to peer. Its main pitch is economics, with sellers keeping 100 percent of every sale under a zero-commission, fast payout model, while buyers are promised vetted pieces at lower prices.

Where LUVED is staking its reputation is verification. Sellers pass a KYC check, and items run through a two-layer authentication system powered by Entrupy that pairs instant AI screening with human expert review for high-value pieces. Authenticity certificates travel with each item, payments sit in escrow, and a buyer-protection package the company calls The Safety Net adds a 48-hour return window and dispute resolution. Door-to-door logistics removes the in-person meetups that make most resale deals awkward.

An in-app assistant called Luvbot — offering selling insights and demand-based recommendations — is soon to be introduced to the platform. Other features include autofill and dynamic pricing that lets users build a listing in as little as five seconds from three photos, plus a swipe-based feed, story-style drops and in-app chat in English and Arabic. Finally, a gifting layer, Luved & Gifted, lets users pass items to others inside the app rather than sell them.

Also Read: Logitech’s New Folding Mouse Is Designed For Work On The Go

“After moving to Dubai, I saw how difficult it was to sell or even give things away,” says founder and CEO Shaima Sibtain. The friction is real, and so is the competition. In resale, trust is won transaction by transaction — and that is the test LUVED has set itself.

The app is live on the App Store now, with Google Play to follow. The company also plans to expand across the region, which will be the real test for a marketplace staking everything on trust.

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