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Saudi Arabia Unveils World’s First Gaming And eSport District
The site at Qiddiya will host global events and attract 10 million visitors annually with gaming-themed accommodation and 100,000 sqm of entertainment.
Saudi Arabia has revealed plans to create the world’s first dedicated gaming and eSports district at Qiddiya City. The project aims to propel the Kingdom into the thriving professional eSports scene.
In the heart of Qiddiya City — 40 km from the capital Riyadh — the new gaming district will be centered around four eSports venues designed to host prominent events and attract up to 10 million visitors yearly, the state news agency SPA announced.

The Gaming & eSports District launch comes after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s support for the sector demonstrated through a “National Strategy” and initiatives, including talent development programs and targeted investments. The district, with its widespread appeal to over two-thirds of the Saudi population, aims to “engage and inspire”.

Abdullah bin Nasser Aldawood, the Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company, explained: “The gaming and eSports sector is experiencing rapid growth, and we observe the ambitious plans to propel it forward. Our responsibility will be to host major events and tournaments by enhancing the infrastructure, enabling Qiddiya City to invite the world to live, learn, and compete in gaming and eSports. The gaming and eSports district in Qiddiya City caters to eSports professionals and gaming enthusiasts of all levels and ages. This district transforms the gaming world into a tangible reality, serving as a welcoming space for the gaming community”.
Also Read: The Middle East Is Rapidly Becoming An eSports Hub
The 500,000 square meter site will boast four gaming arenas with a total capacity of 73,000 seats. The largest of the venues is planned to have a capacity of 5,300, making it one of the biggest eSports stadiums in the world. The district will also be home to up to 25 eSports clubs, with 100,000 square meters allocated to retail, dining, and entertainment. When completed, Qiddiya City will allow gamers to live, work, and play, even offering gaming-themed apartments and hotels.
News
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.
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.
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“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.
