Zain KSA and Zain Group have partnered with global gaming platform PLAYHERA to launch their new regional esports platform PLAYHERA MENA to target the Middle East’s markets. Headquartered in Saudi Arabia, PLAYHERA MENA will create a suitable environment for innovators, content creators and esports amateurs, fostering the capabilities of professional gamers. The exclusive joint venture (JV) agreement was signed, at the beginning of this year, at LEAP 2022, the tech event held in Riyadh.
Targeting the region’s lucrative market of an estimated 100 million gamers, PLAYHERA MENA is designed to be a gaming powerhouse that generates countless opportunities for regional competitions and championships. It will also incorporate new gaming services such as cloud games backed by Zain KSA’s state-of-the-art 5G infrastructure to attract digital entertainment stakeholders.
Commenting on the partnership, Zain KSA CEO, Eng. Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Deghaither said, “We are proud that Saudi Arabia is home to PLAYHERA MENA esports hub as it enhances the Kingdom’s capacity to incorporate fast-growing and lucrative digital services and boost the Saudi economy in line with Saudi Vision 2030. We are committed to promoting the growth of an ecosystem that supports the development of gaming platforms, hence unlocking the countless opportunities that will arise for all stakeholders in this field. We look forward to driving growth in the gaming market in the region, and at the same time, we are certain that PLAYHERA MENA will raise the level of the services in this sector that caters to a large segment of users and businesses. The same goes for the Kingdom’s expanding gaming market which currently hosts over 19.8 million gamers and posts a significant annual growth of up to 22% and a market value of SAR 2.6 billion.”
Meanwhile, PLAYHERA CEO, Naif Mulaeb, said, “We are proud to be a Saudi-born brand that has gone global with a fast-growing partner like Zain KSA who share our same passion and enthusiasm toward digital entertainment.”
Zain will notably celebrate the launching of PLAYHERA MENA platform by announcing a regional PUBG Mobile tournament from August 29 to October 3, 2022. It is estimated that the tournament finals will attract around 7,000 participants from across the MENA market.
